Author Archives: Chris Block

PuckChatter~Radio, e.127, Hawks-Red Wings Game 1 review and much more

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Chris Block| Leave a comment

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*Note: At about the 53:00 mark, our sound board crashed and the show goes silent for a little over a minute and returns.  Last week it happened just as we were about to start.  So, its becoming a weekly occurrence, I guess.

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You can also listen via the Tune In Radio app on your smartphone.  Not sure how that comes about, but its been brought to my attention that the show is available through the Tune In Radio app as well.

ChrisBlock@TheThirdManIn.com
PuckChatter@gmail.com
Twitter.com/ChrisBlock

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PuckChatter~Radio, Rockford Season Review with Mike Peck, Voice of the IceHogs

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Chris Block| Leave a comment

By Chris Block

On Tuesday, we welcomed Mike Peck, the voice of the Rockford IceHogs, back to PuckChatter~Radio to help us recap the IceHogs’ 2012-13 season.

Over the course of this 40 minute show, Mike and I discussed the emergence of third-year pros Brandon Pirri, Jeremy Morin, Ben Smith and Ryan Stanton.  We also covered the development and future of other Blackhawks prospects, including Kyle Beach, Joe Lavin and Jimmy Hayes.  Also, we take a look at what next season’s IceHogs’ roster will look like.

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ChrisBlock@TheThirdManIn.com
PuckChatter@gmail.com
Twitter.com/ChrisBlock

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Audio: PuckChatter~Radio Previews the Blackhawks-Wild NHL Playoff Series

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Chris Block| Leave a comment

By Chris Block

PuckChatter~Radio returned Monday night to preview the start of the NHL postseason, more specifically the first round playoff series pitting the 1st-place seed, and President’s Trophy winning Chicago Blackhawks, and the 8th-seeded Minnesota Wild.

Al Cimaglia of MyFoxChicago.com and Sirius/XM Radio’s NHL Home Ice channel joined me to give his take on the series, the Blackhawks season and the long playoff road ahead.

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Join us again next week, Tuesday May 7th at a special time of 4pm central time when the Voice of the Rockford IceHogs, Mike Peck, returns to the show to review the IceHogs’ 42-win season that was just not enough to earn that team a berth into the AHL’s postseason.

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ChrisBlock@TheThirdManIn.com
PuckChatter@gmail.com
Twitter.com/ChrisBlock

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HockeeNight and Chris Block converge on this week’s PuckCast

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Chris Block| Leave a comment

Sunday night I joined CT and the “Forklift” for my quarterly HockeeNight PuckCast appearance.

We touched a lot of bases.  You’ll need to listen for yourself, but we discussed the Rockford IceHogs season, another non-playoff appearance, where it all went wrong and where many of those players go from here.

Also, we talked the Blackhawks and their playoff preparations, Corey Crawford, Edzo, Craig MacTavish, a marriage proposal, Fork visits the set of Dancing With the Stars, Marty Turco, Kory Kucur (yes, Kory Kocur), Brandon Bollig, the upcoming draft, the Iowa Wild, Tony Hrkac, Brian Noonan and other odd nuggets.

Check it out.

It can also be downloaded here.

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IceHogs playoff chances and scenarios; Dylan Olsen injury; notes on Drew Leblanc, Stephen Johns and more

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Chris Block| 2 Comments

By Chris Block

First off, a quick note:

I don’t have any shows of my own planned at the moment, but I can announce that I will be joining the HockeeNight PuckCast this Sunday night, April 21st.  We’ll be discussing the Blackhawks as they get primed for postseason; either a Rockford IceHogs post-mortem or playoff preview and if maybe even more 1960’s and 70’s northeast professional wrestling as we did last time I did the PuckCast.

–Nashville Predators’ winger Kevin Henderson will be making his NHL debut tonight against the Blackhawks at the UC.  Back in 2007, Henderson was an invitee to the Blackhawks summer prospect camp.  At that camp, Henderson skated on Jonathan Toews’ line.  The summer ’07 camp was the one just prior to Toews and Patrick Kane’s rookie seasons.

DYLAN OLSEN UPDATE

The Blackhawks 2009 first round pick suffered a foot injury on April 7th in a game against the Peoria Rivermen in Rockford.  Olsen blocked a shot off his left foot during the second period of that game and has not played since.

Olsen was back skating with the IceHogs this week and could possibly play in the regular season finale tomorrow night in Cedar Park, Texas.  Olsen has been ruled out of tonight’s game in San Antonio, however.

Tonight, Rockford will go with the following defense pairs: Ryan Stanton-Adam Clendening, Klas Dahlbeck-Steve Montador, Joe Lavin-Shawn Lalonde.

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS – It all comes down to this…

The Rockford IceHogs (40-31-2-1, .561, 83 points) wrap up their regular season this weekend with two games in the Lone Star State.

