Category Archives: Stanley Cup Playoffs

Howard, Red Wings stand tall, Take 2-1 series lead; Game 3 clouded over questions on officiating

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Brad Gardner| Leave a comment

By Brad Gardner

The second round playoff series between the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings, tied at one game apiece, shifted to Joe Louis Arena for Game 3 on Monday night. Even though the Blackhawks offense opened up to the tune of 40 shots, doubling their total from Game 2, Jimmy Howard stood tall in net for the Red Wings and carried his team to a 3-1 victory.

Quick strikes from bottom-six forwards Gustav Nyquist and Drew Miller in the second period put the Blackhawks in a hole from which they would not get out. Patrick Kane scored for the second consecutive game, but Howard came up with the save on the rest of Chicago’s 39 shots, including saves on 16 of the 17 shots he faced against the Hawks late push in the third period.

Viktor Stalberg suited up for the Blackhawks after being a healthy scratch for the first two games of the series. It looked like his night might end early when on his first shift the game, Jakub Kindl ducked a check, sending Stalberg head first into the boards. He was slow to get up but eventually skated off under his own power. After a few minutes in the locker room, Stalberg returned to the bench. Read more »

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Detroit draws even: Disjointed Blackhawks effort leads to 4-1 Red Wings victory in Game 2

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Brad Gardner| 2 Comments

By Brad Gardner

Three days after the Chicago Blackhawks took a 4-1 victory in Game 1 of their second round playoff series against rival Detroit, the Red Wings responded in kind with a 4-1 win of their own to even the series. Henrik Zetterberg assisted on two goals for Detroit as the visitors handed the ‘Hawks their first home loss of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Red Wings’ tight-checking game didn’t give the Blackhawks nearly as much room to operate as they had in the latter stages of the first game. The puck possession time favored Detroit, and even when the Hawks were able to get a shot on goal, they did not challenge Jimmy Howard too much. The Red Wings goalie made 19 saves on only 20 shots, the lowest total for the Blackhawks in the playoffs.

Corey Crawford made 26 saves on 30 shots and did not look as sharp as the Blackhawks had come to expect of him in the playoffs. Read more »

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Hossa strikes twice; Hawks advance, Eliminate Wild

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Brad Gardner| Leave a comment

By Brad Gardner

The Blackhawks advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 5-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night. Corey Crawford put on a show early for the United Center crowd, before the offense kicked into gear and put the Wild in the rear view.

Marian Hossa scored twice and Jonathan Toews, scoreless in the first four games of the series, got on the score sheet with two assists. The Hawks out-shot the Wild 33-22 in the game, but Crawford had a handful of huge stops in those 21 saves.

The visitors had more than a few good looks in the opening period, but the play of Crawford kept them off the board. The stingy Hawks defense from game four was not immediately noticeable, but Crawford could do no wrong; his worst rebounds wound up being his best saves, turning away initial chances from the likes of Jason Pominville and Devin Setoguchi only to make better saves on the subsequent looks from Mikko Koivu and Matt Cullen. Read more »

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Crawford shuts out Wild to give Hawks 3-1 series lead

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Jon Fromi| Leave a comment

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks delivered a response to a physical Minnesota Wild team Tuesday night, sucking the energy out of the Xcel Energy Center with a 3-0 win. Corey Crawford slammed the door on the Wild as he handled all 25 shots he saw on the night.

Chicago takes a 3-1 series lead in its Western Conference quarterfinal and was paced by another pair of goals by Patrick Sharp. The penalty kill came up large in denying the Wild six times throughout the evening. Read more »

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Minnesota gets one; Zucker beats Crawford in OT – Blackhawks hold 2-1 series advantage

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Brad Vandenberk| Leave a comment

By Brad Vandenberk

As the scene shifted to St. Paul, Minnesota on Sunday, the Chicago Blackhawks thus far had held the  8th seed Minnesota Wild in check.  Game one turned out to be a bit of a feeling out process.  Both teams knew what was required to win this series.  Bryan Bickell decided to produce at the perfect time, sliding the overtime winner under Josh Harding.  Game two showed us that when the Hawks want to play… well, 5 -2 was the result.  Patrick Sharp, finally got the monkey off is back, sniping two goals.  Patrick Kane was mesmerising causing the Wild to chance him around the ice all night.  Michael Frolik, playing his normal 4th line minutes, chipped in with a nice shorthanded goal, his 2nd g note of the night.

Game three was the Wilds first playoff home game since 2008.  The Hawks were 18-4-2 on the road during the regular season.  Dave Bolland and Ray Emery skated this week but remained out of the line up.  Dan Carcillo, Jamal Mayers and Sheldon Brookbank were out as well.  Read more »

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Hawks take 2-0 lead in series heading to Minnesota; Magic Frolik Returns

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Brad Gardner| Leave a comment

By Brad Gardner

The Chicago Blackhawks took a 2-0 series lead over the eighth seeded Minnesota Wild with a win at home on Friday night. After jumping out to a two-goal lead in the second period, the Blackhawks eventually held on to win by a final score of 5-2.

It was a rematch in net between Corey Crawford and Josh Harding after each goaltender turned in a strong performance in Game 1 of the series. Neither disappointed on Friday, even though it was a higher-scoring affair. Crawford got the win in Game 2 with 26 saves, while Harding managed 43 saves on 47 shots in the loss.

Michael Frolik and Patrick Sharp registered two goals apiece as the Blackhawks carried play for a majority of the game. Despite a substantial lead in the shot column for the home team, the visitors remained in it for much of the game, trailing only by one goal heading into the third period. Read more »

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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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TTMI / PuckChatter~Radio archive feed

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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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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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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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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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