IGT: Penguins @ Blackhawks 3/1 at 7:00 p.m.

darkvirage

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Game definitely lived up to the hype for sure. Even Jurco had a couple real good shifts. TVR rebounded pretty well. Could be special once Hjammer and Oduya are in there together to solidify the D.
 

Raskolnikov

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Just finished watching the game on DVR delay and I can't think of the last time I enjoyed a regular season game that much. Just incredible skill all over the ice, all the time. Goalies making saves left and right, precision passing from each team to set up brilliant chances ... it was everything that hockey is supposed to be. What a fucking game.

And, yeah, it helps that the Hawks won.

Part of this is likely induced by the euphoria of watching such a great game, but this has been one of the more enjoyable regular seasons I can remember for the Hawks. Watching Panik, Schmaltz and Hartman all develop over the course of the season has made this so much fun.

Can't wait for April, man. This team looks set up for another deep run.

Jurco is still charmin.

The bottom 6 is still in a rut, overshadowed by the excitement we all have about the first 2 lines. (I'm not Paniking becaue its simpler now with Smaltz/Panik winning their jobs out right even if Hartman might score more than Smatlz in the end at that spot...its clear the chemistry fit. The bottom 6 is a matter of making some tough play time calls on people and tinkering a bit. We haven't even decided if Kruger is going to form the ultimate checking line around Hossa with Ras/Des/Hino/Hartman as a third forechecker.

It appears watching games Q may be going situational. Where he can role out a checking line wiht Ras-Krug-Hossa anytime he wants...or sprinkle in Hartman-Kero-Hossa when he wants a little more two way. I still think this is not in our best interest.

form a scoring line around Hossa, form a checking line with one scorer/skater around Kruger.

But maybe the score/opponent determine which Hossa line you see...and perhaps that is the evolution of hockey and the right thing to do with Hossa in your bottom 6. Not just build a line for him to succeed..but always give him whatever is best situationally to go get his job done, and he will do it and carry the bottom 6 that way.
I don't think the Penguins have it this year, it was nice to show them emphatically that even their best can tip to us quite easily.

Penguins, Sharks, Anaheim, Columbus, Boston, Chicago, Washington, Minny, Montreal, Kings (I added last two...goaltending, trade additions, and experience they probably complete the ten teams with a prayer)


I don't think anyone else has the system, goaltending, firepower to win it all, particularyly because the gauntlet of teams above...not much room for cinderella to get lucky. If I was digging deep to eliminate teams above, I would say Kings don't have it first, but if they have goaltending idk.... why they snuck in...next tier is Anaheim/Sharks/Penguins/Boston is a gut thing. I don't think its their year. Wash/Montreal are always shockingly dissappointing come playoff time.

Colombus is an unknown...but I don't like their coach for playoff hockey...for stubborn regular season drivell...ok..we'll see Torts but I don't believe in anything you are doing right now so fuck you.

honorable mention to Calgary and Montreal, Toronto and Edmonton....Montreal in particular is ripe, and Mathews/McJesus look like a generational Canadien, and an American who will be a more complete player than Kane. Could be the best American Hockey player ever that Mathews.


So the final 4....is Minny, Chicago, Montreal, Washington....

it will take alot to eliminate Pittsburgh but their goaltenders allow too many soft goals, are too small. I don't like.
Its probably Washingtons vs Chicago, with us putting Minny in their place. That feels right to me.

I don't know that we can win that series...but I can't wait to watch all the series, its going to take great hockey to beat us, we know that.
 

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