2013-14 Defending Champion Blackhawks Regular Season Thread

[apete6]

With Kane's own goal, the only team in the NHL he hasn't scored against is Pittsburgh.

 

 

LOL. Awesome. Let's hope he fixes that at the Stadium Series game!

[Banedon]

With Kane's own goal, the only team in the NHL he hasn't scored against is Pittsburgh.

 

 

LOL. Awesome. Let's hope he fixes that at the Stadium Series game!

 

Also, Sid has an own goal, but none against Chicago.

[Soul]

What the hell is it with this team and OT?

[UMFan83]

What the hell is it with this team and OT?

 

I don't know. I just assume we're going to lose when we get to OT.

 

Edit: I posted this before we lost

[Soul]

That was incredibly un-awesome

[Soul]

At least they spared us the obligatory shoot-out loss

[UMFan83]

What is that 5 losses in 6 games, 4 of them coming in OT/SO?

[Guest]

The losses are really starting to pile up. St. Louis and Anaheim are about to run away from us

[Butterscup1679666578]

this team will get it together in the playoffs. im as bored with the regular season as they are.

[biittner77]

this team will get it together in the playoffs. im as bored with the regular season as they are.

 

I'd rather some of their few weak areas get exposed now, in time to make that one, seemingly minor acquisition that makes the difference when it counts.

[UMFan83]

this team will get it together in the playoffs. im as bored with the regular season as they are.

 

Yeah I'm not worried. It's a little shitty that they might to have to be the road team in the 2nd round against St. Louis and potentially in the 3rd round against Anaheim unless they do their annual playoff collapse but overall I'm just happy they are doing this well overall considering the short offseason, potential for cup hangover, olympics distractions, etc.

 

I do find it funny to hear meatballs calling into the score ripping the Hawks struggles in OT/SO as if it means anything once the postseason arrives.

 

The only major gripe to have about this team is their PK and sometimes their goalie.

[jersey cubs fan]

this team will get it together in the playoffs. im as bored with the regular season as they are.

 

Yeah I'm not worried. It's a little [expletive] that they might to have to be the road team in the 2nd round against St. Louis and potentially in the 3rd round against Anaheim unless they do their annual playoff collapse but overall I'm just happy they are doing this well overall considering the short offseason, potential for cup hangover, olympics distractions, etc.

 

You say "road team" as if they will only play on the road. The president's trophy/Stanley Cup run was nice last year, but 2nd/3rd seeds can just as easily make a run. They'll have plenty of home games and can win on the road.

[UMFan83]

this team will get it together in the playoffs. im as bored with the regular season as they are.

 

Yeah I'm not worried. It's a little [expletive] that they might to have to be the road team in the 2nd round against St. Louis and potentially in the 3rd round against Anaheim unless they do their annual playoff collapse but overall I'm just happy they are doing this well overall considering the short offseason, potential for cup hangover, olympics distractions, etc.

 

You say "road team" as if they will only play on the road. The president's trophy/Stanley Cup run was nice last year, but 2nd/3rd seeds can just as easily make a run. They'll have plenty of home games and can win on the road.

 

I know, that's why I said it's a little shitty, not devastating to their chances. I don't mind being the road team, especially a team as battle tested as them. I like knowing that if your team can win 1 of the 2 road games to start the series, the odds immediately shift in their favor.

[biittner77]

this team will get it together in the playoffs. im as bored with the regular season as they are.

 

Yeah I'm not worried. It's a little [expletive] that they might to have to be the road team in the 2nd round against St. Louis and potentially in the 3rd round against Anaheim unless they do their annual playoff collapse but overall I'm just happy they are doing this well overall considering the short offseason, potential for cup hangover, olympics distractions, etc.

 

You say "road team" as if they will only play on the road. The president's trophy/Stanley Cup run was nice last year, but 2nd/3rd seeds can just as easily make a run. They'll have plenty of home games and can win on the road.

 

The Ducks are really good at home. Not sure if that really makes that big of a difference in the playoffs but if the series did go 7 that could give them an edge. Then again, a lot of those home wins for the Ducks are against the Oilers and Flames.

 

Is it just me or does it seem like the Blues and Ducks always seem to be playing and beating the Oilers, Predators or Panthers?

[jersey cubs fan]

this team will get it together in the playoffs. im as bored with the regular season as they are.

 

Yeah I'm not worried. It's a little [expletive] that they might to have to be the road team in the 2nd round against St. Louis and potentially in the 3rd round against Anaheim unless they do their annual playoff collapse but overall I'm just happy they are doing this well overall considering the short offseason, potential for cup hangover, olympics distractions, etc.

