Tag Archives: Marcus Kruger

Brodeur stops 37, Devils edge Hawks 2-1 in Newark

By Brad Vandenberk

After a gruesome loss on Sunday to their division rival Nashville Predators, the Chicago Blackhawks were on the road to play the New Jersey Devils.  This would be the first and only meeting this year between the two clubs as each team came in sitting in the sixth position in their respected conferences.  The Hawks are currently holding a five point lead in sixth, while the Devils are feeling the heat from the Ottawa Senators who are just two points behind them in the East.  This game would mark the 17th straight contest that Jonathan Toews was not in the line up.  The good news is he has been skating for seven consecutive days and sees a return in site.  Duncan Keith was serving game two of his five game suspension given to him after hitting Canuck Daniel Sedin with a head shot just six days ago.  On the brighter side, Steve Montador returned to the ice as a winger on the fourth line after missing 22 games with a concussion.  He started with fourth line duties to ensure Monty eases himself back into game shape.  Marcus Kruger also returned from an upper body injury giving the Hawks their second line center back.  With the two players returning, Jimmy Hayes, Brendan Morrison and Michael Frolik were scratched.    Carter Hutton was recalled from the IceHogs due to Ray Emery suffering an upper body injury during Sunday night’s debacle.  Corey Crawford got the call from coach Q to start as fellow Quebecian Martin Brodeur was between the pipes for the Devils.  Read more »

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Hawks slip by Canucks in OT, Duncan Keith faces possible suspension for elbow on Daniel Sedin

By Brad Vandenberk

On a four game winning streak, the Chicago Blackhawks returned home to face their favourite foe, the Vancouver Canucks.  The Hawks were in Columbus the night before, handing the Jackets a season sweep with a 5-1 victory.  The Canucks had the luxury of spending a record setting hot March day in Chicago awaiting the Hawks return home late morning.   After going on a 9 game losing streak the Hawks have gone 8-1-1.  Most of those games have been played without captain serious, as he remains on the road to recovery.   The Canucks come into this game losers of five in seven.   Corey Crawford regained his crease for the Hawks and Roberto Luongo started for the visiting team.  Luongo hasn’t played in the Canucks last two losses.  Jamal Mayers was a last minute scratch with the flu inserting Brendan Morrison into the 4th line center spot.  Read more »

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Lindbloom: On Kitchen Sinks, and your Blackhawks

Seen sliding through Halak’s five hole in the Shoot Out

By Rich Lindbloom

Jaroslav Halak gave it the old college try Tuesday night, no doubt about that. He made 43 saves, valiantly trying to withstand the fury, unrelenting attack and irresistible force unleashed by a Blackhawk team that appears to be taking matters into their own hands. If the Blues are the number one team in hockey, (deservedly so I might add), I’m a little more optimistic about our playoff chances. Actually, I’ve had the Hawks penciled in all the way to the Cup Finals for some time now.

The 65 minute beat down over a lethargic, uninspired, out worked and undermanned Blues squad does wonders to bolster my confidence. Think about it – the team noted by several St. Louis Game Time posters as being too thin, just defeated Lunquist, narrowly lost to Quick in a shootout and made Halak stand on his head for most of the game Tuesday night. Does that sound like a team that’s hanging on by a thread? Read more »

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Desperate Kings pickup two points in Chicago

By Brad Gardner

Jonathan Quick continued to baffle the Blackhawks when his Kings club visited the United Center on Sunday evening. The Blackhawks battled back to tie the game twice and earn one point in the standings, eventually falling to Mike Richards’ conversion in the shootout for a final score of 3-2.

The Kings set the tone early with a chance off the opening faceoff. Nick Leddy fumbled a pass to his defensive partner that was picked up by Dwight King. He broke in between the two defenders on Ray Emery but the ‘Hawks goaltender was able to deny the game’s first shot.

Slava Voynov was able to get one by Emery a few minutes later. Duncan Keith pinched into the offensive zone but had the puck poked away by Justin Williams. The sent the Kings in on a 4-on-1 against Brent Seabrook, who sold out to take away the passing lane. Williams still had room to get the puck to Voynov, who beat Emery wide to the glove side for the rookie defenseman’s fifth tally of the season. Read more »

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Hayes, Kruger lead Toews-less Hawks over Detroit

By Brad Gardner

The Chicago Blackhawks managed to keep their win streak alive against the rival Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night at the United Center, despite playing without captain Jonathan Toews. With Detroit entering play riding a six-game winning streak of their own, it was the home team that held onto a 2-1 lead to pick up their fourth consecutive win.

