Big win for the Hawks tonight (tying an NHL record for 7 straight postseason road wins) to take a 2-0 series lead over the San Jose Sharks. Captain Serious added to his Conn Smythe resume while the Leviathan did his business ruling the seas. Antti Niemi also turned in another above average performance stopping 20 of 22 shots.
The Hawks did 2 of the 3 big things I asked for in my pregame blog. They limited the shots and got big contributions from their bottom two lines (Andrew Ladd scored the first Hawks goal). I am still looking for a dirty snipe from Marian Hossa who missed on an empty net late in the game.
I don’t want to get ahead of myself but I think this series is going to pan out well for our boys. The Sharks and Hawks play very similar styles of hockey but Chicago has a little bit of an edge in all aspects of the game. With the sudden emergence of Niemi as an elite goaltender, I’m not sure San Jose has a chance in this series. The Sharks frustration is becoming obvious with the usually emotionless Joe Thornton taking a horrible slashing penalty and getting physical after the whistle.
Check back in the next couple days for my take on why the Stanley Cup Finals (which hopefully we make it to) will be the toughest series the Hawks will have to undergo this postseason. Until then, check out some of these great articles on baseball and basketball being written by my colleagues here at The Manchise.
5 comments:
After watching these miserable curs known as the San Jose Sharks for the past two games, I must ask myself:
"How is this team the #1 seed?"
The Blackhawks would have more competition if the old Los Angeles Sharks were cobbled back together and put out on the ice.
Gary Veneruzzo and J.P. LeBlanc may no longer be able to flash around the ice as they did so magnificently thirty seven years ago, but at least they wouldn't take girlish penalties ala Joe Thorton and his slashy, hooky stick.
Win on Friday and wrap it up in Game #4. Then bring on whatever pretender makes it in from The East. After that, bring in the Houston Aeros, and we'll settle this once and for all.
San Jose is the number 1 seed because there style of play is built for the regular season. When the intensity is down and there is little pressure, the Sharks feast on opponents with their big 3 of Thornton, Marleau, and Heatley. Unfortunately for San Jose, when the calendar turns to the playoffs and the intensity picks up, they find themselves stuck in neutral. They have great scorers but when they are forced to truly earn their goals they haven proven themselves to be rather unsuccessful.
Also King, I am putting out an article today on the draft, but check back on Thursday because I am going to try to issue a warning to all fans who think a pretender is coming out of the East!
Worry not about the orange and black clad goons from the City of Brotherly Love (Shouldn't that title now go to San Francisco?). The only reason this team has any titles is because they basically ruined hockey for twenty years with the likes of Dave Schultz, Kenny "The Rat" Linnesman, and the oafish Paul Holmgren. Screw them, the horse the rode in on, and all their dumb ass fans.
While they have won six in a row, you've got to remember that they won the first four with basically nothing to lose against a mediocre Bruins line up that was lucky to still be in it, and the next two are against a Montreal team that - frankly speaking - sucks.
Ah but when they are playing the Blackhawks for all the marbles, they won't be a loosey, goosey "we've got nothing to lose" bunch. They'll return to form, and the Blackhawks will take it in five.
This is the Blackhawks' year, and you've been saying that in post after post - don't back down now.
Me? Win or lose I'm going down swinging.
Haha I'm not backing down in the least bit. The ball is without a doubt in the Hawks court. I just don't think Philly should be underestimated.
Philly should not only be underestimated - they should be made phun of.
This team, and its city, need to pay a steep price phor ruining this great sport in the early 1970's. My bet is that their phans still idolize the likes of Bobby Clarke, Ross Lonsberry, Don Saleski and Ed Van Impe. These were some of the least talented individuals to ever win a Stanley Cup (let alone two), and the only reason they were even competitive was because the NHL lost its mind phor a while and decided that phighting was what phans wanted to see. Broad Street Bullies indeed - more like Passyunk Avenue Pansies.
I will give no quarter to these punks. The deserve none, and will get none.
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