UMFan83

Niemi has been amazing with low shots in the playoffs. Tonight not so much. Especially in the game winning goal. I have to see a replay, but in my recollection of the moment, it looked like it went right through the 5 hole. I'm probably wrong though.

We can keep talking about how we know they are less talented, but they haven't show it yet through 3 games. The reason everyone is freaking out is because they have to now accept that the Hawks aren't going to be able to just overwhelm the Flyers with their excess talent. Chicago sports fans are extremely bipolar, because we've seen disasters and chokes happen in the past. When times are good, they ignore all of those past ghosts and conclude that this team is different, and get cocky. Then when the team loses, they immediately draw comparisons to those past failures. That's just how the majority of us are. I am one of them. I was very cocky before this game, and I didn't care if I talked as if we were winning the Cup. In my mind, I'm not worried about being overconfident and jinxing them. But now I have doubt in my head. I am now not certain that we are taking home the puck. I still think we will but I am getting worried that we won't and this will all be another horrendous Chicago sports disappointment. But overall I realize that we shouldn't be worried about that considering we are still in a great position to win this.

In the playoffs it's been Kane-Toews-Buff, but at one point he was. I definitely think we could use him, but at the same time I don't think he's the difference maker that is going to have us dominating the Flyers for an entire game.

One good thing is penalties have been 7-7 the last two games. Although it doesn't seem like the refs are willing to even out the 4-0 from game 1.

We've gotten outshot by 5+ shots every game this series, we haven't scored a power play goal in the entire series, we've given up 3-4 PPGs this series, we got manhandled in the faceoff zone to pathetic levels. The first 2 goals we scored in the game weren't exactly good looks. In fact, from my view of the game, we didn't get very many good looks all night, with a few notable instances. The Flyers are manhandling us in the crease. Leighton is giving up huge rebounds, and we cannot get our stick on them at all. So now the only faceoff numbers that matter are from tonight's game? And you really don't think the Hawks PP is going to be better? You don't think they're going to convert better around the net? And you think the Flyers are going to keep up their power play numbers? Seriously you guys are overreacting like mad. I didn't say only faceoff numbers matter. I pointed out that we got outshot for the 3rd time out of 3 games this series. In the regular season we allowed the least SOG in the NHL and outshot our opponent like 80% of the time. I realize the playoffs and the SCF are a different animal altogether, but it's hard to see us getting outshot every game, even if we've been winning them. We're winning but not winning the way that got us here. I am not sure the Hawks PP is going to be better. They were middle of the road in the regular season. I mean I'm sure if you give them enough opportunities they'd eventually score something, but our PP is not going to be a difference maker in the series, but I knew that going in. I don't think they will convert better around the net. Pronger and his Defensive mates have been doing a phenomenal job of not letting the Hawks get their sticks on any of those rebounds. The Hawks are in position most of the time, but the Flyers are getting to the puck or lifting the Hawks stick first. That's not necessarily a fluke, that's skill by the Flyers. We might have to win without much help from cleaning up rebounds (except Hossa's goal last game). Now the Flyers PP numbers I'm not AS concerned about for the rest of the series. Just because the Hawks have had such a good PK in the playoffs before this series. But this series, and especially tonight, I saw Hawks out of position, I saw the Flyers being able to sneak passes to open shooters, I saw the Hawks have a lot of difficulty clearing the puck. So if you put a gun to my head I think the Hawks will clean up the PK. And yes I realize I'm overreacting. Actually I wouldn't call it that, more like being a pessimist in terms of only pointing out bad things we did tonight. Overreacting is lamenting on how we blew this opportunity and "50 years without the cup" after losing for the first time in 3 games of the series. I still think we are going to win, but I'm quite a bit less certain after tonight. Basically there was no way the Hawks were going to lose where you wouldn't freak out. Exactly. I know myself well. I go through a half hour of venting after every big sports loss where I'm irrational and overly negative. I'm sorry you guys have to read it if you don't enjoy it, but I'm going to keep doing it until they ban me. And I think I have a right to freak out a little bit. Yes I would take a 2-1 lead and playing evenly with the Flyers a million straight times. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't be concerned at how we played. We should be a much much better team than the Flyers, but we aren't. That's a reality I guess we have to get used too. I guess the Hawks could come out in Game 4 and dominate the entire game and it wouldn't be the most shocking thing ever. It just becomes increasingly more likely that we're not going to have a game where we come out and just manhandle the Flyers. Maybe I'm expecting too much, but I guess more or less its gonna come down to little things, breaks here and there, and home ice advantage. There are still a lot of things to like about the Hawks position of course. For one, we're leading the series. We still have an opportunity to accomplish what we were looking for when coming to Philly, which is come home up 3-1. We still have home ice advantage and the worst Philly can do in Philly is win 3 games. Even though we haven't played our best hockey we still lead the series and could have easily won this game and been up 3-0 in the series. Anyways, I am just rambling. Just trying to mentally switch my mindset from "easy cruise to a stanley cup" to "tough grind it out series with the final outcome possibly in doubt until it's over".

