Tag Archives: Brandon Pirri

TTMI~Radio, e.97, A Feeling of a Hammerhead

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Chris Block| Leave a comment

On this week’s show we open up the listener email bag to discuss topics ranging from Viktor Stalberg’s handsomely prowess to Kyle Beach’s bust-ness to whether or not some legendary Blackhawks should be in the Hall of Fame.

We also compare this year’s Blackhawks to where the team was at this point a season ago and take a look at how the 2010-11 team’s secondary scoring stacks up against the current group.

All this plus more on 2-year old puppy dog behavior, Superstar on the bottom and what’s been bugging Block.

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The show returns next Wednesday, January 25th at a time to be determined.

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Podcast Tuesday night

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Chris Block| Leave a comment

TheThirdManin~Radio returns Tuesday night, January 17th at 8pm central.

You’ll be able to listen live here.

On this week’s show, we’ll compare and contrast this year’s Chicago Blackhawks to the 2010-11 team.  Also, we’ll take a look at the Rockford IceHogs’ weekend, why Brandon Pirri and Jeremy Morin were benched in Texas, an update on some injured Hogs and a look at Rockford’s goaltending.

It will also be the long-awaited return of the email bag including questions on trade possibilities, Kyle Beach, Akim Aliu, the Hall of Fame, Toews vs Datsyuk, my puppy dog and the terrible twos.  We’ll have an update on my retirement, how our resolutions are progressing and much more.  Join us on our road to 100.

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Paradis, Smith score in ‘Hogs comeback win in OKC

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Chris Block| Leave a comment

By Chris Block

Friday night in Oklahoma City, the Rockford IceHogs came from behind for only the second time this season when trailing after two periods to defeat the Barons 2-1 in overtime and send a Cox Convention Center crowd of 3,672 home in disbelief.

Ben Smith, who was reassigned to the AHL earlier in the day and flew into Oklahoma after playing for the Blackhawks on Thursday night, tipped a Brian Fahey wrist shot 2:50 into overtime to give the IceHogs the victory.

As the AHL team which allows the most goals per game, Rockford won for only the third time this season when being held to two goals or less (3-15-0-0).  The previous two wins came via the shootout after managing two goals through 65 minutes.

Rockford fell behind first for the 24th time in 38 games when Oklahoma City center Marco Arcobello breezed into the left faceoff dot and beat Carter Hutton clean with a wrist shot at 14:22 of the opening period.  It was just the second shot Hutton had faced, but the Rockford netminder’s night got better as it became busier. Read more »

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Morin scores twice, IceHogs lose to rival Wolves 4-2; Plus Rockford injury updates, Playoff survival and more

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Chris Block| 1 Comment

By Chris Block

Jeremy Morin lit the lamp for his 7th and 8th goals of the season, but a series of IceHogs penalties swung the momentum Wednesday afternoon.  From there, the Chicago Wolves got two third period goals from Mark Mancari to defeat Rockford 4-2.

A mostly school kids field trip day crowd of 6,113 in Rosemont, Illinois witnessed their Wolves down the IceHogs for the fourth time in five meetings this season.

“Our penalty killing did a good job,” head coach Ted Dent said in the wake of the IceHogs’ 20th regulation loss (13-20-1-3).  “I thought some of the (penalty) calls were below average, but what can you do?” Read more »

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Rivermen too much for short-handed Hogs

Posted on January 1, 2012 by Chris Block| 3 Comments

By Chris Block

Recently, the IceHogs have put together some solid efforts.  That can be said for each of their last four outings post-Christmas.

The IceHogs, however, are not a good enough team to overcome its mistakes typically, as their 11-18-1-3 clearly proves.  Rockford has lost each of their last five games (0-4-0-1) and rank dead-last in the AHL, both in terms of their record and goals against (average of 3.8 per game).

Including Saturday night’s 3-2 regulation loss at Peoria, the team has lost its last three games by a margin of 4 goals, and that includes a late 145-foot empty netter by the Wolves on Thursday.  At home Friday night, the IceHogs battled hard to pick up a point and get the game to a shootout, but Alec Richards let pucks by on the first three shooters he faced and Rockford lost the game 4-3.

A short-handed squad of IceHogs traveled to Peoria on New Years Eve afternoon for their 9th meeting of the 2011-12 season with the Peoria Rivermen. Read more »

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Stalberg’s two goals, Crawford’s gem, paces ‘Hawks to a 4-1 victory over hapless Blue Jackets

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Jon Fromi| Leave a comment

By Jon Fromi

Monday night, the Chicago Blackhawks became the first NHL team to reach the 50-point mark this season, using a trio of second period goals to hand the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-1 loss.

The game, which was a bit lacking in execution at times, was noteworthy in a pair of goals from the red-hot Viktor Stalberg and another solid game in net by Corey Crawford.

The four-day layoff was apparent in the first period as the ‘Hawks struggled to hit tape on their passes. Stalberg set up Bryan Bickell with a nice pass in the early going which led to a hooking infraction by Antoine Vermette. After failing to score on the resulting power play, Rick Nash earned a roughing call in responding to Marcus Kruger with a punch to the head after Kruger head checked Nash over the boards and into the Hawks’ bench. Read more »

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TTMI~Radio Returns: e.94 – Home Cookin’

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Chris Block| Leave a comment


As promised a few days ago, its the return of TTMI~Radio!

