08-09' Blackhawks (46-24-12) 104 PTS - 4th Seed In The West!

[salukifudd]

How about Huet tonight? Holy hell.

[bcl412]

Huet's been awesome tonight.

[bcl412]

Florida's had some really dumb penalties tonight.

[bcl412]

And coaching

[bcl412]

I think the Hawks have a good chance of at least getting to the finals. I think they are the third best team in the conference and they can beat the Sharks. The Wings would be tough though as they have a bit of a mental edge over the Hawks, but if the goal tending comes to play the Hawks may just have a really good shot at the cup.

[17 Seconds]

huet sucks

[salukifudd]

huet sucks

 

Flip a coin, the two sides are average and dominant.

[17 Seconds]

huet sucks

 

Flip a coin, the two sides are average and dominant.

 

wait what

[salukifudd]

huet sucks

 

Flip a coin, the two sides are average and dominant.

 

wait what

 

Did you watch the last 2 games?

[17 Seconds]

huet sucks

 

Flip a coin, the two sides are average and dominant.

 

wait what

 

Did you watch the last 2 games?

 

Yeah

 

I was being sarcastic... everybody acts like Huet is trash but he's an above average goalie. I was just messin around

[salukifudd]

huet sucks

 

Flip a coin, the two sides are average and dominant.

 

wait what

 

Did you watch the last 2 games?

 

Yeah

 

I was being sarcastic... everybody acts like Huet is trash but he's an above average goalie. I was just messin around

 

I'm stupid.

[manbearcub]

jebus h. christ no one thinks huet sucks get over it.

[17 Seconds]

jebus h. christ no one thinks huet sucks get over it.

 

Then why do people in this thread always trash him?

 

I'm just messing around though, no need to get all bent out of shape about it

[manbearcub]

because he is not as good as Khabi. that is the only reason.

[17 Seconds]

because he is not as good as Khabi. that is the only reason.

 

There is a pretty big difference between "I'd rather see Khabi out there than Huet" and "Oh god, we have to watch Huet flopping around out there tonight...great".

 

Look through the thread. It's even been admitted by a poster that he irrationally hates Huet.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

because he is not as good as Khabi. that is the only reason.

 

There is a pretty big difference between "I'd rather see Khabi out there than Huet" and "Oh god, we have to watch Huet flopping around out there tonight...great".

 

Look through the thread. It's even been admitted by a poster that he irrationally hates Huet.

 

Two, at least.

 

I hate Huet and I accept that he's an above average goalie. He's also a bad fit for this team and has a huge mistake of a contract that we will regret very soon.

 

Sounds like a great game tonight, though. Got in the car just in time to hear the radio highlights.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Can the NHL just award us the fourth seed now and let us rest up some guys?

[kujay]

Caught the last ten minutes on the radio on my way home from the airport and then watched a fast-forwarded version of the game when I got home. I didn't watch much, but obviously Huet was sharp. Glad to see it, believe it or not.

 

What else can be said about Eager? I love his hustle on every shift, and I'm glad that's it's paying off for him in terms of goals. He deserves it. He's clearly very skilled and wants to show he's more than a fighter. So far, so good.

 

I agree about the 4th seed, Kyle. But that's only because it would take quite a collapse for them to lose it and if they get even close to that I won't even be able to bear to watch. But you know, even if they were the 5th seed, the way they play on the road, it wouldn't be a killer.

[Cynosure]

The following takes place between 6:30 PM and 9:00 PM.

 

Events occur in real time.

 

• 
  1st Period
   
  
• Havlat had an incredible chance in the first minute.
  
• Havlat line is completely off the charts... Ladd scores!!! (10)!!!
  
• Faceoffs are a problem, they still suck.
  
• Havlat soccer traps the puck in mid air with a kick to the stick, unreal.
  
• All of the lines seem to be working exceedingly hard.
  
• Win a freaking face-off in the offensive zone!
  
• In the last minute, Kane and Toews were off the charts... nice plays!
   
  2nd Period
  
• Huet stands on his head for the first few minutes.
  
• Cam Barker oh so close to potting one!
  
• Hawks PP deserves a goal after the last one, when the puck was in the offensive zone for 90% of the time.
  
• Kane's vision is incredible out there...he looked back and forth twice and then ripped a slapper dead on at Voukun... luckily big Buff made the save for him.
  
• Havlat made a lame breakaway move and didn't elevate the puck AT ALL.
  
• Kaner hit pretty high, no call?
  
• HOLY HUET! Diving glove save!
   
  3rd Period
   
  
• Havlat with the ridiculous backhand/forehand shot... grrr nothing connects.
  
• Kaner, put the damn mouthpiece in your mouth!
  
