Monthly Archives: April 2012

Puck Chatter e.104, Al Cimaglia of MyFoxChicago.com

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Chris Block| Leave a comment

By Chris Block

Al Cimaglia of MyFoxChicago.com and Sirius/XM Radio joined me tonight for the latest edition of TheThirdManIn’s PuckChatter~Radio.

Al and I dissected the fallout from the Blackhawks second consecutive first round elimination, this time coming to the Phoenix Coyotes.

We analyzed what general manager Stan Bowman spotlighted as the areas his team faltered and also what he didn’t say.   We took a look at the supposed “core”, the Hawks’ inexcusable power play futility, Marian Hossa’s future, Phillip Danault, Dave Bolland, who is gone, Corey Crawford, if the goaltending should be upgraded and potential changes to the roster.

All this and much, much more in this sixty minute show.

Hit play below to listen or Right-Click Here to Download

 

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Our next live show comes on Tuesday night, May 8th at 7pm central.  Our guest will be the illustrious Sam Fels of The Committed Indian and SecondCityHockey.com.

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Posted in Podcast, Puck Chatter~Radio, Stanley Cup Playoffs

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Podcast Monday night with Al Cimaglia & Chris Block

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Chris Block| 2 Comments

By Chris Block

PuckChatter~Radio returns on Monday night at 7pm central with my guest Al Cimaglia of MyFoxChicago.com.

Join us Live at 7pm central over at BlogTalkRadio.com/TheThirdManIn.

Al and I will be recapping the Blackhawks-Coyotes series and Chicago’s second-consecutive quick playoff exit and analyze what went wrong.

We’ll take a look at all the issues the Blackhawks will be facing this summer, including if an upgrade is needed at the goaltending position.

Also, we will examine post season comments made by the players, Joel Quenneville and Stan Bowman.

I’ll give my take on whether help is on its way from Rockford, who of the call-ups from this past season will start 2012-13 back in the minors and which 2011 ‘Hawks draft picks (excluding Andrew Shaw) have the best shot to make the Blackhawks straight out of training camp.

–For those who cannot listen live, Monday night’s show will be archived at our BlogTalkRadio page, here on our site as well as on Itunes.

–If you missed our recent, well-received Rockford IceHogs season-in-review interview series, you can listen to our chats with Ted Dent, Jeremy Morin, Joe Lavin and Kyle Beach here….. Read more »

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Posted in Interview, News and Notes, Puck Chatter~Radio

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Phoenix eliminates ‘Hawks with 4-0 win in Game 6, Coyotes win all three games played at United Center in the series

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Brad Gardner| Leave a comment

By Brad Gardner

Phoenix closed out their first round series win over the Chicago Blackhawks in front of a 39-save shutout by Coyotes’ goaltender Mike Smith. The ‘Hawks out-shot the visiting Coyotes 39-20 in the game but fell by a final score of 4-0. Rookie defender Oliver Ekman-Larsson opened the scoring in the second and assisted on another goal to help Phoenix pull away with three third period goals.

The Blackhawks dominated play in the opening period but came up empty on the scoreboard. They out-shot Phoenix 16-2 in the opening 20 minutes, winning foot races and board battles with consistency. Andrew Shaw, back in the line-up after serving a three-game suspension, had one of the best chances of the period by driving to the net and redirecting a pinpoint saucer pass from Patrick Kane.

Despite the one-sided opening frame, the teams dropped the puck for the second period scoreless. The ‘Hawks again carried play with prime scoring opportunities by Jonathan Toews on a strong drive to the net, Brendan Morrison with a weak one-time opportunity, and Niklas Hjalmarsson sending a heavy blast that Smith had trouble controlling. The Coyotes’ goaltender managed to snuff out each chance and soak up the rebounds. Read more »

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Posted in Blackhawks, Brad Gardner, Game recap, Stanley Cup Playoffs

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Hawks avoid elimination with 2-1 OT win in Phoenix

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Brad Vandenberk| Leave a comment

By Brad Vandenberk

All the traditional jerseys were worn and all the superstitions acted upon as the Chicago Blackhawks tried to stave off elimination in the 2012 NHL playoffs.  Captain Jonathan Toews took his team aside after the morning skate on Saturday with no coaches involved.  The message was quite clear, they needed the win from this road game and needed the stars to pick up their game and get a win, preferably in regulation.

