UMFan83

Without a doubt. But this is our list, and it was fun to go back on all those moments. Because unless you are just a die hard fan of the sport in general, it's hard to really understand what a team has gone through when it's not your team.

There are a ton of moments, as I'm sure you'd agree, on both sides that turned the course of the playoffs for the Hawks. The biggest one, as I'm sure most would identify and agree with was Erat's turnover in the Hawks zone with under 30 seconds left in Game 5, with Nashville up 4-3 and the series tied 2-2. The Preds had a man advantage and they were just passing the puck around in a circle, when Erat made a semi-blind pass, turned it over and the Hawks managed to get one in the net (on another play that if Erat's stick was slightly quicker, he might have gotten it on the puck first and cleared it away for the W). That went from a 3-2 series in favor of Preds looking to close out the Hawks at home in Game 6, to still a 2-2 series and an OT where the best team (provided they kill a 4 minute PP) won. A few other moment's I'd identify as big series shifters: -Niemi giving up that halfassed dump in/shot attempt in Game 1 vs. Nashville after the Hawks were dominating and leading 1-0. That put us in a much harder series against Nashville. -The dump in off Kanes skate for a goal as you pointed out. -In that Game 2 flurry by Vancouver to start the game, they scored 2 goals, but clanged 2 just barely off the goal posts/crossbar and could have easily led 3-0 and 4-0, making a Hawks comeback much more unlikely -Seabrook's goal in that game that cut the deficit to 2-1 and really killed the momentum Vancouver had to start the game. Vancouver very rarely looked that good again in the series. -Patrick Sharp getting that shortie breakaway goal to tie the game up in the 3rd after the Hawks had been getting shut down by Luongo despite firing quite a few shots at him. (note: Game 2 of the Vancouver series in my opinion was the biggest game in the playoffs for the Hawks so far in terms of momentum changing) -Some really idiotic unnecessary penalties by Vancouver in Game 3 and 4 that led to Hawks goals and wins -Niemi basically turning into a shutdown goalie in the middle of the Canucks series and never looking back -Niemi in Games 1 and 3 of the Sharks series; Niemi's save in game 1 that saved a huge goal (I realize I'm moving away from breaks and flukes and am just recognizing things that had a huge impact on getting to the Cup finals) -Versteeg going in the box instead of Bolland at end of game 1 -A shot off Niemi's facemask in Game 3's OT that it didn't look like he saw until it hit him on the facemask -Somehow 3 Sharks missing Buff coming down the center of the ice. Somehow Nabakov not following the puck from behind the net until it was just about in the net -Getting the review and overturning a goal to start game 3. This was underrated...could have changed the series if they got a goal 2 minutes into game 3 and silenced the UC. It was obviously a no goal but since they called goal on the ice, theres always a worry that something crazy would happen. -Getting the review and calling a goal in Game 4 when down 2-0. Same idea as before, except less impact since the series was 3-0. They called no goal on ice, so there's always a worry they would say that they blew the whistle or something and continue play without reviewing. Tons of great great season changing moments in this playoffs for the Chicago Blackhawks.

At least 6 days off? Screw Keith and ladd maybe kim johansson (sp) will be back by then!

Yes this is a Bleacher Report article, but I thought it was worth sharing. This is one guys ranking of the top 50 skaters in the NHL today. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/395684-stars-on-ice-ranking-the-top-50-skaters-in-the-nhl The Blackhawks on his list are: 41. Brent Seabrook 37. Patrick Sharp 18. Patrick Kane 14. Marian Hossa 8. Duncan Keith 3. Jonathan Toews If those rankings seem a little biased, the writer is a Hawks fan. Still interesting to read through though.

Do share.

Im sitting here on stubhub on the order page debating clicking submit on a $310 SRO ticket to game 1. You guys decide for me.

Very happy, but I more or less have a "work still to do" feeling right now. 4 more wins!

E a ton of sharks fans stupidly ripping on the officials for all the hawks pps tonight.

It took teams ten games to try that again.

did Detroit look beat in game 4 last series? I don't expect any team to look beaten. It helps if you know that you aren't going to get a penalty called on you no matter what

Just read he died of a heart attack in LA. Will always remember Sammy going deep on him a million times and of course his wife.

Happy Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals day!

Oh well, happens in the heat of the moment sometimes. He didn't and we won yay. BTW, I love my new sig.

NO Do you think there's a chance he could make Rose even 1/50th as good defensively as Ronda? That way Rose would only be half as good as Ronda overall.

I don't remember about Fox having primetime broadcasts. This is bizarre. I am going to pretend that this is the Cubs and Rangers battling it out for the World Series!

Question: I've seen multiple people (reporters, fans, and Sharks players) say that the Sharks dominated the OT period. I felt like the Hawks very slightly controlled the OT. Am I just blind? We outshot them like 10-5 and I felt like we had some of the better chances.

I'm not sure why most people would not feel good about the game going into OT. I guess I could come up with a couple different theories: -The refs looked to be horribly favoring the Sharks -The Sharks outshot the Hawks 18-6 in the 3rd and started to outplay them a bit -The Hawks were 4 minutes from victory when the Sharks seized momentum and tied it up But despite this, as you like to say Dex, I felt like the OT was going to be a crapshoot anyways, so I had neither bad nor good feelings. Bah, as I type this I realize it's stupid to discuss how we felt during the game. All that matters is how we feel after the game, which for me is pretty damn good :)

yea, i dont feel very good about this one either. hope i'm wrong Feel better about yourselves, guys? :D Again, I love being wrong when it comes to instances like these. But even you had to admit that the feeling heading into OT wasn't a very good one. Glad to be proven wrong tonight. The only sort of bad feeling I had is that OTs are basically a crapshoot and we might dominate the OT and still lose because of a fluke goal. I wouldn't say that I had a good or a bad feeling about the OT. I can see why you would have though.

My opinion is....the Conn Smyth is Toews to lose. If the Hawks win the Cup, especially if it's a quick series, I can't see a way he loses it unless he plays awful in the SCF, but I don't see that happening.

Niemi again, saving 44/46 shots. Dude really stepped up his game. Goaltending is actually a strength instead of something we have to overcome. Wow.

Wait, you don't want the sweep or you do?

I'm refreshing ticketmaster 300 times between now and sunday. I have to get in the UC sunday.

Yeah I'm just happy. There is just about no way the Sharks win 4 straight against us. The key will be can we finish this off Sunday and get some well deserved rest.

Wow Bolland definitely made up for his 3 penalties with his goal and assist!! I AM SO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3-0!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!