 

You say "road team" as if they will only play on the road. The president's trophy/Stanley Cup run was nice last year, but 2nd/3rd seeds can just as easily make a run. They'll have plenty of home games and can win on the road.

 

I know, that's why I said it's a little [expletive], not devastating to their chances. I don't mind being the road team, especially a team as battle tested as them. I like knowing that if your team can win 1 of the 2 road games to start the series, the odds immediately shift in their favor.

How am I supposed to know what a little expletive is supposed to translate to?

[Sammys Boombox]

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/01/watch-two-nhl-players-mercilessly-punch-each-other-in-the-face-until-one-bleeds/

 

These guys really went at it.

[apete6]

Hawks with 11 OT/shootout losses, most in the league. Detroit and NJ have 10 each. In related news, Hawks 4 points behind Anaheim (5 OT/shootout losses) for #1 seed. So, so dumb. Just make every game a 3 point game already.

[UMFan83]

Hawks with 11 OT/shootout losses, most in the league. Detroit and NJ have 10 each. In related news, Hawks 4 points behind Anaheim (5 OT/shootout losses) for #1 seed. So, so dumb. Just make every game a 3 point game already.

 

Can't we just get rid of the point after a tie in regulation? How would that effect things? I hate watching the last 5-6 minutes of intraconference games that are tied. Not that they are halfassing it but both teams are taking absolutely no risks and playing everything safe to preserve the guaranteed point.

[Flames24Rulz]

I have to admit, I find it pretty amusing at people who have actually been freaking out the last week to two weeks about this team. Oh no, they might have to go on the road for a series in the playoffs! How will they ever win?

 

During last year's run, the Hawks did a pretty damn good job of winning extremely important road games:

Game 4 at Minnesota

Game 6 at Detroit

Game 4 at LA

Game 4 and 6 at Boston

 

Outside of losing Game 4 at Detroit, the Hawks won just about every extremely important road playoff game they had.

 

For some reason, I have full confidence in this team to get it done on the road if that's what needs to happen. Until proven otherwise, I'm not scared of any other team in the league. Unless the Hawks go on like a 9 game losing streak, the regular season doesn't mean a thing this year. Fast forward to April, please.

[UMFan83]

I have to admit, I find it pretty amusing at people who have actually been freaking out the last week to two weeks about this team. Oh no, they might have to go on the road for a series in the playoffs! How will they ever win?

 

During last year's run, the Hawks did a pretty damn good job of winning extremely important road games:

Game 4 at Minnesota

Game 6 at Detroit

Game 4 at LA

Game 4 and 6 at Boston

 

Outside of losing Game 4 at Detroit, the Hawks won just about every extremely important road playoff game they had.

 

For some reason, I have full confidence in this team to get it done on the road if that's what needs to happen. Until proven otherwise, I'm not scared of any other team in the league. Unless the Hawks go on like a 9 game losing streak, the regular season doesn't mean a thing this year. Fast forward to April, please.

 

I think people that are freaking out are bored of the regular season and are finding ways to emotionally connect with it.

[UMFan83]

I've watched a lot of Hawks this year but I can't say I've been particularly pumped up for any game since the opener. This 3 game stretch (vs. Anaheim, vs. Boston, @ Detroit) has me really pumped up. One is against the hottest and best team in the league (by record), one is a SCF rematch, one is our historical rival who we only see twice a year now. I think we will see an elevation in play and intensity. I am hoping for at least 2 W's!

[Derwood]

what's the league record for OTL's? Crazy that three teams are already in double digits

[apete6]

what's the league record for OTL's? Crazy that three teams are already in double digits

 

Looking at wikipedia starting with the 2005-2006 season when the shootout started, it looks like the 08-09 Lightning and the 11-12 Panthers both had 18 OTL.

 

Last year, however, the most was 10. Most other years there was at least 1 team in the teens and a few years there were several teams between 10 and 15.

[UMFan83]

Good article for the anti-loser point guys like myself

 

http://grantland.com/features/at-a-loss/

 

From 1983-84 until the 1998-99 season, 18.4 percent of games went to overtime. Since the loser point was introduced, that number has up to 23.5 percent. 11 That’s far too big a jump to be a coincidence. More likely, it’s the result of an intentional, leaguewide strategy: Whenever possible, make sure the game gets to overtime.

 

In fact, if history holds, this is the time of year when we’ll start to see even more three-point games. After all, the more important standings become, the more likely teams will be to try to maximize the number of points available. And sure enough, this has been the third straight season in which three-point games have increased every month.12 In each of the last three full seasons, three-point games have mysteriously peaked in March.

[Soul]

Who's been "really freaking out?"

 

I haven't heard anyone come even close to that.