The last four games have gone to overtime with Mikkel Boedker winning the last 2 in Chicago with two weak goals getting by Corey Crawford.  Whispers were in the air of veteran Ray Emery possibly getting the start for game five.  Coach Q made the announcement that they were sticking with Crawford.  Mike Smith was automatically in for the Coyotes.

Earlier in the afternoon it was decided that Raffi Torres would sit in a suit for 25 games.  He was suspended for his hit on Marian Hossa during the first period in Game 3.  Read more »

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Posted in Blackhawks, Game recap, Stanley Cup Playoffs

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Lindbloom’s View: Hell hath no fury

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Rich Lindbloom| Leave a comment

“Anything?”

The Nature of Love

Well, now, he was really stupid with love; there wasn’t a bit of fun left in him. He was good for nothing on earth but sitting under bushes, smoking tobacco and sighing till you’d wonder where he got the wind for it all. Now you may as well be persuading the birds against flying, or striving to coax the stars out of the sky into your hat, as to be talking commonsense to them that’s fairly bothered and bursting with love. There’s nothing like it. The toothache and colic together would compose you better for an argument; it leaves you fitted for nothing but nonsense. It’s stronger than whiskey, for one good drop of it will leave you drunk for a year, and sick, begorra, for ten; it’s stronger than the sea, for it will carry you around the world, and never let you sink in sunshine or in storm; and, begorra, it’s stronger than Death himself, for it is not afeared of him, but dares him in every shape. But lovers do have their quarrels sometimes; and, begorra, when they do, you’d almost think they hated one another like man and wife.

By Rich Lindbloom

The passage on love I’ve recorded for your enlightenment can be found in an excellent book entitled “A Treasury of Irish Folklore,” by Padraic Colum. Obviously the passage is a reflection on love; what better time to share this than in the amorous high tides of spring. However, one can substitute in place of the word love just about anything we become passionate about in life. For the sake of clarity in this article though, substitute the word hockey for love-as in “he was really stupid with hockey.” Read more »

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Posted in Rich Lindbloom, Stanley Cup Playoffs

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AUDIO: Interview with Kyle Beach

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Chris Block| 3 Comments

By Chris Block

Last Saturday in Rockford, we had a chance to catch up with IceHogs forward Kyle Beach for a season-in-review discussion.

The Blackhawks 2008 first-round (#11 overall) draft pick missed 57 games this season due to a dislocated right shoulder that needed surgery.  Beach suffered the injury on October 28 in Peoria during a fight with Rivermen forward Stefan Della Rovere.

After extensive rehabbing and four and a half months sitting in the stands, Beach returned to the IceHogs lineup on March 23 against the Houston Aeros.

Prior to the injury, Beach had posted 3 goals, 3 assists in the IceHogs initial 8 regular season games.  Beach registered an assist in his first game back and scored in his third game, which was the back end of a 3-in-3 at Milwaukee on March 25.

Although he appeared in just 19 games this season, there were some encouraging steps Beach took during his second pro season, as we discuss in this audio and the interview with Beach.

To listen, click play below or Right-Click Here to Download

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In this interview with the 11th overall pick of the summer of 2008, we discuss….

-Positives Beach takes out of another disappointing season

-His thoughts after being left out of “Black Aces” group after ’10-11 season Read more »

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Posted in Blackhawks, IceHogs, Interview, Prospects

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The Song Remains the Same; Coyotes take 3-1 series lead with 3-2 victory after Hawks battle back to force OT

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Jon Fromi| Leave a comment

By Jon Fromi

It was the same story for the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center in Game 4 of their Western Conference quarterfinal with the visiting Phoenix Coyotes. The Hawks rallied back late, this time from a late two-goal deficit to send a fourth consecutive game into overtime. However, it was the Coyotes who once again found a way to pull out the game, prevailing 3-2. Phoenix now holds a commanding 3-1 lead in the series with a home game coming up Saturday.