Corey Crawford started his fourth game in a row and allowed just one goal for the third straight game. He faced Jimmy Howard in net for the Wings, making his first start since missing time to a broken index finger. Both goalies loomed large in this one, but Crawford was able to spoil Howard’s comeback and earn his fourth win in as many starts.

Marcus Kruger put the Blackhawks down a man in just 34 seconds into the game with a tripping penalty in the offensive zone. Crawford was able to handle Detroit’s first few opportunities, including a shot from Jiri Hudler through traffic. Dave Bolland picked up the rebound but whiffed on the clear. The puck eventually found Valtteri Filppula at the right circle and he was able to wrist one past Crawford far side to put the Wings up 1-0 just 2:22 into the game. Read more »

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Hawks cap 9-game trip with 6-1 win in Columbus

By Brad Vandenberk

The Hawks held their heads high on their way into Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio Saturday afternoon, only days after beating one of the NHL’s best teams in the New York Rangers Thursday night.

This was the last of the Hawks nine consecutive road games and setting a team record for the most consecutive road games in franchise history at nine. The road bout was over 19 days long and they didn’t waste time taking advantage of a Central Division team that is rumored to be moving on without their franchise player in Rick Nash as they try to start their rebuilding process. In their last four meetings, the Hawks have taken all of them! Read more »

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9 in a row: Hawks come up short in Nashville

By Jon Fromi

The Chicago Blackhawks turned in an improved effort as they continued their road trip in Nashville Tuesday night. However, the result was the same as their previous eight games.

The Blackhawks fought back to tie the score twice in the Music City, but another late goal lifted the Predators past their Central Division rivals. Chicago came up on the short end of a 3-2 final score to lose their ninth consecutive game.

The opening period saw both teams committing infractions, starting with Dave Bolland’s hooking penalty in the third minute. Mike Fisher was called for tripping 90 seconds later. In the fifth minute, Jonathan Toews ran into Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne, ending Chicago’s shot at the man advantage.

Fisher missed a wide open net late in the resulting power play, but for the most part the Blackhawks were successful in filling the shooting lanes.  Nashville killed a Martin Erat holding penalty at the 9:03 mark. This was followed by the two teams taking turns at Rinne and Ray Emery. Read more »

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Lindbloom: Goon Game and the Panic Dance

“Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job.” – James 5:3

By Rich Lindbloom

“If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it, if you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.”  Actually, you’re thinking you’d rather punch someone in the face about right now, aren’t you? The 7 game losing streak has seemed to take the life out of Blackhawk fandom, as most prepare for the worst. While not on par with the collapse of the ‘69 Cubs or the ’11 Red Sox, a lot of fans are abandoning ship. Personally, I’ve exhausted all the possibilities when attempting to answer my friend’s question, “What’s wrong with your Blackhawks?” As the Lemonhead song goes, “Patience is like bread I say, I ran out of it yesterday.” Read more »

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Kruger scores twice; Hawks slide slips to 7 in San Jose

By Brad Vandenberk

After a lengthy film session in Denver University on Wednesday morning and a “back to basics” practice on Thursday in California, the Chicago Blackhawks were back on the ice Friday night in San Jose trying to snap a six game losing streak.

The film session took place in a theatre that had the perfect set up to run through game tape of their 5-2 loss to the Avalanche on Tuesday night.  The session took longer than normal, but at this stage the Hawks were attempting anything to break this streak.    After travelling to San Jose and took to the ice to practice “hockey 101”.  If the current six game losing streak wasn’t enough, the flu bug was also flying around the locker room as four Hawk players took the day off practice.  Steve Montador was also missing from practice, but it was not due to the flu.  Monty suffered an upper body injury during the game on Tuesday and was placed on Injured Reserve Friday morning.  Dylan Olsen was recalled from the IceHogs to replace the injured Montador.   To rub more salt in the wound, Niklas Hjalmarsson, who originally had the flu, was then diagnosed with an upper body injury.  Both Nik and Monty flew back to Chicago and will not be playing Saturday night in Phoenix either.  Read more »

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TTMI~Radio e.98, Notes About Nothing; Corey Crawford, Boycotting hockey players and 4-yr olds speaking in the 3rd person

On this week’s edition of TTMI~Radio we discuss everything from pouting superstar hockey players to Saving the Children (and the gays) to 4-year old girls speaking in the third person.

In addition, in no particular order, we discuss…. teaching Marcus Kruger the cycle, United Center official scoring, Kerry Fraser’s book, emails on Bryan Bickell and waivers, Bolland and Pirri comparables, Hating on Twitter, our UFC picks, street clipboard peddlers, changing your Facebook status to something more particular, Vegas and UFC on Fox this Saturday night at the United Center and our pick.

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Show #99 airs live next Wednesday night February 1st at 8pm central.

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