UPDATE: Confirmed: Nick Evans Leaves SIU

Confirmation via WSIL-TV:

"News 3 Sports has confirmed that SIU men's basketball player Nick Evans has left the team. Sources tell sports reporter Kelly Burke that Evans left the team this week."

(link)

Our original blog:
As we began to wrote a Saluki blog post that had to do with the future of the Southern Illinois men's basketball team, we were dropped this nugget in our e-mail box. 

(Which you could reach via bigdeadsidebar@gmail.com)

Via what we assume is his Facebook account, Evans announced he was leaving the Saluki basketball team.

Evans, a 6-foot-11-inch redshirt sophomore, was averaging 5.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in about 15 minutes per game for the Salukis, who are 13-10 overall and 5-8 in Missouri Valley Conference play. 

He averaged 9.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game through the team's first 10 games, but has only scored  19 points since the calendar turned to 2010.

Evans was suspended from Saturday's loss against UNI because of a violation of team rules, which sources tell TBDS the infraction was missing a study hours segment during the week.

We're working on confirmation from other sources, because kids can say the darndest things when they get their grubby little fingers on social media networks.

If Evans does leave SIU, he will become the eighth Saluki to ship out of Carbondale in the Chris Lowery era, joining Mike Dale, Brandon Wood, Joshua Bone, Jordan Armstrong, Torres Roundtree, Christian Cornelius and Ryan Hare.  (And if you want to count Jamaal Foster, who left, but still got his degree from SIU, that's nine.)

Hurricane WhoDat Rips Through Indy, Baseball Season Is Coming

Like a good mistress, football left us something to remember her by. But, now it's time for my true love.

Baseball.

If you're looking for a traditional Super Bowl post-game blog, then you good friend are in for a treat.

As a Bears fan, this Super Bowl was a reminder of how things have fallen apart in Chicago.  The team the Bears beat to get to the Super Bowl three years ago beat the team the Bears lost to in said Super Bowl.

I'll give you a few minutes to let that sink in.

I'm sure having a real quarterback helped, but the keen Bears fan remembers when Chicago passed on Drew Brees in free agency as it banked on the future of Rex Grossman.  Now, the Bears have Jay Cutler, but I fear that they have no idea what to do with him.

Maybe Mike Martz fixes things.  Maybe he makes things more complicated.  Only time will tell.

Watching Pierre Thomas run wild against the Colts defense reminds me that Thomas is a Chicagoland native who was an elite high school running back at Thornton Fractional South before going on to play for the Fighting Illini during his college years.

Thomas was recruited by former Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner, which proves to Bears fans that Turner's failures were not limited to playcalling.

And if you think that the Bears are going in the right direction, think again.  Buried by the coverage of Hurricane WhoDat is the news of Rod Marinelli getting promoted to defensive coordinator. 

For some reason, the Bears think that the tandem that led the Detroit Lions down the path of mass failure will lead Chicago to the promised land.

Reality hits hard, doesn't it?

Meanwhile, we're nine days from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training and 56 days from Opening Day.  I can hear the crack off the lumber, the smack of the leather and the giggles of the oiled bodies of bleacher babes off in the distance.

Even though our beloved Salukis are already out of contention, March Madness will hold us over until baseball season gets into full swing.

And with Valentine's Day coming Sunday, there is no better time for love to be in the air.  Better that than a pitch launched into the stratosphere by Kevin Gregg.

The Official TBDS Super Bowl Pre-Game Blog

We're about five hours away from Super Bowl smackdown and I've got some stupid questions to ask.

Did you know that Peyton Manning, this year's NFL MVP, finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting to this year's Defensive MVP, Charles Woodson?  Of course not.  Because no one cares about what happened back when dinosaurs roamed earth.

How about this one.

Did you know that the New Orleans Saints have the second best quarterback in the NFC behind @NotJayCutler, whose precise tweets are exactly what you need to make you forget that actual Jay Cutler failed to live up to high expectations thanks in part to Ron Turner's middle school playbook?

Super Bowl predictions are like herpes assholes, everyone's got one.

So here's ours.

Colts 28, Saints 21.

But what everyone else won't give you is how they got there.

This is where TBDS > your average blog.

FIRST QUARTER

Right before Carrie Underwood sings the national anthem, Reggie Bush "mistakenly" forgets his helmet in the locker room and dashes to get it.  However, Bush does not return until midway through the first quarter.

