2016 Playoffs: Rd 1 - Blackhawks vs. St. Louis Blues

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Should be interesting. Blackhawks are kind of stumbling into the playoffs but we shall see who turns it around.
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Otis Day
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They usually ramp up things in the playoffs but I am not really feeling that this year. Not sure what it is about this team, but I have no confidence in them to win it all this year. They just look gassed to me.

Crawford, glad he is back, but he has got to be rusty and that worries me as well. St Louis, poster children for playoff choking, seems to be a different team. We shall see. Hawks win game one and the Blues will probably shrivel up and die like usual.
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Otis Day wrote:They usually ramp up things in the playoffs but I am not really feeling that this year. Not sure what it is about this team, but I have no confidence in them to win it all this year. They just look gassed to me.

Crawford, glad he is back, but he has got to be rusty and that worries me as well. St Louis, poster children for playoff choking, seems to be a different team. We shall see. Hawks win game one and the Blues will probably shrivel up and die like usual.
I think the exhaustion is finally setting in, but I've been saying that for years. Even when they had the damn olympics running them down, the Blackhawks won the cup in 2010 and were a breath away from making the Cup Final in 2014 (fuck Alec Martinez, btw).

More to the point is that the age of the roster is showing a bit. Trading Dano for Ladd may turn out to have been a big mistake in the long run if they don't make it far, since you essentially traded Saad for a few useless months of Ladd.

Plus, and this may make me sound like a dumbass, I'm kind of tired of the Blackhawks going balls out to ditch nearly every young player they get that's NHL ready. I was terribly excited to see what Dano could become, and guys like Jeremy Morin before him. I guess it's a testament to their organization that they can routinely win while trading young assets for veteran rentals.

I get it - strike while the iron is hot and the core is in their prime. That said, I'll enjoy this team a little more in the coming transitional years where the rest of the hockey world doesn't despise them and the next generation of Blackhawks makes the team their own. Long way from that though.

The Blues are a hell of a challenge, but if there's one thing I've learned from this core over the years, it's never to doubt them come playoff time. They may look like ass the first couple games, but the fire will return. It always does.
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I think this opening round series is going to be a struggle. St Louis does not suck and have enough elements to give the Blackhawks fits.

That said, I think the Blackhawks will prevail in 6 and look like their old selves as they move forward.
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Lets hope so Boris. If Hawks go out early, it is a long wait until preseason football. Hell, with no hockey on last night and no good programming on NFL Network, I resorted to watching CURLING :o WTF?

If Hawks go out early, I will just have to root mightily for whoever is playing the Blues.
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Playoff hockey for sure last night. Tight game, shrinking ice, tough D, goalies kicking ass.

To lose on that play :frustrated:

The obvious statement - Hawks gotta win Friday night. Someone has to put the fucking biscuit in the net. Plenty of opps last night but Elliot stoned them. Not scoring on the PP was the killer. Hawks just cannot seem to score at even strength and now with a two man advantage they decided to play keep away. SHOOT THE FUCKING PUCK!!!!
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I fell asleep after the first period and woke up to saw they lost on a fluke and of COURSE went to goddamn overtime. Honestly I don't care. They need to be slapped around a bit to wake up and realize that shit is real. 0/5 on the power play is inexcusable.
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the game was close as expected ... missed opportunities by the Blackhawks though ... it should not have gone to OT
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This has been a successful franchise the past 7-8 years but it has been a friggin rollercoaster. the highs have highs and the lows have just been frustrating, nothing terrible. The Hawks carry great expectations every year now and it is interesting to see how fans handle them. The years they didn't win cups are the years I thought they would win (especially 12 and 14). Last year I had the same feeling as this year, not gonna happen. Lets hope my vibes are off again.

Don't really know what to think of this series. I believe Elliott is just been on a roll all year and he has a very good D in front of him. Hawks have been piss poor on the power play lately and piss poor on 5 on 5. That leads me to think they will struggle all series.

Hawks just need to start peppering Elliott and forget the one pass too many.
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Problem is that they're in a rare cup window where it's a disappointment when you DON'T win the cup or at least make the conference finals. It's kind of jaded my interpretation of success w/ the Blackhawks.
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That's a win, boys.
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I am enjoying reading and listening to Blues fans are into the conspiracy theory. NHL wants Hawks in finals and that is why the calls went their way last night. Give me a friggin break!! The Shaw goal was clearly good. Puck in the net and his follow thru hit Elliotts pad. The offside, i am not even going to act like I knew what the hell went on there. Blues fans even arguing about Taresanko's slash. He busted Shaw's stick in half, if that ain't slashing, I don't know what is.

Lets take 2 in Chitown.
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I don't get the Blackhawks. So indecisive leaving neutral ice & terribly sloppy the whole way. I get it, their defensive depth chart is hilariously bad after the top two, but they're still stingy with allowing goals. Simply need to tap that Blackhawks magic and bury the clutch goals. Hard to do that when you can barely cross the blue line. Credit to the Blues, they're an annoying bunch of losers, but as they say, the truth will out. If the Blues can flummox the Blackhawks, all the more power to them, but these gift goals are gonna dry up.
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Two power play goals for the Blues, but I'm sure Ken Hitchcock will be fair and thank the officiating.
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RING4CHI wrote:Two power play goals for the Blues, but I'm sure Ken Hitchcock will be fair and thank the officiating.

:rofl:

his whining b.s. after game 2 was classic nimrod with panties twisted
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Elliott is just killing it right now. did I hear correctly that the Hawks had 24 shots in the second period alone? that may be pressure but Elliott is handling it. the hot goalie wins and he is definitely hot.

