Hot Stuff

We are just hours away from the second Game 7 in the last 2 days, and third Game 7 of these playoffs. Tonight the Detroit Red Wings look to continue their memorable run, and knock off another higher seeded team and the Chicago Blackhawks look to continue to prove their regular season was no fluke. This will prove to be a highly contested match-up, like any hockey series is concerned, but after hitting the same guy for 6 games, after watching someone get away with something for 6 games, the pushing the pulling the hitting all of the physicality that hockey brings, and add to it, the biggest rivalry in hockey! This will truly be an event to watch. 

Throw out the records, throw out whatever happened up to this point, throw out the...ah... Rolling Stones?!?

Yeah, last night the Rolling Stones played at the United Center, which would typically pose a threat to stadium conditions, but we'll see your Rolling Stones concert and raise you humidity. 

Humidity wreaks havoc on an ice rink. From bubbles to warps to chips to melting... You will see the puck do some things tonight that are not typical. Every wrap around the boards tonight ill become, interesting. Every innocent dump in becomes, advantageous. Every Blue Line to Blue Line pass becomes, curious. You just might see some things tonight that will cause you to think the pucks have a contact high from the special herb being passed around the stadium last night. 

You can go 59:50 without a crazy event taking place, but be sure that at some point tonight the puck is going to do something we don't typically see it do. See the Blackhawks Cup run in 2010. On multiple occasions, especially on the Power Play, you would see the puck take a hop over an awaiting defenseman's stick. With the speed on both sides (Hawks and Red Wings) if we see a jumping puck we could be in store for some interesting break-away opportunities. 

We have seen games like this before, myself I personally look back to the 2000 Western Conference Finals between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche. That series went 7 games, and in game 7 there were many "occurrences" with a bouncing puck that shouldn't, with an odd ricochet off the boards, with a shot taken but the puck wasn't there. The home team did end up winning that tilt, which proves well for the Hawks tonight, but in Game 7's anything can happen. 

One area where I think bad ice conditions can really change the outcome of the game is, clearing the puck. If the ice is chippy the puck could have the tendency of jumping up on end. When a player clears a puck, and if it is on end, that puck could come off the stick differently and could jump over the boards resulting in a penalty. In what should be a tightly contested match-up, neither team can afford to give up cheap Power Play opportunities. Especially in a game which otherwise should see little calls as I expect the refs to allow the 2 teams to play. 

We are just hours away from the greatest event in sport, Game 7, Hawks - Red Wings. Damn this will be good. 

Chicago Blackhawks; Now or Never

The Chicago Blackhawks are faced with a huge challenge tonight, win or look in the face of elimination.

I have been saying for a while now (Team of Destiny and in a couple of YouTube videos) that we need to appreciate what we were watching on the ice and not be critical, however now is the time for critical! I don't want to be that typical Meathead Chicago Sports fan and start pushing the panic button, but the Hawks have not looked too good against the Redwings through the last 2 games. Very little intensity, very little domination.

This is only a 2-1 lead for Detroit, but with this lead Detroit has put themselves in position to have home ice. Tonight's game is in Detroit, and the remainder of the series is Chicago, Detroit, Chicago. This isn't a great position for the Hawks to be in, however even their 2010 Stanley Cup Championship team was down 2-1 at one point.

Keys

1. Jonathan Toews - The Tazer needs a lazer to find the back of the net. Thus far Zetterberg has dominated their match-up, and Toews has been almost non-existent.

2. Intensity - The Blackhawks showed some of the necessary intensity in the final 3:30 minutes of Game 3, they need to fill all 60 minutes in Game 4 if they plan on winning.

3. Smart Play - Penalties are going to happen in all sports, hockey is no exception, but there is a difference between a smart penalty and a careless dumb penalty. Chicago has committed more penalties in the series (17-13) and luckily Detroit hasn't scored (Chicago is perfect in the playoffs on the Penalty Kill). The Hawks carelessly allowed 5 Power Play chances in the 3rd period of Game 3, all but guaranteeing their loss.

4. Stars need to be stars. For as good as Patrick Sharp was against Minnesota, he has seemingly disappeared verse Detroit. Hossa scored a Power Play goal in Game 1, but has yet to have a notable offensive play since, and we've already highlighted Toews. Kane has been the only one to continuously light the lamp (regular season and playoffs), but you would like to see even more production from him (after game 1).

5. Goaltending - So far Corey Crawford hasn't been the problem, but he has allowed a couple of soft goals in this series. Corey is your horse, and the guy the Hawks will ride. I don't like suggesting this, as it isn't exactly typical, the Hawks should give Ray Emery a chance in goal. I say this because all season the 2 goalies shared duties, and over the course of the last few games it seemed as if Crow wasn't as sharp as he was early on. There is a huge confidence level in Emery, which allows for this switch to happen, and could pay dividends later in the playoffs.

Team of Destiny

From the beginning of this strike shortened roller coaster ride of a season the +Chicago Blackhawks  have been a team possessed. With their record setting points streak to start a season, to their tremendous goal tender play, to the incredible play of Patrick Kane, this team seems to be on course for a special season.

With the +NHL  Stanley Cup Playoffs underway, and the Hawks holding a commanding 3-1 series lead on the Minnesota Wild, the Hawks should be moving along to the 2nd round for the first time since their incredible 2010 Stanley Cup run. From the beginning of the season I have been extremely adamant about 1 thing, do not put tons of expectations on this team, rather enjoy this ride we are all on. What I mean by not putting expectations on the team is this, if we all expect them to hoist the cup at the end of the year we could lose sight of the absolutely spectacular play on the ice.

How many Hawks fans realize the Blackhawks record with Patrick Sharp playing this season? Did you realize that Sharpy didn't lose his first game until Game 3 against the Wild? The Hawks, with Patrick Sharp playing are 26-1-3.



Another record that we saw this year was the best start to a season from a goalie. Ray Emery started the 2012-2013 season (or 2013 season...) 10-0-0. This marked the best start for a goalie in NHL history. His credentials didn't stop there however. Both Emery and Corey Crawford won the Jennings Award for the team that gave up the least amount of goals. Both tenders finished the season with a GAA under 2.00 and very respectable save percentages (both in the .920's). Both goalies also finished the season with 3 shutouts a piece, and Crow added another shutout in Game 4 verse the Wild.

The undeniable star of the first half of the regular season was hands down, Patrick Kane. Kaner seemed to shed his party-boy persona and developed into the player people thought he was going to be. Kane averaged 1.17 Points Per Game, finished 5th in the league in goals (23) and 5th in the league in points (55). If there was a negative on his season it might be he only finished with a very respectable +/- 11 on the year.



My Captain. Jonathan Toews put in another stellar season for the Blackhawks. Considered by most as one of the top forwards in the league, Tazer has been this teams leader since his second season in the league. "Captain Serious" as he is coined, finished the year with a team lead tie in goals (23, tied with Kane) and a +/- 23 on the season. It seems like anytime Toews is on the ice, good things happen.

This team grabbed the Presidents Trophy for the first time since the 1990-91 season, when they lost to the +Pittsburgh Penguins in the Finals (possible rematch), and marked the 4th time in team history they finished with the best record/most points in the regular season.

With a regular season record of 36-7-5, 77 regular season points, a 24 game point streak to start the season, and 2 top 5 goal scorers, this is special team to watch. Please take every play in, like your first cup of coffee in the morning. Enjoy every cross ice crisp pass, every stick save, every scrum win in a corner, ensuring that the season is completely enjoyable for you, otherwise your expectations might take some of the enjoyment away.