Shortly after Bush emerges from the locker room, a hot-and-bothered Kim Kardashian is spotted entering the stadium claiming to be late after being "caught in traffic" prior to kickoff.

(25 minutes later)

"Reggie Bush-Kim Kardashian Super Bowl Sex Tape" becomes a trending topic on Twitter.

Joseph Addai puts the Colts on the scoreboard and gives Indy a 7-0 lead after a 13-yard touchdown run.  Somewhere in Mississippi, Brett Favre picks up his phone and texts Adrian Peterson, "c what happens when u hold on to da football?"

Colts 7, Saints 0

Bush fumbles away the Saints' first possession as it appears his hands are covered with Vaseline or baby oil.  Kardashian quips, "Reggie always has a firm grip on me."  Awkward silence ensues.

Indianapolis turns the turnover into points as Peyton Manning fires a 35-yard strike to Austin Collie to give the Colts a two score lead.  Somewhere in Minnesota, Peterson replies to Favre's text, "c what happens when u throw it to the team wearing the same color jersey as u?"

Colts 14, Saints 0

SECOND QUARTER

Bush redeems himself with an 84-yard punt return touchdown to put the Saints back into the game.

The touchdown marks the first time ever in the history of the world anyone has even considered putting "Bush redeems himself" in a sentence that isn't concluded with "by apologizing to the people of New Orleans."

Colts 14, Saints 7

Another Peyton Manning touchdown toss extends the Colts' lead to 21-7.  This time to Reggie Wayne on a blown coverage.

Somewhere in Chicago, Lovie Smith receives a text from 3,864,792 Bears fans, "hey Lovie, that look familiar?"

Smith wonders how so many Bears fans got his number.

Colts 21, Saints 7

HALFTIME

Millions of gamblers call their bookies.  Thousands of fans head to the restroom.  Hundreds of wives ask if the game is over yet.  Dozens of children go outside to recreate a play from the first half.  A wild, horny couple attempts to recreate the scene between Bush-and-Kardashian in an unoccupied bedroom at the party they are currently attending.

THIRD QUARTER

Saints make a run.  Pierre Thomas takes a swing pass for a touchdown to cut the Colts' lead to 21-14.  Bears fans across the nation lament the fact that Thomas was Chicago-born and Chicago-raised, yet Jerry Angelo couldn't bring him to town.

Somewhere in a time machine headed back to the mid-1990s, Ron Turner wonders why he never ran that play while Thomas was at Illinois.

Looks at playbook.

Sees "Copyright 1987" scribbled across the bottom.

Colts 21, Saints 14
Peyton Manning throws an interception and Darren Sharper returns it for a touchdown.  TV camera finds Archie Manning in a suite shaking his head, but counting the money he made off interviews and endorsement deals this week.  Second camera finds Eli Manning taking shots of bourbon with a hot chick.

Somewhere in Nashville, Tenn., Jay Cutler tries to pass the time, but is intercepted and blames Devin Hester for running the wrong route.

Colts 21, Saints 21

FOURTH QUARTER

Manning orchestrates a long touchdown drive that ends with a Pierre Garcon touchdown grab.  Somewhere in Pennsylvania, someone loads Marvin Harrison's gun.  That someone receives a text from Plaxico Burress warning about gun safety.

Colts 28, Saints 21
Brees tries to mount a rally, but after scoring what appeared to be a game-tying touchdown, the play is thrown to the booth for a review.  The play is overturned because Manning, who is simultaneously directing a MasterCard commercial, scolds Brees for not following the script.

Touchdown overruled.

Colts win 28-21.

The Weekender Returns (Hopefully For Good)

The Weekender is back for the first time in two weeks and I'd like to show my appreciation for everyone's support by including this picture of Scarlett Johansson to kick off the festivities.

We've had a long week and plan to have a longer weekend.  We'll knock out some posts about Ryan Theriot, Kevin Gregg, Saluki basketball (and maybe football) along with a Super Bowl drinking game.

Because you can't really consider yourself a good sports blog until you have a Super Bowl drinking game that will get you drunk by halftime.

Alright, we're done.  Enjoy your day, the upcoming weekend and this blog.

OK, fine, here's a Colts cheerleader.

And for the hell of it ... random soccer cheerleader.