• BEN SNIPER???? Top shelf where momma used to hide the cookies, eh?
  
• HOLY FREAKING HUET! 2 Point BLANK saves!!!!
  
• Bolland takes a penalty and jaws at the Panthers from the box, love it.
  
• TAZER shoots one from before the redline for the easiest goal of the season (just think how many goals he'd have if he showed up for the first 15 games?).
  
• This begs the question... why the hell did they yank the goalie so early? 4 minutes left? WTF?
  
• Eager! 2 for the night, good for him!
  
• HUET FREAKING SHUTOUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hawks = .589 W% :)

[jersey cubs fan]

because he is not as good as Khabi. that is the only reason.

 

There is a pretty big difference between "I'd rather see Khabi out there than Huet" and "Oh god, we have to watch Huet flopping around out there tonight...great".

 

Look through the thread. It's even been admitted by a poster that he irrationally hates Huet.

 

Two, at least.

 

I hate Huet and I accept that he's an above average goalie. He's also a bad fit for this team and has a huge mistake of a contract that we will regret very soon.

 

Sounds like a great game tonight, though. Got in the car just in time to hear the radio highlights.

 

How does a goalie become a bad fit for a team? Is this some sort of groundball pitcher on a team with bad defenders thing, or a slinging QB on a team that only runs? I don't get it.

 

As for the contract, the time to regret it has passed. They made it work with Khabi and Huet on the same roster, and after this season, Khabi is gone. Prior to this season, Khabi was nothing special for the Hawks, and it would have been a huge risk to sign him to an extension regardless of Huet's status. The fact that they pretty much can't resign him could be a blessing in disguise. Huet will be the primary goalie starting next year. He's pretty good, and not at all expensive.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

"How does a goalie become a bad fit for a team? Is this some sort of groundball pitcher on a team with bad defenders thing, or a slinging QB on a team that only runs? I don't get it."

 

Huet's style is to give up big rebounds but stop anything he can see. In the playoffs, he'll need a big, strong defense to keep the front of the net clear. The Blackhawks have a smaller, less physical defense based on positioning and clearing the puck efficiently, but not so good at clearing the front of the net. Bad fit.

[Cynosure]

If Huet plays like this during the playoffs and Khabi rides the pine... I couldn't give a crap. When Huet is on, he's incredible... when he's iced on the bench... he sucks. Huet is the goalie that needs solid time out there. If Khabi would have played all season and not split time with Huet, this IR thing would have happened long ago and Niemi would be in goal every night getting shelled.

[kujay]

Since Huet/Khabi is all we talk about these days, here is Rosenbloom's take on it:

 

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/rosenblog/2009/02/a-hobbled-khabi-is-why-you-keep-huet-in-house.html

 

This part was interesting:

 

Their important goalie numbers look like a coin flip. Huet has the better goals-against average (2.28 vs. 2.37), Khabibulin the better save percentage (.924 vs. .917). But Khabibulin wins the big metric, posting a record of 17-5-5 compared to Huet's 16-10-3.

 

Even without parsing the numbers, Khabibulin wins something else: the eyeball test. At least, from this seat he does. He looks better, more confident, more likely to make the save.

 

The eyeball test. This encapsulates my thoughts on this all along.

 

As for the next game, I think it was Murray last night on the radio who said he thought Niemi would get the start Saturday night in light of the Hawks totally owning Dallas this year. But he also hinted that Khabi might be back and able to start on Sunday, in which case Huet would just start Saturday night and Niemi would be on a bus back to Rockford.

[Cynosure]

Since Huet/Khabi is all we talk about these days, here is Rosenbloom's take on it:

 

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/rosenblog/2009/02/a-hobbled-khabi-is-why-you-keep-huet-in-house.html

 

This part was interesting:

 

Their important goalie numbers look like a coin flip. Huet has the better goals-against average (2.28 vs. 2.37), Khabibulin the better save percentage (.924 vs. .917). But Khabibulin wins the big metric, posting a record of 17-5-5 compared to Huet's 16-10-3.

 

Even without parsing the numbers, Khabibulin wins something else: the eyeball test. At least, from this seat he does. He looks better, more confident, more likely to make the save.

 

The eyeball test. This encapsulates my thoughts on this all along.

 

As for the next game, I think it was Murray last night on the radio who said he thought Niemi would get the start Saturday night in light of the Hawks totally owning Dallas this year. But he also hinted that Khabi might be back and able to start on Sunday, in which case Huet would just start Saturday night and Niemi would be on a bus back to Rockford.

 

Tomorrow is a day game, so I think Huet starts, he'll have enough time to rest before Sunday night.

[jersey cubs fan]

The eyeball test.

 

Perhaps the least reliable way to judge a professional athlete's worth.