Tag Archives: Corey Crawford

‘Hawks hold on to defeat Blues in UC home opener

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Jon Fromi| 5 Comments

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks opened their home schedule in fine fashion Tuesday night, treating the United Center crowd to a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Corey Crawford was able to out duel Brian Elliot to give the Blackhawks their third win of the season in as many games.

The Blackhawks dominated most of the first period, testing Elliot several times in the opening minutes. Patrick Kane, Bryan Bickell and Brandon Bollig all had open looks on odd man rushes but were turned away by the St. Louis goalie.

Elliot held fast until the 7:20 mark, when Chicago managed a three-man rush to the net with no opposition by the Blues. Nick Leddy started the play by gaining possession of the puck and finding Kane in the neutral zone. Kane brought the puck up the left side, played catch with Patrick Sharp and came across the crease. One backhand later, Kane had his second goal of the season and the ‘Hawks led 1-0. Read more »

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Blackhawks off to roaring start, blast through the defending champs 5-2 in LA

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Brad Gardner| Leave a comment

By Brad Gardner

Three months late, the Chicago Blackhawks finally kicked off the new season on the road against the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings. The Blackhawks were sharp with the puck and got off to a quick start, eventually coming away a 5-2 victory.

Although badly out-hit in the game by the Kings (39-22), the Blackhawks managed to get off to the quick start and hold the lead. The PK unit turned in a perfect effort, killing off five penalties in the game (although the final Kings advantage lasted only the final 36 seconds of the game).

Less than two minutes into the game, Patrick Sharp drew the first penalty. Then 40 seconds into that man advantage, Trevor Lewis cross-checked Jonathan Toews into the corner boards to put the Blackhawks on a 5-on-3 power play. The first unit maintained the offensive zone throughout the two-man advantage, in part because of a hustle play by Marian Hossa to keep the puck in the zone, and Patrick Kane eventually cashed on a one-time blast from a sharp angle. Hossa, who lined up on the point for this power play, got the primary assist for putting the puck in Kane’s wheelhouse. Read more »

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Season Preview: Great Expectations

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Brad Vandenberk| 1 Comment

By Brad Vandenberk

As I awoke on the morning of January 6th 2013, it was like Christmas all over again. I learned that the National Hockey League and the NHL Players Association had announced an agreement was in place and a condensed season was on the horizon.

The first thing I thought of was when do the Blackhawks play?  I immediately used every possible angle to let the world know that hockey was back!   Will the fans be coming back to watch their favourite teams?

Well, I believe that question was answered when arenas all over North America filled up to watch their favourite teams practice.  That’s right, I said Practice!  Fans will come back and watch the game because hockey is a culture.  I didn’t realize how much the sport of hockey has involved in every aspect of a fan’s life until I began to change my daily routines to get prepared for the upcoming 48 game season.  Adjusting my work schedules to be able to watch each game as well as waiting online to purchase tickets to a few of the road games.

Growing up In Niagara Falls Ontario, I have only made a few trips to Chi Town to see my beloved Blackhawks play at the Untied Center, however when they make the flight to Buffalo, Toronto or Detroit, I always head to the rink. Read more »

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Blackhawks preview: It’s Time to Step Up

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Brad Gardner| 1 Comment

By Brad Gardner

After two consecutive first-round playoff exits, the entire Blackhawks organization has a lot at stake heading into the abbreviated 2013 season. For better or worse, the club entered training camp with a roster that was very similar to the 45-win team from a season ago. The only new additions – defensemen Michal Rozsival and Sheldon Brookbank – do not figure to see huge roles during the upcoming season. If the Blackhawks are going to put the last two seasons behind them, they will need bigger contributions from the following groups of players with something to prove this season.

Goaltenders

The last time the Blackhawks entered a season with the same goaltending tandem as they utilized the year before was 2007-08, when Nikolai Khabibulin and Patrick Lalime returned to the Chicago crease for a second season together. Both Corey Crawford and Ray Emery will be relied upon to secure wins this season, something that is even more important out of the gate as the skaters get back into game shape and adjust to the breakneck pace of the compacted schedule. Read more »

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PuckChatter~Radio, e.111, Al Cimaglia joins us to talk Blackhawks, free agency and where they go from here

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Chris Block| 7 Comments

By Chris Block

PuckChatter~Radio returned Thursday night with Al Cimaglia [@AlCimaglia on Twitter] joining in to help us break down the Blackhawks eventful, yet unproductive first week of free agency.

