After going almost half the season before overloading on the Red Wings, the Hawks now have to worry about playing five of the remaining 34 games--and two of the next two!--against the nagging crotch rash that is the Nashville Predators. They trap and trap and trap some more and every game they're in is a fucking deathmarch of slogging boredom. I'm glad it's on WGN for all to see. As always, they'll obstruct in the neutral zone, Shea Weber will fire slapshots, and Pekka Rinne will be a pretty good goalie, though not as good as he's made out to be; let's see how he does under pressure.

Not just the pressure of an unobstructed opposing offense, but the pressure being on a team where people care about how good you are at your job. Much like the old bargain basement Florida Marlins, the Predators are this little hermetically sealed hockey-operations world where everything is done competently and cheaply, and they're able to run this model in perpetuity because nobody is around to demand anything more of them. There are no ancillary distractions that make sports fun. Nobody is asking them to break a league-leading Cup drought, or restore the family business to its former glory, or win on behalf of an entire nation lest there be riots. Nobody from HBO is filming documentaries about them, the weight of the Canadian media is not on their shoulders every.single.minute, and nobody cares which language their coach speaks (though I believe Barry Trotz speaks some sort of Middle Earth dialect). They just exist in the most boring way possible.

Their power play is 2nd in the league and I have absolutely no idea how other than Shea Weber because their offense is limp-dicked otherwise.

Hawks records: 29-13-6 (.667), 25-16-7 adjusted (.594), pythagorean expectation 55.95 pts (.583)
Preds records: 27-16-4 (.617), 24-19-4 adjusted (.553), pythagorean expectation 48.25 pts (.513)

Goals scored: Hawks 3rd at 3.229, Preds 13th (?!) at 2.660
Goals allowed: Hawks 15th at 2.771, Preds 11th at 2.596

Last and only head-to-head:
Hawks won 5-4 at home in overtime back on Halloween in some game that neither team wanted to win.

Last five:

Hawks: 3-1 W v. FLA, 6-2 W v. BUF, 4-3 W v. SJ, 3-2 OTL @ DET, 5-2 W v. MIN (9/10 earned, 2/10 given)
Preds: 3-0 W @ CLB, 3-0 L @ NY, 3-1 W @ LI, 4-2 W v. PHI, 3-2 OTW v. COL (8/10 earned, 3/10 given)

Hope they pick up both sides of the home-and-two-days-off-and-home. Nashville's on a hot streak they don't deserve.

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I can do that.

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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 just had dinner and am feeling under the weather. It is highly likely that the Predators make me fall asleep.

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This mile-away center ice camera angle doesn't help matters, either.

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Not a mult.

I'd define them as flu-like-like symptoms.

Two shots on goal! Unreal. Is that an all-time low? If the league called obstruction fouls like they said they would, the Predators wouldn't even be in the league. Dumb.

Everything about this game is a sensory assault. Piss sweaters, bad camera wells, YOU SUCK! chants, and some weird, unrelenting phone-beeping noise. I just want to sleep but I can't.

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Is this game as boring as it sounds?
You guys complaining about the bad camera work need to be grateful,I can only listen to it.I wish I was watching.Only upside is the radio crew is superb as usual.

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When I am stuck and need to figure something out I always remember the Immortal words of Socrates when he said:"I just drank what?"

Hey, Joe Paterno died. I'm not saying the Predators telecast did it, but I won't say it didn't.

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Omg, the dreaded 2 goal lead Predator death sentence.Death by boredom a real possibility for the 3rd period.


EDIT Make that a 3 goal lead. PTFB time on this game, I have some snow I need to watch melt.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

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

Crawford's save percentage is in the low .700s for the night, I'm pretty sure. AHL goalie.

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I've noticed the "play better" thing. There aren't nearly as many defensive breakdowns in front of Emery, but Emery helps himself in that regard by not giving up as many Paula-Deen-fat rebounds as Crawford does.

If Toews is out for any significant period of time, they'll finish fourth in the Central. How ignominious.

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if I had to guess:

Stalberg - Bolland - Kane
Hayes - Kruger - Hossa
Shaw - Pirri - Smith
Brunette - Mayers - Frolik

usual defense

Crawford

FACT: Hawks have won one game with fewer than 3 goals, a 2-1 win against Los Angeles. So basically Crawford spots every team two goals.

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Pirri was doing line rushes with Hayes and Shaw this morning? I"m too lazy to go read through Kuc's tweets


Fully expecting to lose this game tonight

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Team Cutler.

Not the same team without Sharp and Toews. I really love and focus on Toews a lot.

They're barely an NHL team without Sharp and Toews. Shaw, Hayes, Pirri, Smith, Kruger all spent time in Rockford this year.

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What really sucks is that this is going to be the last game for about a week and it is gonna hurt to watch.


I can also tell you who the next Hawk to be trading is going to be because I got my brand new Sweater today.
It is one of the Black Ice that fell off the back of a truck into my mothers lap.
I wanted #4 but that was unavailable so I got #10 instead.

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When I am stuck and need to figure something out I always remember the Immortal words of Socrates when he said:"I just drank what?"

Defense playing like shit so far.

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Not a mult.

Got them out of the way early tonight!

Again, this is barely an NHL team. Shameful effort out there. This is not a "try-hard" roster.

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Actually, it was Leddy who spotted them two goals tonight, not Crawford.