We've gotten outshot by 5+ shots every game this series, we haven't scored a power play goal in the entire series, we've given up 3-4 PPGs this series, we got manhandled in the faceoff zone to pathetic levels. The first 2 goals we scored in the game weren't exactly good looks. In fact, from my view of the game, we didn't get very many good looks all night, with a few notable instances. The Flyers are manhandling us in the crease. Leighton is giving up huge rebounds, and we cannot get our stick on them at all. So now the only faceoff numbers that matter are from tonight's game? And you really don't think the Hawks PP is going to be better? You don't think they're going to convert better around the net? And you think the Flyers are going to keep up their power play numbers? Seriously you guys are overreacting like mad. I didn't say only faceoff numbers matter. I pointed out that we got outshot for the 3rd time out of 3 games this series. In the regular season we allowed the least SOG in the NHL and outshot our opponent like 80% of the time. I realize the playoffs and the SCF are a different animal altogether, but it's hard to see us getting outshot every game, even if we've been winning them. We're winning but not winning the way that got us here. I am not sure the Hawks PP is going to be better. They were middle of the road in the regular season. I mean I'm sure if you give them enough opportunities they'd eventually score something, but our PP is not going to be a difference maker in the series, but I knew that going in. I don't think they will convert better around the net. Pronger and his Defensive mates have been doing a phenomenal job of not letting the Hawks get their sticks on any of those rebounds. The Hawks are in position most of the time, but the Flyers are getting to the puck or lifting the Hawks stick first. That's not necessarily a fluke, that's skill by the Flyers. We might have to win without much help from cleaning up rebounds (except Hossa's goal last game). Now the Flyers PP numbers I'm not AS concerned about for the rest of the series. Just because the Hawks have had such a good PK in the playoffs before this series. But this series, and especially tonight, I saw Hawks out of position, I saw the Flyers being able to sneak passes to open shooters, I saw the Hawks have a lot of difficulty clearing the puck. So if you put a gun to my head I think the Hawks will clean up the PK. And yes I realize I'm overreacting. Actually I wouldn't call it that, more like being a pessimist in terms of only pointing out bad things we did tonight. Overreacting is lamenting on how we blew this opportunity and "50 years without the cup" after losing for the first time in 3 games of the series. I still think we are going to win, but I'm quite a bit less certain after tonight.

this wasn't their worst game of the series. it was their best probably. and right now, the hawks are not superior. these teams have played evenly for 3 games now. In terms of performance, I think sadly game 1 was the best game we played, followed by 3 and then 2. I'm not saying the series is over by any means, I still think we're going to win it, but doubt was introduced tonight. I've been waiting 3 games for the Hawks to show they are the better team, and if anything these performances so far make me wonder if these teams are really evenly matched or the Flyers are slightly better. We should be better...we had 24 more points in the regular season and basically ran over our last 2 playoff opponents, only to face a team that plays in a conference that everyone and their mom would admit is much weaker than our conference. I'm sorry for sounding so negative. I am just venting and it's hard for me to be positive when I'm doing that. In 20 minutes, I should be better.

We've gotten outshot by 5+ shots every game this series, we haven't scored a power play goal in the entire series, we've given up 3-4 PPGs this series, we got manhandled in the faceoff zone to pathetic levels. The first 2 goals we scored in the game weren't exactly good looks. In fact, from my view of the game, we didn't get very many good looks all night, with a few notable instances. The Flyers are manhandling us in the crease. Leighton is giving up huge rebounds, and we cannot get our stick on them at all. On the plus side, we did control the pace a good deal of the game, Niemi looked pretty good again (but he needed to). Hossa was good enough. I don't have much problem with the top defensive line (Keith and Seabrook), but the rest of the bunch were horrible. Hendry had his worst game of the series, and that says a lot because he's awful. The Flyers consistantly have a man just sitting near the crease in the Hawks zone, and many times the Flyers have centered the puck right to that guy. I haven't seen our guys protecting that crease very much at all. It hasn't burned us too much yet but it will if it keeps happening. I dunno maybe it's because we lost but I don't see a lot to like about tonights game, other than the fact that it was going to be the toughest game of the series and we hung in there on the road.

Seriously normally I laugh this stuff off but I can't handle reading that the series is over after 3 games, 2 of which we won. I know how we've looked. I'm really disapointed, but this series isn't over. I am very worried though. If I was on a deserted island all season, and finally started watching from game 1 and had no idea how the teams got that, I would definitely think the Flyers were the better team.

I seriouslyfeel absolutely horrible about this series now. I just have not seen much that tells me the Hawks can outplay the Flyers enough to win. I mean they can win, but Im thinking a 6 or 7 game series now, not a 4 (obviously) or 5 game series

I don't think anyone could think that wasn't the right call. I meant in the respect that they were thisclose to getting back in the series. All for naught now.

And we lost. Flyers right back in the series. I am pretty sure they will tie it up on Friday. That hurts. The Blackhawks have been outplayed this series and I've lost confidence that they can outplay them for the majority of the game. We're not going to able to win many more games where we are outshot significantly and lose 70% of our faceoffs.

After that almost goal, I really want this game even more. If the Hawks win this game, the Philly fans are going to talk about this for years.

Thank the good Lord. Let's steal the momentum now.

It didn't cross the goal line. Please see that as well.

[expletive] my life.

I feel like we need this game as much as Philly does. We haven't had a game where we clearly outplayed them and that worries me a lot.

Hawks have to do a better job of not giving the Flyers position in front of the net. When the play is near the boards, I keep seeing Flyers sneaking into the zone with plenty of space

Hossa's stick handling is a work of art. I completely trust that he's gonna get something going everytime he has the puck in the opponents zone and a tiny bit of space.

Yeah...let that mullet breathe Kaner!!

Seriously. Hawks haven't been playing great since the last goal.

The Flyers are [expletive] stellar at getting the puck centered with a semi-open person there.

I missed the replay becuase I was busy cursing, how did Hendry blow that one?

I would have rather no goals scored than 1-1. Momentum goes to the Flyers because of that sequence. Dammit

We haven't allowed more than 2-3 shots the last 15 minutes, so of course as soon as we score they have their best attempts and score a goal.