As has been the case in this series, the Hawks were active early. Dave Bolland’s line had a nice shift in the second minute. Bolland got a puck on the doorstep thanks to a failed shot attempt by Bryan Bickell, but Mike Smith came up with a save. Shane Doan interfered with Patrick Kane at the 2:12 mark of the first, but couldn’t take advantage. Read more »

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Posted in Blackhawks, Game recap, Jon Fromi, Stanley Cup Playoffs

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AUDIO: Interview with ‘Hawks prospect Jeremy Morin

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Chris Block| Leave a comment

By Chris Block

We chatted with IceHogs winger Jeremy Morin this past Saturday, shortly before Rockford concluded its 2011-12 season with a 4-3 shootout loss to the Charlotte Checkers.

After being sidelined for ten months with a head injury suffered on January 15, 2011 in a game against the Chicago Wolves in Rosemont, Morin returned in October to score goals in back-to-back games and on his only two shots of that weekend.  But the goals were difficult to come by for Morin over the following three months.

Morin wrapped his AHL season with 18 goals and 40 points in 69 games with the IceHogs.

To listen, click play below or Right-Click Here to Download

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During the interview, we discuss…

-Starting his season with 2 goals in 2 games after being out of action for 10 months

-At what point he felt 100% again Read more »

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Video: Raffi Torres hits Marian Hossa; Looking back at Torres history and last time Shanahan suspended him

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Chris Block| 4 Comments

Here’s the video of Raffi Torres hit on Marian Hossa

[Update: 12:00pm 04/18/12]  The NHL has announced Raffi Torres has been suspended indefinitely pending an in-person hearing in New York on Friday.  Torres could waive his right to an in-person hearing and conduct his hearing via teleconference today but chose instead to meet with Brendan Shanahan face-to-face on Friday.  In-person hearings are typically only offered to players when the discipline is going to be in excess of three or more games.

As you can see, Hossa put himself in a bad spot in stopping and cutting back into the path of the hard Phoenix backcheck, last supplied by Torres.  However, Torres leaves his feet and makes direct contact to Hossa’s chin to which there is no excuse for. Had Torres not jumped into the collision, there would have been nothing wrong with the play.

According to various reports, Hossa left Northwestern Memorial Hospital last night under his own power before the conclusion of the Blackhawks-Coyotes game with what was rumored to be a fractured jaw and is now resting at home.

Considering the severity of injury to Hossa, the probability that Hossa will miss some games and that Torres has been suspended twice in the past thirteen months, you would expect Torres will get whacked by the NHL’s czar of discipline, Brendan Shanahan.

Four months ago, Torres was suspended two games for leaving his feet to check Minnesota’s Nate Prosser in a game on December 31.  Last night’s check on Hossa came a year to the day Torres, then a member of the Vancouver Canucks, knocked Brent Seabrook silly with an ugly hit in Game 3 of last year’s conference quarter finals at the United Center.  Torres was not suspended for that play even though it was his first game back from a four game suspension incurred during a late regular season game when he took a run at Edmonton’s Jordan Eberle.

Torres is expected to have a disciplinary hearing with Shanahan as soon as this afternoon.  Game 4 is tomorrow night (Thursday) at United Center.

Here’s the video of Torres hit on Seabrook a year ago. Read more »

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Coyotes jump to 2-1 series lead, Torres KO’s Hossa

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Brad Gardner| 2 Comments

By Brad Gardner

Another tightly contested game between Phoenix and Chicago saw the visiting Coyotes take the series advantage. The visiting Coyotes escaped with a 3-2 overtime win on Tuesday night. Mikkel Boedker was the ovetime hero for Phoenix on a sharp-angle goal at the 13:15 mark of the extra session.

The first period was marred by a late hit from Raffi Torres on Marian Hossa right in front of the ‘Hawks bench. Early signs were not good, as Hossa dropped to the ice, slamming the back of his head, and Blackhawks medical staff jumped over the boards before the puck was even blown dead. Little time was wasted before the stretcher was brought out and Hossa wheeled to an ambulance, at which point he was communicating but had still not yet regained movement. Fortunately, he was able to return home, under further monitoring, with what is being called a broken jaw. Read more »

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Posted in Blackhawks, Brad Gardner, Game recap, Stanley Cup Playoffs

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