I did get a kick out of seeing a Nashville player shoot a bouncing puck at Crawford from outside the blue line. That's basically their way of letting Crawford know that they have no respect for him.

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Cant believe the great Patrick Kane isn't picking up the slack in their absence.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

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

Congratulations on being a team with Marian Hossa that's behind the Nashville Predators. What a bunch of fuckin' bums on this team.

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So true. Obvious the message was shoot whenever on Crawford b/c 9 games out of 9 he leaves juicy fucking rebounds everywhere.



The problem with this team right now is they can not play without the puck. If they have it, great, they are the same-ish dangerous team that won the cup two years ago. The problem is they don't have any consistent grinders, read: not fighting idiots like Scott and Carcillo for the most part. Guys like Andrew Ladd, Madden, Byfuglien when he gave a shit. Guys who could win a board battle, outwork a forecheck and create offense without the puck.

The team realistically needs a top 6 forward, a 3rd liner with some goal scoring touch and at least one defensemen, maybe 2 at this point if its time to think about shifting Leddy to the 3rd pair.

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Team Cutler.

And the problem within the problem is that they signed guys like Mayers, Montador, and O'Donnell to be defensive stalwarts, and under Quenneville they haven't been. Montador and O'Donnell have in fact been gaping defensive liabilities. Then you have guys like Bryan Bickell who are asked to be conscientious defensive forwards, but still picture themselves as the best kid at hockey back home, and refuse to play the "lower" role they've been asked to play.

I don't understand, really. The Hawks have played with tenacity before. Q coached hard-nosed Blues teams with the likes of Al MacInnis and Chris Pronger (and Jamal Mayers, lol old). So what is the origin of this dilemma? Why do the Hawks let teams run roughshod over them? Why do they avoid taking guys off the puck? Why don't they fight for prime real estate (point, crease)? This is how you lose twice in a row to dogshit system teams like the Predators.

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What is the Hawks "system"? The one Nashville follows seems to be successful. I have not walked to the edge of the cliff yet, but things need to change quickly and some moves need to be made to make this team a serious contender. Do the Hawks go for another goalie? D-men? What?

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RFDC thinks I'm retarded.

Well put CH. I don't know if the team is just not quite responding to Q anymore, if it's the roster or what. It's probably both with more emphasis on the roster.



Lots of crazy trades being talked about on twitter/Rozner etc. This team wasn't supposed to compete this year. Of course, the organization will never say that, but if you just look at the type of deals that Bowman signed, it's abundantly clear that he didn't think this is a cup winning team this year.

The bright side is that there is talent in the minors. Lots of it. I really don't want to see us starting to trade away any of it whether it's Leddy or any in the minors (Morin, Olsen, Hayes brothers, McNeil, Shaw) unless it's for a significant contributor and even then I would probably hesitate.

Names like Rick Nash and Bobby Ryan floating around a lot. The problem is that any conversation about that starts with 'We want Nick Leddy and these 2-3 guys in the minors'. Plus I'm sure they would want back another NHL ready player as well. Thatsa too much.

Ride out this year. If Stan can make a nominal move or two to sure up the defense, go for it. Other than that, try to enjoy the ride I think.

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Team Cutler.

When looking at what the hawks had defensively when they won the cup versus what they have now; I'll easily take what they have now. I think in order to sure up the defense, the hawks need to focus on acquiring more offensive talent. Or let the youngster develop into something worthwhile. I'm not talking about trading for Ryan(although it would allow Sharp to move back to center), or other top 3 forwards. I'm talking about second tier players, like Malone, that you can just stack the roster with. The offensive depth of that Cup team will never be duplicated, but adding one or two puck possession players that you can hold onto for a few years (at the expense of youngster) is worth discussing. And with more struggling teams this season than last, those top 6 forwards are out there.

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team Mully & Hanley
team Meatpants

Zactly. So far, this team has slightly exceeded my expectations for the year, and I fully expected this year to be a blow-off year as they finally get their cap numbers a bit more under control, then go for it next season.

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Not a mult.

Absolutely; enjoy the ever changing combination of Sopel/Hendry/Bonyton on the back-end and while I enjoy the Montador and O'Donnell pair.

Campbell is the only noticeable upgrade; but Leddy ain't too shabby. Oh and sir "gets hit by pucks". But by that time in the playoffs, I'm sure O'Donnell will be out of gas, and happy to take plenty of shots for the team.

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team Mully & Hanley
team Meatpants

I'm sorry but there's no universe in which this year's defense is better than 2010's. I'll take a Brent Sopel who knows his role as meatsack and plays it to the hilt over a Steve Montador who doesn't know what the fuck he's doing most nights. Even Hendry was limited enough in time and responsibility that he couldn't easily hurt you. Haven't been able to say that for SOD lately.

We had it so good with that team. We're only realizing now. Best championship team of the cap era?

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I'm pretty sure that having Brouwer, Ladd, VERSTEEG, and Byfuglien play alongside Toews, Sharp, Kane, and Hossa; Had more to do with the goalies only facing 20 shots a night, than Sopel's shot blocking ability. That offense would make any defense look good.

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team Mully & Hanley
team Meatpants

If you're saying that the team has gotten worse at possession since those guys left, I would agree, yes. Campbell and Sopel are still better than Leddy and Montador, though. At least Leddy projects to get much better than he is now, and better than Campbell would have been in a few years, hence the trade.

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