This is what happens when you cobble together everyone's secondary scoring into one big Frankenteam. Hasn't been this much B-list talent in one place since Hollywood Squares was on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnox4c9LTXs

from the Capitals that choked a lot, it's Tomas Fleischmann!
from the Lightning that overachieved last year, Sean Bergenheim!
from the Canadiens that beat Boston in the playoffs eight and ten years ago, Jose Theodore!
from recent annoying Red Wings AND Canucks teams, Mikael Samuelsson!
from the NHL-life-support Coyotes and nearly-killed-a-man Canucks, Ed Jovonovski! (I think he's out for the year)
from the Cup-winning Devils and our Hawks, John Madden!
from the Predators, where all scoring is secondary, Marcel Goc!
from our 2010 Stanley Cup Blackhawks, Brian Campbell, Kris Versteeg, Tomas Kopecky, and technically Jack Skille!
aaaaand ALF!

But seriously. After a hot start, injuries have finally caught up to the Panthers and dragged them right back to the creamy middle of the league. If the Hawks have been struggling since around Christmas, these guys have straight up crapped the bed, with 3 wins in the last 10 and 9 points of the last possible 20, starting with an 8-0 loss to the B's.

What few homegrowns the Panthers have are kind of scary. Jason Garrison is the poor man's Shea Weber, some big ogre-lookin' guy who cranks out lethal slapshots if you let him, and God knows the Hawks sure love to leave men open at the point. shawn Matthias is blossoming into a nice player, and that Kulikov guy is supposed to be pretty good. Their goalie prospect Markstrom is either injured or on assignment, so big bullet dodged there: we either get tired old Theodore or Clemmensen.

By the Numbers:

Panthers: 21-14-10, 19-19-7 adjusted, pythagorean expectation 41.24 pts (.458)
Hawks: 28-13-6, 24-16-7 adjusted, pythagorean expectation 54.18 pts (.576)

Goals scored: Hawks 3rd (3.234), Panthers 21st (2.511)
Goals allowed: Hawks 19th (2.809), Panthers 13th (2.711)

Shootout (because after all it went to one when they played in Miami last October): Hawks 4-3, Panthers 2-5
Panthers last five: 4-3 OTL @ COL, 3-2 SOL v. BOS, 4-1 L v. PIT, 2-1 W v. VAN, 5-2 L v. NJ (4/10 earned, 8/10 given)
Hawks last five: 6-2 W v. BUF, 4-3 W v. SJ, 3-2 OTL @ DET, 5-2 W v. MIN, 5-2 W v. CLB (9/10 earned, 2/10 given)

Huge win for the Hawks if they can get it. Tallon sucks.

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Thread title

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I hope the Blackhawks beat his ass.






Then I want them to win against the Panthers, too.

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Kane is about to start a post Cup summer Wrigleyville ho's like tear.

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Team Cutler.

Dude broke his hand by punching the the top(crown) of another dudes head... I've never seen someone throw that hard of a punch before. While incredibly stupid, I was nonetheless very impressed by it.

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team Mully & Hanley
team Meatpants

Is he taking the Mike Milbury comments to heart?

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No one should ever take anything Mike Milbury has ever said to heart.

Especially Rick DiPietro

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Team Cutler.

I see what you did there...

And I don't like it one damn bit!

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team Mully & Hanley
team Meatpants

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Team Cutler.

Great thread title.

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Late start because of weather?

Yep.

I guess it took the Panthers 2 hours to get from downtown to UC.

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Toews with a hell of a breakaway, Keith with a hell of a snipe. Personally, I say the snow brought out their winterness. Warm memories of cold pond hockey or something, I dunno. That or the Panthers are just mediocre and furthermore discombobulated from all the delays.

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Oh, for fuck's sake, Fleischmann, play like a man for once.

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Kane didn't try to get too cute. Let the defender back off him and shot the puck.

Amazing.

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The Hawks get more good goals washed out than anyone. Swear to God. Two nights in a row now. Maybe tomorrow night they can wave off a Montador goal for a foot in the crease from 60 feet out.

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Look, a goal by Kane !! he's right on pace for that magical 19 goal season.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

I have no idea how Shaw wasn't sent to the quiet room for a while after that hit.

@LaurenceWHolmes
Laurence Holmes:

Thank you Steve Konroyd, for not just going w/ the lame Kane narrative. He has been playing well.



@LaurenceWHolmes
Laurence Holmes:

don't be a slave to points. Niemi stole a goal from him last week. RT @yungrex94: @LaurenceWHolmes just a 2 points in last seven

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guy has a great game and you're still talking shit about him. Why don't you go fuck yourself?

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Yeah he's been a real force lately. I do admire the way you stick up for your boyfriends though, both in the political and athletic areas.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.