Al Cimaglia of Sirius/XM Radio and MyFoxChicago.com joined me to preview tonight’s Boxing Day Blackhawks-Blue Jackets matchup and to give his take on the Blackhawks, now 35 games into the 2011-12 season.

Its a solid hour of Blackhawks’ talk as we break down what is statistically the best team in the entire National Hockey League at the moment.

Pardon my rust on the controls and our idiot caller.

Click the play button below to listen here in your browser.

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“What about dem Bears?”

ChrisBlock@TheThirdManIn.com
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IceHogs notes: Rockford begins 9 of 10 on the road Monday night in Milwaukee

Posted on December 25, 2011 by Chris Block| Leave a comment

By Chris Block

I continue to receive questions regarding Kyle Beach’s status.  There is no real update other than he’s out indefinitely with a severe right shoulder injury.   His shoulder was dislocated during a fight with Peoria’s Stefan Della Rovere in Peoria back on October 28.

Beach’s right arm is currently in a harness.  He’s been telling people he’ll be back before the end of the regular season.  I don’t know for sure if that’s accurate, but there is hope he’ll return sometime in March.

Season on the brink

With the loss to Toronto this past Wednesday night, the Rockford IceHogs home record drops to a dismal 6-11-0-0.  They are 3-2-0-0 over their most recent five home games.  One of those wins came via the shootout.

I suppose its good news that 9 of Rockford’s next 10 games are on the road.  Last season’s IceHogs turned their misfortunes around and finished strong (17-5-1-1) beginning with an early March 7-game road trip.

That current stretch of 9 of 10 begins Monday night in Milwaukee where the IceHogs will face off with third-best team percentage wise in the Western Conference.  The Admirals are currently second in the division behind Charlotte, but they’ve also played five fewer games than the Checkers and trail Charlotte by just two points in the standings.

Rockford is now 11-15-1-2 overall.

% Points Earned-wise, the IceHogs are the 2nd-worst team in the AHL (.431).

By Goal Differential, Rockford (-16) ranks 25th out of 30 AHL teams.

They are 6th in Goals Scored per game (3.1)

However, the IceHogs are dead-last in Goals Allowed per game (3.7).  The Bridgeport Sound Tigers, in the other conference and have no like opponents with the Hogs, are the next-worst, allowing 3.4 goals per contest.

The only team in the AHL with a worse record is the Binghamton Senators (11-19-1-1, .375), which is Rob Klinkhammer’s new home. Read more »

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Crawford returns victorious, ‘Hawks stun Habs 5-1

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Brad Vandenberk| Leave a comment
photo: Yahoo! Sports

By Brad Vandenberk

After losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night at Consol Energy Center, the Chicago Blackhawks played host to the Habitant Du Montreal at the United Center.  With the biggest crowd of the year on hand to witness the original six matchup, and Hawks did not disappoint their faithful.

Corey Crawford saw his first action after six games on the bench during Ray Emery’s  5-game winning streak.  After suffering their first loss in regulation in December at the hands of the Penguins, it was time for Crawford to get a chance, here on the second game of a back to back.  The Canadiens went with Peter Budaj in net as they were holding off Carey Price for a matchup Thursday in Winnipeg.

Marcus Kruger did not play after taking a head shot from Penguins defensemen Deryk Engelland on Tuesday.  Dan Carcillo was placed on Injury Reserve and also was inactive.  John Scott and Sami Lepisto were the additional scratches.  Sean O’Donnell was placed in the defensive lineup and Brandon Pirri was called up from the AHL earlier in the day.  Read more »

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Pirri lifts Power Play, Hogs to 4-2 win over Milwaukee

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Chris Block| 4 Comments

By Chris Block

A complete 60-minute effort was all the IceHogs needed to defeat second-place Milwaukee on Saturday night.

Rockford improved their season record to 11-14-1-2 on goals from Pete Leblanc, Brandon Bollig and two from the team’s leading scorer, Brandon Pirri.

Rockford’s power play entered Saturday night’s game having scored just 3 times in its past 40 chances.  Against the Milwaukee Admirals, the IceHogs power play scored 3 times on 5 chances Saturday.  Two of those goals came off the stick of Brandon Pirri, the other was set up by Pirri.

“I thought our power play really helped us out tonight,” head coach Ted Dent said after a week of working with that unit in practices.  “We finally figured that out.”

Pete Leblanc capitalized on an early power play opportunity when he snuck into the low slot and chipped a feed from Brandon Pirri past Milwaukee Admirals starter Jeremy Smith.  Ben Smith was in front of the net disturbing Smith’s vision as well on the play, putting the Hogs up 1-0 at 10:35 of the opening period.  The assist marked Pirri’s 50th professional helper (49 AHL, 1 NHL)

Two minutes later, after failing to convert on a second power play, Brett McLean was called for roughing, giving Milwaukee its first chance with the man advantage.  The Admirals wasted little time converting as defenseman Jonathan Blum whizzed a shot from the left point past Carter Hutton’s glove to tie the game at 1-1.  Admirals forward Ryan Thang was in front battling for position with Joe Lavin, and Hutton was late reacting to Blum’s shot. Read more »

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