Kane , Toews and Panarin got to start finding the back of the net.
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Blackhawks game 3 record in the playoffs over the last handful of years is bad. 4-7 is like 43-14 or something hilarious though.
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I was not pleased with Game 3 at all ... they skated like they were lost on their home ice ... I hope it was their lone anomaly of the series
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Blackhawks are a game away from a pretty embarrassing series loss.
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Fuck Andrew Shaw and his stupidity costing the Blackhawks the game.

Getting a 2-minute penalty with 2:04 left then picking a fight after the game ended? Fucking retard.
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RING4CHI wrote:Fuck Andrew Shaw and his stupidity costing the Blackhawks the game.

Getting a 2-minute penalty with 2:04 left then picking a fight after the game ended? Fucking retard.


that was pretty bad ... but I think the gift 4th goal on an idiot pass was equally retarded, and highlighted what is different and wrong with the Blackhawks this post season - a lack of situational awareness ... I guess Shaw's stupid shit falls into that too
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Andrew Shaw needs to be suspended.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/15276 ... e-gay-slur" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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RING4CHI wrote:Andrew Shaw needs to be suspended.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/15276 ... e-gay-slur" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

not sure why he was upset with the officials ... that was a clear penalty right in front of the net and right in front of the officials ... he had time to make the right decision, and if he had been aggressive towards the puck rather than an opponent, maybe they could have scored on that

but to be fair, Panik was dumped the same way as he took the shot ... so maybe that was Shaw's beef rather than him just being a jerkoff? though in reality he probably didn't even notice his team mate being dumped

it was a very undisciplined game by the Blackhawks and Shaw was just the most obvious undisciplined piece ... but certainly not the only one
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Shaw's stupid shit aside, I think the Hawks have just met their match in the first round this year. They don't match up well against the Blues this year and there are multiple factors, IMO, playing against the Hawks this playoffs.

I believe the Blues are much improved and they have their heads on straight and not fatalistic like in years past. They have handled adversity in this series far better than they have in years past. Elliott is playing out of his ass, hot goalies tend to carry teams.

Hawks just don't have the extra gear this year. They have it in spurts but those spurts come to late. I believe they are worn down and those spurts are not what they used to be. This team has played far more hockey than most teams the past 6 yrs and it has caught up to them.

Lastly, repeating in the NHL is a bitch, rarely happens in the current structure.

Hawks need to let the young guys grow up the next few years and make another run. Forget the picking up of vets at the end of years and let the youngsters mature.

Launch effin Rosival, the dude just can't do it anymore.

As for Shaw, had great moments last night but his stupidity will outweigh the good he did.
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Otis Day wrote:Shaw's stupid shit aside, I think the Hawks have just met their match in the first round this year. They don't match up well against the Blues this year and there are multiple factors, IMO, playing against the Hawks this playoffs.

I believe the Blues are much improved and they have their heads on straight and not fatalistic like in years past. They have handled adversity in this series far better than they have in years past. Elliott is playing out of his ass, hot goalies tend to carry teams.

Hawks just don't have the extra gear this year. They have it in spurts but those spurts come to late. I believe they are worn down and those spurts are not what they used to be. This team has played far more hockey than most teams the past 6 yrs and it has caught up to them.

Lastly, repeating in the NHL is a bitch, rarely happens in the current structure.

Hawks need to let the young guys grow up the next few years and make another run. Forget the picking up of vets at the end of years and let the youngsters mature.

Launch effin Rosival, the dude just can't do it anymore.

As for Shaw, had great moments last night but his stupidity will outweigh the good he did.
Here's my take:

1. Blackhawks scorers aren't scoring. Toews, Kane, Hossa, Ladd, and Teravainen combined through 4 games have taken 70 shots and have 0 goals to show for it.

2. Elliot is playing well, sure, but the defense around him is playing even better. Their stickwork is disruptive as hell, and the hits they're famous for throwing out aren't reckless or random like they were in past years - they're breaking the Blackhawks up behind the net and at the blue line, wrecking their puck control game.

3. Speaking of puck control, the Blackhawks work between the blue lines is a total mess, much less their game inside the offensive zone. Lots of indecisize passing, guys getting frozen in place, too much passing, and "fuck it" shooting for the sake of shooting. The "mojo" isn't there because it hasn't been there all season.
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Didn't see this until yesterday but did you see Shaw take one to the nuts at the end of the game from Steen (I believe)? Blatant stick to the scrotum that went unnoticed. That is why he was ballistic at the end of the game. That should be reviewed and that Blues player should be fined.

He also took a cross check to the face from Brouwer that went unnoticed as well. They got to him big time and he flipped a gasket.

Not excusing his double bird and faggot remark. Suspension deserved although what he did did not really bother me. Inappropriate and uncalled for but I am sure this is not the first time it has ever happened.

Guess Shaw should have used the concussion defense like the dude that cross checked the ref earlier this year.
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I'll be watching tonight but I have little expectation of anything other than a Blues series clinching win ... Blackhawks just not able to keep up with them

it should be the Kings turn again to win it all ... they have been alternating with the Blackhawks the past few years ... since Blackhawks won last year, it is L.A.'s turn ... the fly in that ointment is San Jose is about to eliminate them

so with the 2 heavy weights about to be gone, I'll be left rooting for the finals to be Nashville Predators vs Florida Panthers
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The playoffs will get interesting if the Hawks ( or when the Hawks) and Kings are eliminated this round. Blues fans think that will make it easier for the Blues. I guess they don't get the fact that means the Sharks are on fire and it will not be easy. I think I will have to root for the Preds as well. Love me some Pekka Rinne and Shea Webber. East I don't really care as long as it is not the Caps...oh hell who am I kidding, I hate all east coast teams. How about the Wings?
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Otis Day wrote:How about the Wings?
the Wings are down 3-1 in their series too and are about to be eliminated by Tampa Bay
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