Tonight, Rockford will visit the San Antonio Rampage (29-36-2-7, .453).  The Rampage (14th in the west) are the AHL affiliate to the Florida Panthers. Read more »

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Posted in Blackhawks, Contract Signing, IceHogs, News and Notes

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IceHogs keep playoffs in sight with big win in Milwaukee

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Chris Block| 2 Comments

By Chris Block

One night after picking up a huge 7-3 victory over the Chicago Wolves in their regular season home finale, the Rockford IceHogs hit the road, again set out to keep their AHL postseason bid alive in a crucial divisional matchup with the 8th place Milwaukee Admirals.

Rockford came into Saturday’s contest in 9th place in the Western Conference, tied at 81 in points with Milwaukee, though the Admirals hold two games in hand over the IceHogs heading into the final week of the regular season.

On the heels of Brandon Pirri’s franchise record 6-point (1 goal, 5 assists) night and Ben Smith’s hat-trick in the win over the Wolves, the IceHogs had to beat the Admirals on Saturday if they had any hopes of sneaking into the postseason.

Backed by a 20 save performance by Carter Hutton and goals by Adam Clendening, Ben Smith and Klas Dahlbeck, Rockford did just that, defeating the Admirals 3-1 on Saturday before a crowd of 8,895 fans at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee. Read more »

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Blackhawks re-acquire Michal Handzus, send Brandon Bollig back to Rockford; More roster notes

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Chris Block| 1 Comment

MichaelHandzus_Flow

By Chris Block

Chicago Blackhawks on Monday acquired center Michal Handzus from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a fourth round selection in the upcoming 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

In 28 games this season with the Sharks, Handzus posted 1 goal and 1 assist.  He was a minus-9 while playing mostly third and fourth line minutes for the Sharks.

The pick the Blackhawks sent San Jose had originally belonged to the Sharks.  At the 2012 Draft, the Hawks and Sharks swapped 4th round picks, so the Sharks could move up and the Hawks could pick up an additional 7th round selection.  That later pick, obtained from San Jose, originally belonged to Tampa Bay which the Sharks obtained in a trade involving center Dominic Moore.  Chicago used the additional 2012 7th round pick (191st overall) to select goaltender Brandon Whitney of the Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL), the same team Phillip Danault played for at the time.

Handzus turned 36 last month.  This will be his second stint with the Blackhawks organization.  He is now the second-oldest Blackhawk behind Jamal Mayers, who is 38.

Michal Handzus previously spent the 2006-07 season with the Blackhawks, appearing in only 8 games in October of 2006 before knee surgery ended his season.  Read more »

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Saad, Blackhawks dominate in Detroit

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Chris Block| 1 Comment

By Chris Block

Coming off a 2-1 loss to Anaheim at United Center on Friday that had many Chicago hockey fans grumbling and anxious for changes, the Blackhawks flew through Detroit on Sunday and dampered Gordie Howe’s 85th birthday celebration with a 7-1 thumping of the Red Wings.

Chicago’s charge was led by its next wave of young core, with Brandon Saad, Jeremy Morin, Nick Leddy and Jimmy Hayes all figuring prominently in the scoring.

The Red Wings were without Henrik Zetterberg on Sunday.  He was a late scratch due to a groin ailment.  Detroit did see the return of veteran Mikael Samuelsson (finger) however.  Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp continue to be absent from the Blackhawks line up, though both are close to returning.

Corey Crawford was back between the pipes for Chicago for this Easter Sunday afternoon matinee in Detroit, while Jimmy Howard started in goal for the Red Wings.

Jeremy Morin, called up from the Rockford IceHogs on Saturday, made an impact on his first shift in the NHL this season.  Morin had scored 10 goals and 4 assists in 10 games in the month of March in the AHL.  And he didn’t waste any time picking up where he left off there. Read more »

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Video of the IceHogs-Wolves bench brawl incident Sunday in Rosemont

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Chris Block| Leave a comment

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Joakim Nordstrom to join IceHogs this week, more prospects on the way; update on Olesz, Montador on waivers

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Chris Block| 2 Comments
JoakimNordstrom_AIK_JesperZerman_seJoakim Nordstrom, photo credit: jesperzerman.se

By Chris Block

With the European leagues, U.S. collegiate hockey and Canadian junior hockey seasons winding down and beginning each of its playoffs, several Chicago Blackhawks prospects will soon arrive in Rockford, Illinois to cap off their seasons with a trial showcase at the American Hockey League level.

As we noted Sunday on Twitter, the first of those prospects will arrive in Rockford later this week.

Joakim Nordstrom, who the Blackhawks selected with the final pick (90th overall) in the 3rd round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, is expected to join the Rockford IceHogs by the end of the week. Read more »

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