Hawks are in St. Paul tonight. Minnesota has new road uniforms to show off, as you may have noticed, so they're going to wear white at home tonight and for one night restore order to the universe. It's been ten years and it still looks wrong to me.

I know it's early, but it might already be time to face facts that this isn't our year. I don't know whose year it is -- and no, it isn't Colorado's -- but with a penalty kill this bad, you're not going far.

RECORDS
Hawks: 6-2-3, adjusted 4-2-4, 11.774 points expected (up from 11.607, which is to say not at all, which is to say all those nights they "at least banked points" caught up with them, the way it seems to be with pythagorean expectation)
Wild: 6-3-3, adjusted 6-4-2, 14.445 points expected

GOALS
Hawks: 2.909 scored (13th), 2.727 allowed (15th)
Wild: 2.417 scored (21st) 2.000 allowed (5th)

UNEVEN STRENGTH
Hawks: 9/45, 20.0% (14th) on the power play; 26/36, 72.2% (30th) on the penalty kill (and a .762 sv% on the kill. Down from .902 last year. Jesus Christ)
Wild: 13/50, 26.0% (5th) on the power play, 39/51, 76.5% (26th) on the penalty kill

Let's hope the Hawks have a game as good as the album this song leads off. Does anyone else think the Pumpkins took the beginning of "1979" from "What's Going On"?

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I still think it's our year and that we're the best team in the NHL still. Are we as good as last year though? Nope.

The team is outplaying their opponent pretty much every game but not finding ways to win. They suck at burying the puck right now, something that should correct itself. Also note that this team plays a lot of one goal games and sometimes you're just going to be on the wrong side of those. As for the 3rd period leads they keep blowing, it needs to be fixed for sure but 3rd period leads aren't safe in the NHL anymore. All you need to do is look at the boxscore every night to see two or three teams who blew a 3rd period lead and lost the game.

They're going thru their Stanley Cup hangover right now but for the most part they're still finding ways to get points. This team really needs to put Pirri at #2 C tho. We can't have Handzus doing his Brunette impersonation on the 2nd line. Handzus is a good #4 C option but not a #2 for a full season. And for the love of god no more Kruger at the #2 C.

Handzus is slipping past Andrew Brunette impersonation and into Brendan Morrison impersonation. I don't know that Pirri has the defensive responsibilities to play #2 center yet, though at this point he's worth a look. Still, I maintain that a Saad-Sharp-Hossa second line would be ideal. Sharp is taking draws now anyway.

As for being on the wrong side of one-goal outcomes, that ship should be docking in Vancouver pretty soon, and it will be glorious. 6-0-1 in one-goal games with a +1 differential on the season? It's comin'.

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Hockey Gay, it is of no use.

CH has spoken. It is not our year. Just a few games into the season and it is already over.

Look on the bright side we can give our attention to so many other things now since we know the Hawks are doomed this year.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

At what point are their horrid penalty killing and penchant for giving away 3rd period leads a legitimate concern?

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

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

No doubt there are concerns. But a hangover from the stanley cup year is expected. To declare the season is a bust at this point is just silly.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

It's entirely possible that they turn it around, but we're talking about a dead-last penalty kill here. This isn't like last year's power play, where it was only bad relative to the scoring weapons that served us so well at even strength. This is just alarmingly incompetent. They're giving up goals five, six seconds into penalty time here time after time. If teams are getting set plays off that frequently, something is seriously wrong.

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In the 2nd half of the season. It's a streaky sport, The Avs will start getting their ass handed to them soon and the Sharks will go on their yearly 6 game losing streak eventually.

Can't really defend the PK. Has to be better.

There's nothing to play for this season, it's 82 glorified exhibition games. It's all about the Olympics and chance to repeat this season. Plus the team came off a record setting streak to start last season.

I don't see why they won't play Pirri #2 C. Let him take his bumps there, it's okay if he fucks up sometimes. This team will clinch a playoff spot no problem.

They're playing Pirri at #2C tonight. When Hockey Gay talks, people listen.

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Ha! About fackin time.

Let's hope he has good night. Although I'm not sure why we'd hope he'd have anything other than that.

Sometimes I root against one of our own players so that it becomes easier to Q-proof the roster. :x

hi Brad Mills

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Its a long season. The Hawks still have the most talented team in the NHL, although the Sharks might have something to say about that. Before you know it, fans will call for Q's firing!

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

I still don't know why some guy named Brad Mills is on my ice hockey team.

Hertl has been a huge addition thus far but there are still lots of plugs in their lineup. What's a "Tommy Wingels"?

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The Sharks are the Chicago Bulls of the NHL.

The team may be the Bulls, but the fans are Cardinal-esque. What a mix.

Anyway, good to get the goal in the first off a goofy angle, but Backstrom has been pretty strong otherwise. Morin is playing well again, Pirri is looking good in the top six, and Brad Mills hasn't done anything to upset me yet.

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Backstrom faced all of like 7 shots. He looks great when he's not tested.
Some really bad passing by the hawks in this game...many pucks aimed at feet.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Crawford is looking strong so far.
We get to see the PK so lets go guys.
I think the Captain needs to stop taking some of the stupid penalties he has been lately.
It is still early to be wring the boys off.

I have said this before but they really need better cameras at the UC. This feed looks incredible and makes the Uc feed look like total shit.

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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?"

I think that the stupid penalty leader early has been Hossa. Quite a few it feels like.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

That goal was ALL on Dunk.
He's been... not great.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Hawks up by two after 3. This one is going to OT.

Would of been 5 goals in 5 games for Bickell if he buried that. He's turned it on lately.

Pirri and Shaw getting destroyed in faceoffs. Gotta be better.

Big period here, boys. Here we go, boys.

Minnesota takes their hockey very seriously. Conversely, I bet Timberwolves games look like garbage.

Great second period but for the Keith fuckup. Penalties being killed, goals being scored, gotta love it. Minnesota will press hard in the third, though, and it's another two-goal lead. Yikes.

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Just gotta play good hockey out there in the 3rd. Just be good Ontario boys playing the game like it's pond hockey. Thinkin of the time Dad built that rink in the back yard and worked 18 hours a day yet still had time to make all the games. Mom bringing hot chocolate out so the boys keep warm and can keep playin all night.

Here we go, boys.

Okay, Gay Cherry.

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Fucking Don Cherry

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Good second period. Feeling a little bit hopeful and good,watch it turn to shit.

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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?"

Tell me I did not just see that!!!
Wow just plain wow, that almost makes up for the Redskins tanking yesterday.

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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?"

Pretty awesome play by Saad yeah. But now...
The dreaded 3 goal lead!

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

So glad we don't have that 3 goal lead!