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Among the topics hit on this week’s program…..

-McDonough & Co. show insecurity over losing bids on Parise & Suter
-Why did they want Parise and Suter?
-The pursuit of Martin Brodeur
-Blackhawks bid to become the Miami Heat of the NHL
-What is the plan, Stan?
-How can the Hawks still improve the roster before camp?
-Odds they still can
-Potential trading partners and realistic targets
-The costs?
-What about the goaltending?
-Roberto Luongo
-Sheldon Brookbank
-The Penalty Kill
-Could RFA’s Sam Gagner, Evander Kane be on the move?
-Which Western Conference star would be a perfect 2nd line center
-The Blackhawks and Russians
-Martin St. Pierre signs with Rockford
-A review of the Blackhawks selections at the NHL Entry Draft
-Prospect camp next week
-The heat. The heat! And polyester.
-Meeting a man with a very unfortunate name
-Can I play with your poodle?
-And much, much more

 

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Hawks re-sign three, part ways with Salak; plus notes on Hawks draft and goaltending, Ed Belfour and Jimmy Waite

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

By Chris Block

Blackhawks announced they’ve re-signed three restricted free agents today.

Ben Smith, Brandon Bollig and goaltender Carter Hutton all inked new deals.

According to reports, Smith and Bollig each signed two-year contracts.

Bollig’s first year is a two-way deal.  He’ll be paid at a rate of $575,000 in the NHL and $105,000 if he plays in the AHL.  His second year is a one-way contract paying him $575,000.

Ben Smith is also on a two-way contract for 2012-13.  Smith will reportedly earn $550,000 when he’s playing at the NHL level and $105,000 in the minors.  In 2013-14, Smith has a guaranteed contract for $575,000.

Carter Hutton agreed to a one-year, two-way contract.

–On Friday, the Blackhawks placed goaltender Alexander Salak on waivers.  The rest of the league has apparently passed on Salak.  Today it was announced the Blackhawks and Salak agreed to an outright release. Read more »

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Lindbloom: As Far As I’m Concerned….

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Rich Lindbloom| Leave a comment

“A long long time ago
I can still remember how
That music used to make me smile…” – Don McClean

By Rich Lindbloom

So you think you know what pain is? An infected ingrown toenail?  Yes, indeed, that would be in the running. I had a friend who once told me that pain was comparable to childbirth. Then there’s the pain attributed to listening to yet another advertisement that tries to get you to buy something by utilizing a British accent. (What the bloody hell is that all about mate?)  Or its close advertising counterpart, the bloke who tries to speed read 500 words in 5 seconds. Those two are the type of aggravating pain that makes you want to plow your car into someone who has just cut you off. Then there’s the pain of Fakhra Yourus, 33, a Pakistani acid victim who committed suicide after enduring more than 3 dozen surgeries over the last 12 years to repair damage to her face and body. That type of pain is truly a heartfelt pain. Hopefully our merciful Lord will cradle her in His arms for the rest of eternity. Read more »

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PuckChatter~Radio with Sam Fels, SecondCityHockey.com – The “Joel Quenneville 5:08 says ‘I just fired your next head coach’” edition

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Chris Block| Leave a comment

Its been rare when big news breaks right before our show and we get to sink into it when its hot and fresh.

Well, that did happen on Tuesday as Joel Quenneville announced he had relieved assistant coach Mike Haviland of his duties effective immediately.

The Committed Indian and SecondCityHockey.com ‘s own Sam Fels joined me in this 75-minute edition of PuckChatter~Radio to discuss this and the rest of the (to this point) known fallout from another disappointing Blackhawks season.

Sam and I discuss why it was the popular Mike Haviland and not (now former) fellow assistant Mike Kitchen who got the axe.  Sam dishes his points of discontent with the job Joel Quenneville has been doing behind the Blackhawks bench and also his concerns with the recent Dave Bolland trade rumors.

We also break down the validity of the Ryan Suter speculation, the state of Niklas Hjalmarsson, if the ‘Hawks are truly in dire straights, Corey Crawford, the rest of the news of the week and much, much more.

Oh yeah, and one more thing -  Joel Quenneville’s confidential list of potential candidates he will choose from to replace Haviland….. which he claims he hasn’t started yet…. and once he does it will be a secret list…. However, he did tell us on Tuesday that Barry Smith is not on that list… which, again, is secret and not yet begun.

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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.

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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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