Brian707

It looks that way, I think the Blues will end up playing for the Cup. San Jose or Nashville? Nah

Not that it matters much but the Cubs are now 4-1 to win the WS in Vegas while the next closest team in baseball is the Nationals at 10-1. Cubs to at least advance to the WS is at 2-1.(This is from memory last night at home, as I can't look at gambling sites at work)

Actually EST is the same as CDT so you were right

We have to find something to bitch about when we win every game by like 7 runs. The team will win 110 games this year but Rondon will only have 20 saves

I like it because if its anything like 2008, the Cubs still get 80% of the coverage and we get to hear Sox fans complain about being irrelevant still. New thread up complaining about the Score mainly but also ABC 7 http://www.whitesoxinteractive.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=144721

They will, 27th in offense. Their pitching has been great though, lets see how long that will last. Although I would love a Cubs WS victory over the Sox this year.

the league's reaction to hossa styled contracts was to install some sort of penalty for guys that do retire, so it doesn't help at all if he retires early. That's what I figured

We will see a couple guys from Europe get a chance, that is why it is overblown that the guys they lost at the trade deadline were somehow hurting the future. I think next year is Hossa's last year, his real salary goes from 4.5 million to 1 millon after that. Not sure if his 5.5 million cap hit goes away once he retires though??

Sucks to lose, sucks more knowing that there appears to be an easy path to the SCF this year and the winner of that game last night would probably be representing the West. Dallas is missing their top line center, their D and goaltending is crap, I hate to say it but the Blues should win fairly easily next round. Whomever the Blues meet in the WCF does not scare me one bit, San Jose? No, Anaheim still has to win a game 7 vs Nashville. As for the Hawks, a long summer of rest will do them wonders, the roster will take a big hit but this core will win another Cup or two by the time Kane/Toews reach their mid 30's

Ha! Forgot about that. Can't wait till a game 7 victory tonight!

Why not have the Eastern Conference games start at 630 Eastern, then have the Hawks/Blues start at 8pm Central? It seems to be a decent middle ground. I get the Hawks are the ratings darling of the NHL, but as was said earlier people on the East Coast are not going to stay up and watch if they are not fans of the Hawks. They might if they were on earlier.

I missed only the first period because of the No No thanks to an 8:42pm start. I will take playoff hockey any day over April baseball except for last night.

Pat is right, and Milbury is as an idiot as usual. The NHL wants to grow the game, then don't have 8:42pm starts on weeknights in local areas.

So yesterday might have been his last game in a Hawks uniform. Time for the big guns to step up, take game 5 and bring it back to the UC for a game 6. I still believe the Blues will do what they always do and choke under pressure, nothing like sending this thing to a game 7 after Saturday night

I don't have a problem with the moves the made. Plus the price was not right for the defensive depth. Id mortgage the future each and every year Toews and Kane are at their peak. St Louis is playing better, their goalie has above a 95% save percentage. All Hawks playoff series losses since 2009 have been because of one of two reasons. 1. Goalie posts a save percentage of >95% 2. Opposing team has puck possession of >55% I still hold out hope they will win this series, but if they don't tip your cap to them and move on. They might not be as talented next year but an early playoff exit might be a blessing in regards to a long summer of rest See I still don't buy it. If you don't believe the defensive depth was their biggest problem then fine. But I believe it was and if you are going to "mortgage the future" it should have been in that area. And to me the defense has been a major problem. Doesn't really help with save % but certainly does with % puck possession. I don't mind the Ladd trade (even though according to Twitter he's been terrible this series), but giving up Denault for a third liner and a healthy scratch in the playoffs (I realize that wasn't his intended role but Stan keeps getting guys that Q benches, they should be better synced at this point) is a terrible trade in retrospect (and at the time given we didn't address defense) They had two holes, forward depth and their D. Yes D was a bigger need, but the deals were not there so Stan went the way he did. He can't hit on deadline deals all the time.

Stan really didnt give up big assets, none of the players or picks likely would have been a big piece to any future Stanley Cup. Losing Shaw is not that big of a deal, Kruger was the better choice of whom to keep. Shaw while a fan favorite and I love him most of the time, is easily replaceable. The Hawks next year are nowhere near as weak as the 2011 team. Like this year they will be the deepest down the middle they have been in this era. Yes, their defense will be older and weaker, maybe Stan can find a way to shore the D up, but they will be a contender next year and for at least the next 5 years or so.

I don't have a problem with the moves the made. Plus the price was not right for the defensive depth. Id mortgage the future each and every year Toews and Kane are at their peak. St Louis is playing better, their goalie has above a 95% save percentage. All Hawks playoff series losses since 2009 have been because of one of two reasons. 1. Goalie posts a save percentage of >95% 2. Opposing team has puck possession of >55% I still hold out hope they will win this series, but if they don't tip your cap to them and move on. They might not be as talented next year but an early playoff exit might be a blessing in regards to a long summer of rest

Friday games 0-2, rest of the week 8-0

Heyward will hit a game winning 2 run HR

First time opening on the road since 2009. As others have said, I see a 10-6 season ahead.

Man, I thought for sure the Hawks were going to steal game 1 without Keith and put the Blues into a tailspin earlier than expected this series. Hawks will figure out Elliot soon enough. Even if they were to drop tomorrow's game, I won't be too worried. Q will make adjustments as the series moves on, just hope Man [expletive] sits in the press box for the rest of eternity.

I went to 4 games last year, 1 Travis Wood and 3 Hendricks

I want to buy one of those chairs for my office

It says 15-16 season thread, didn't specify regular season. What went on last year? Either way you want to do it.

Hawks in 5 Wild in 6 Preds in 7 Kings in 6 Islanders in 7 Lightning in 6 Caps in 6 Pens in 6 2nd Rd Hawks in 6 Kings in 7 Islanders in 6 Pens in 5 Conf Finals Hawks in 7 Pens in 6 SCF Hawks in 6