UMFan83

They are just launching shot after shot.

I don't know how any casual hockey fan could watch the Hawks the last 2 weeks and think they are Cup contenders.

The Caps were [expletive] sleepwalking through this entire game showing no interest in winning the game. Then they try for 5 minutes, catch 2 ridiculous breaks and score 3 goals and tie it.

And now it's tied WHAT THE [expletive]? Why do we always [expletive] collapse?

Of course they score just as the 5 on 3 is ending. [expletive] my life. The Blackhawks have the worst [expletive] luck. Instead of retaking all the momentum from the Caps, the Caps are now completely owning the momentum.

Doesn't the goal just end the first penalty, which had like 5 seconds left on it? You can't take away the first penalty and the delayed penalty with a goal.

Horrible break. Of course they score with like 5 seconds left on the first PP. Now we have 2 minutes of 5 on 3. So it's probably gonna be 3-2 in a second.

I think Illinois and Minny deserve in over Va Tech. Va Tech has a strength of schedule of 132 thats the only reason they have the record they do. Give Illinois that type of schedule and they arent 19-14. Same goes for Minny. I agree, I think Illinois deserves to be in. But in my opinion, the committee will determine the B10 deserves 5 teams and fairly or not will have to choose between the Illini and Minnesota. Right now Minny has all factors in their favor. Which is ironic because the ACC only really deserves 5 teams and is somehow going to get 7 if they let VaTech in. I'm usually against Big 10 teams making the tourney whenever possible, but it's a pretty solid, deep league this year, and in my biased opinion the middle ACC teams just don't pass the eye test. I watched pieces of the GaTech/UNC tournament game and the Jackets looked just plain stupid out there at times. It would be funny if the first time the Big Ten wins the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, the ACC ends up with more teams in the tourney at the expense of more deserving Big Ten teams.

From a Capitals blog: You will DIE now.

I'd be more excited about this start if I didn't expect the defense/Niemi to give it right back up in the 2nd period. Sorry for the pessimism.

Why are you guys so hung up on who he roots for? I say who cares to each his own. I'm more hung up on hm saying McGwire is a horrible hitting coach because he was a limited player in his career. Show me where being a great hitter is a prerequsite. Was Rudy Jaramilo an allstar before becoming a coach, how about Von Joshua? It's easier to understand and be able to teach a concept than it is to actually employ it succssfully into your own game.

quite timely

I think Illinois and Minny deserve in over Va Tech. Va Tech has a strength of schedule of 132 thats the only reason they have the record they do. Give Illinois that type of schedule and they arent 19-14. Same goes for Minny. I agree, I think Illinois deserves to be in. But in my opinion, the committee will determine the B10 deserves 5 teams and fairly or not will have to choose between the Illini and Minnesota. Right now Minny has all factors in their favor.

After the game against OSU, I felt like Illinois was definitely in. But pretty much everything has gone wrong for them. I still think Minnesota trouncing Purdue was the worst though. In the committee's minds it's probably between them for a 5th Big 10 bid, and combined with Illinois losing 6 of their last 8 games as well as Minnesota beating Illinois in Champaign and Minnesota upsetting Michigan State and Purdue on back to back days, I can't see how Minnesota doesn't get it. Really really tough loss for Illinois today as it was an extremely winnable game and probably would have made them "safe" in or at least had a "play in" game with Minnesota.

Should we be worried about ARam? Sounds like it was precautionary but you never know.

So basically we've been getting pretty lucky over the last 23 games to have won 13. This team is capable of much better play. Remember the times when we would just toy with teams. I often read other teams blogs after they played us and they would be happy that they were able to stay within 3 goals of us. And it didn't matter who we played. Now I'm relieved if we etch out by 1 goal over Edmonton or something. The other positive I can take out of our play recently is that we know they are capable of much better play, and it's possible this team gets it going come playoff time. And if it does, look out. I hate to draw a parallel to this but look at the 05 White Sox. They started out the season looking like world beaters....maybe they didn't always destroy their opponents, but it seemed like every break went their way and they rattled off win after win and built a huge lead. Then their weak offense started them on a long run of mediocrity while allowed the Indians to come back from 15 back to 0.5 back in late September. People would say things like "even if they make the playoffs its going to be a short apperance" I don't think even Sox fans gave their team much chance. But the last week of the season they caught fire, reeled off like 7 wins in a row going into the playoffs, and then went *shudder* 11-1 in the playoffs to win the World Series. Anyways that was 1 out of a million but it's a story that proves that historically it's happened before.

Disagree. We need to dismantle a 97 win team in order to address perceived issues that gave us trouble when matched up with 1 team for 3 games.

This quote from Crane is interesting. I know he's referring to BCB but I would think it's not crazy to suggest he might read here too even though we barely talk about the Cubs anymore.

omg, I know the clock expired anyways but how do you miss that?

Smart TO by Webber. I've seen way too many coaches let a team play on when it's obvious nothing is really happening except an off balance contested shot.

When the Hawks took it into the Flyers zone with about 13 secs left I said to myself "alright we got at least one point, the only way the flyers score is a perfect scenario combined with a defensive breakdown". Yeah..

It's because I started looking at the NHL standings to see how close the hawks would be to SJ after these 2 points.

Wow....from 2 points, to possibly 1 point to 0 points in a 2 minute span. And we have to play the Capitals tomorrow. So yeah could have a 0 point weekend.

And then Philly scores with 2 seconds left. Hawks lose.

2 minutes away from a win, Huet lets in a softie. [expletive]