Blackhawks start trip off right, top Coyotes in shootout

Great win! Great way to start the trip! Finally win a shootout! I love the shootouts!...NOT!!! This was all Khabby. We have to ride this guy while he's hot. Toews showed why he's worthy of being the captain at 20. Campbell was up and down the ice all night. Seabrook - outstanding. Basically the whole back end played well.It was a solid road game..Although the PK needs work.This was a game that you had to win looking at this trip. Dallas on Thursday is another one...GO HAWKS!!

Khabi was awesome. He did not control rebounds as well as he should have, but he put himself into position to make the second save.

Dave Bolland is beginning to really impress me. His effort every shift is setting the tone. Eddie O and Pat put it perfectly, this guy is going against top centers every night and giving them fits, keep it up!

I really thought Biscuit played a good game. I played through a ton of pain, and didn't miss a shift.

The more I watch this Sopel/Walker platoon, the more I anticipate the return of Wiz. Sopes and Walker are not getting the job done, period. When Wiz comes back, dump Sopel and send Walker to the Hogs, PLEASE.

Still way too many bad penalties. Yotes only scored when we gave them a powerplay. We also blew a couple of power play opportunities because we took stupid penalties to make it 4 on 4......

Ok, enough with the negatives, this team need the big road win to get them going on this trip and they did it. Thursday is not going to be some cake walk, so they best keep up this pressure and try to improve on every road game.

Q, ride Khabbi. At this point we need to start establishing a number 1. I don't think the platooning at goal is working. Nik is playing very well right now, and I think he is your best chance to get the most points on this trip.

Keep this going boys!!! Let's catch those Wings!!!!

correction *he played through a lot of pain*

Bryan wrote:

Khabi was awesome. He did not control rebounds as well as he should have, but he put himself into position to make the second save.
Dave Bolland is beginning to really impress me. His effort every shift is setting the tone. Eddie O and Pat put it perfectly, this guy is going against top centers every night and giving them fits, keep it up!
I really thought Biscuit played a good game. I played through a ton of pain, and didn't miss a shift.
The more I watch this Sopel/Walker platoon, the more I anticipate the return of Wiz. Sopes and Walker are not getting the job done, period. When Wiz comes back, dump Sopel and send Walker to the Hogs, PLEASE.
Still way too many bad penalties. Yotes only scored when we gave them a powerplay. We also blew a couple of power play opportunities because we took stupid penalties to make it 4 on 4......
Ok, enough with the negatives, this team need the big road win to get them going on this trip and they did it. Thursday is not going to be some cake walk, so they best keep up this pressure and try to improve on every road game.
Q, ride Khabbi. At this point we need to start establishing a number 1. I don't think the platooning at goal is working. Nik is playing very well right now, and I think he is your best chance to get the most points on this trip.
Keep this going boys!!! Let's catch those Wings!!!!

Bryan: Totally agree with your Sopel/Walker comments. Wiz can't get back soon enough.

Bad Penalties: Q must have gotten fed up because after Sharp took that bad peanalty in the 2nd period he was benched for a long stretch. Message sent? Hope so..

The 3rd and 4th lines are really playing hard. I too have been impressed with Bolland. Versteeg is playing very well too. Now he has 6 goals this year, keep it up. I also have to give some kudos too Buff, he is playing pretty physical. Campbell has been playing very well. That guy is fast, and he has been checking guys lately.

The PP needs to be better than it has been. We need at least 1 goal per game on the PP. The Penality kill team has really started to fall apart. Come on boys you guys were playing the Penality kill so great. Why all of a sudden can't you kill off a Penality. And on the PP please put a body in front of the net.

Sopel did not play last night, I wonder why?? Could it be cause he gave JR the puck in front of the net against SJ? And then Kane and Sharp seemed to be benched for a while last night.

Coach Q is making a statement, stop making stupid mistakes. Don't turn the puck over in your zone. Stop the penalities, and play hockey.

I am very happy to see that the Hawks picked up the 2 points. Huge win, next time we need to win in regulation. Next stop Dallas, we can win there. Ignore Avery and shoot the puck. Get the 2 points then on to play the Maple Leafs. GO HAWKS

My grade for The Bulin Wall: The man definately deserves an A. 36 of 38 and none in the shootout show why he is certainly the Hawk's number one netminder. We are very lucky we didn't lose him back before training camp. GO HAWKS!

Dale has to be cringing right now. The guy he signed to be the number 1 guys is not getting the job done, and the goalie he can't seem to get rid of is playing out of his mind. Do you trade Khabi cas he is hot, or ride him to the postseason?!?!

How many teams do you think are kicking themselves right now watching Khabi play great after seeing him clear waivers in the beginning of the year.....

I make no apologies for naming another star of the game:

PATRICK SHARP !!!

That strip and shot into the net was a thing of beauty!

Buff is all over the ice and is moving well with or without the puck. Why haven't either him or Havlat hit the back of the net that much?

Campbell and Keith showed some real effective speed getting the puck from end to end. I haven't really seen that much, before last night's game. Maybe perception.

Did you hear the comment from Foley regarding Kaner's recovery from the hit? Regarding his grogginess: "I wonder if he knows that he's still a teenager" It's a "Foley" and makes for a funner watch. He gets excited, like a real fan does, when there's furious activity around the net.

The interview with Toews after the game didn't disappoint. I know I'm repeating myself, but, it really is refreshing to hear a sports star interviewed and have some real candor and selflessness. He speaks intelligently and is humble in giving credit to everyone that made him look like a hero. He said out loud "we didn't have our best game" but that he was lucky in the shoot-out so that they got the two points. It sounded like he was suggesting that the whole team got the shoot-out goal. By the way, Sharp got the other. He was the star of the game.

Just saying.

"They're OUR kids, damnit!"

The PP remains a concern. Everyone wants to pass. Nobody in front of the net except Toews. Nobody wants to pull the trigger, especially Campbell, though he has shot a little bit more since two games ago, after I imagine what must have been some not-so-nice prodding from the coaches. Somehow, the PK has turned very passive after being fairly aggressive against Edmonton and Colorado. Duncan Keith looked bad for the first time this season, turning the puck over a couple of times against Phoenix.

Toews is very mature for his age. He has qualitites that leaders have. I really like the way that most of the Hawks players are playing on the ice, and their attitude off the ice.

I do question Havlat at times, I wonder if he is giving 100% all the time. I still think that he needs to show that he is worth the $$ he is getting. Huet also needs to show something. Sopel, was last year a fluke? He played great last year what happened. I can't wait for Wiz to get back, he is great to have in the line-up.

Sharp has been great since last year. I would like to see him take less penalities. Great to see him get that goal in the 1st period. And the shootout goal was great.

I think that the Hawks are going to keep Khabby if they are in the playoff race by the trading deadline. No reason to get rid of him if they are in the race, especially if Huet is not playing that well. Or maybe they can trade Huet, ok so maybe I am dreaming but I don't like that signing right now.

Great win. Even Barker played well. I would like to see Buff off the point on the PP. Too many pucks getting by him and leaving the zone. Also can't seem to keep a pass on his stick during his regular shift.

It's easy to look back at the Huet signing and question it. But if you think about it, at the time, it was a good move. He is an all-star number 1 goalie, and we had Bulin whose contract was going to be up, and under performed the past few seasons. It made sense at the time.

Now, a decision has to be made. Either its Huet, or Khabi, not both. I must sound like a broken record. BUT LOCKING UP 12 MIL IN GOALIES IS DUMB. I don't care which one you keep, but get rid of one of 'em, get a top 6 forward and bring up the unstoppable Niemi (at ahl level).

If Khabi is our guy, fine, then get rid of Huet and re-up Khabi's contract. We are still missing that top 6 forward that will take us to the playoffs.

Bryan - You are right, Chico17 and I were talking about that on the phone the other day. At the time signing Huet was a good move, plus Khabby was not playing all that well. And as you point out 12 Mil in goalies is a huge problem especially when you need to spend that elsewhere.

Thoughts on this - I say that the Hawks should try to trade Havlat for a top forward.

Something needs to happen, shipping a goalie with havlat might work. We are just missing that one piece. I would be thrilled to bring Gaborik here, but it would be difficult because they do not need a goalie.

I hope something happens fairly soon, because im thinking that Khabi will start to play every night and we have 4 yrs, 22 mil sitting on the bench.

With Scotty Bowman right there, and Brian Burke available...Dale will need to address this soon, otherwise i think Jon Mcdonaugh will give him the savy treatment......

Chico17 wrote:

My grade for The Bulin Wall: The man definately deserves an A. 36 of 38 and none in the shootout show why he is certainly the Hawk's number one netminder. We are very lucky we didn't lose him back before training camp. GO HAWKS!

It's a shame that it took a contract year for Khabby to play the way we thought he'd play when the Hawks signed him...I know one thing i'm starting him in 5 of these 6 games for sure...

Tim - Hockey Rules wrote:

Bryan - You are right, Chico17 and I were talking about that on the phone the other day. At the time signing Huet was a good move, plus Khabby was not playing all that well. And as you point out 12 Mil in goalies is a huge problem especially when you need to spend that elsewhere.
Thoughts on this - I say that the Hawks should try to trade Havlat for a top forward.

Your right about Havlat. Right now he looks like he belongs in the Ice Capades.If he's healthy and this is the best he has it's not good enough that's for sure. I'm shopping him and Huet.

Bryan: Gaborik is world class but he like Havlat have been prone to the injury bug. I'd love to see the Hawks go after a guy like Kovalchuk. Atlanta may wind up shopping him if they can't afford him. I think he has a year left but I don't know if Hawks/Thrashers make good trading partners right now.Spezza's name's been thrown around too...Can Tallon pull something that big off? Doubt it.

Alright, let's hear it:

Huet and Havlat for.......

Thoughts?

I apologize for the double post, didn't think it went through.

To Ottawa for Spezza or Vermette,Neal and you'd probably have to take Gerber back...I think the Hawks would have to throw in a d-man to get Spezza....Eh, this is just off the top.