Links:

• R. Kelly has no problem with this headline. None whatsoever.
• I'm sure we're not the only ones wondering weather Hurricane WhoDat will be as destructive to Miami as Hurricane Pacman was to Las Vegas.
• Apparently, Hurricane Pacman is headed to Carbondale because the BlaccuWeather forecast says "It's gon rain!"
• Just picked up this sports blog, A Shortage of Chairs, from a new friend. A very entertaining read for those of you who like snark.
• Nick Swisher guest-starred on "How I Met Your Mother" recently and talked about batting 1.000 having the "perfect week," which makes us think you'll be seeing an update to The Dirty 30 Chronicles very soon!
• Cheerleader showdown? Fuck and yes!
• Oh, look. More cheerleaders!
• NBA Jam screen grabs make us want to put some money aside for a Nintendo Wii. Until then, we'll continue to play NBA Jam Tournament Edition on Super Nintendo.
• My old high school might get a mini Wrigley Field. If it comes with a mini-Ryan Theriot, it might be too small to see without a microscope.
• Dating failure is one thing, but dating failure on the internet is totally different.
• Seeing that Valentine's Day is (unfortunately) around the corner, here's a drinking guide to drinking alone.
• Former TBDS scribe @bfeldt finds failure in a job search.
• Another former TBDS scribe, SalukiOrphan, checks in with one, two, three, four sets of hotties.

Oh.  We almost forgot about random screen grabs!

Facebook fun!

 Headline of the year?

Ladies and gentlemen, I think we found Crazy Uncle Milton's long lost son...

.


Then there's this week's video, where my even Hitler is pissed off at Chris Lowery. (Via @StileSmith)



We'll tweet the Super Bowl happenings in Miami.  Until then, say a little prayer for those who might be effected by Hurricane WhoDat.

College Football Signing Day: Where Everyone Is A National Champion

Is there anyone that was not 100 percent satisfied with their recruiting class after National Letter of Intent signing day?

Probably not.

It might be the only day in sports where every team can consider themselves victorious.  Referees, weather factors, field conditions and jet lag take a back seat, if only for one day, as team's gush over bringing a slew of 18-year-old young men on to campus. 

Heck, the only person happier to see young a bunch of young high schoolers all at the same time was taken down by police on a Dateline NBC special with Chris Hansen.

It's good to see Florida head coach Urban Meyer in good health after securing the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation.  I guess that means you can pencil in Florida in one half of the championship bracket for the next four years.  Until, of course, the day comes when Meyer leaves Gainesville to retire coach the Dallas Cowboys.

College coaches will gossip like school children if it means bringing down their opposition.  But if you say one thing that disparages my program, so help you God...

...I digress.

I mean, why would Meyer want to leave Gainsville for Dallas?  There is a distinct difference between stress accumulated when on campus and stress accumulated when you go into the land of grown-ups.  Trust me. 

The difference is that on campus, you can relieve stress by taking Jello shots off the exposed chest of your lab partner at a basement house party.  That kind of stress reliever no longer exists once you put your days on campus behind you.

The only two people feeling like crap after NLOI day are probably newly minted Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and Illinois boss Ron Zook.

Kelly and the Fighting Irish are already looking to the Class of 2011 after a lackluster 2010 class that saw its top recruit bolt shortly after Charlie Weis was ushered out of South Bend and lured to Kansas City by the sweet, sweet smells of barbecue a job as an offensive coordinator in the NFL.

Notre Dame is to college football what that one guy with a brand new headband and fresh-out-of-the-box Jordan's is to your rec league.  Both think they're hot shit and are the only ones who think so highly of themselves.  And yes, both should probably get nut-punched for the heck of it.

Then there's Zook, who should probably be refreshing his resume after one of his top recruits put the Heisman on the Zooker and his staff, switched gears and is now heading to Nebraska of the instability in the coaching staff in Champaign-Urbana.

If you're Illinois and you lose a kid to Southern Cal or Florida, it's understandable.

It's hard for a 18-year-old kid to say no to Song Girls and southern belles of the SEC for a frozen midwestern treat. But when you lose a kid to Nebraska, then you know there's something wrong with your situation.

Meanwhile, my alma mater brought in 21 kids including a steal from conference rival Missouri State and a steal from a MAC school. 

Suckas!

Is it too early to start looking for betting line's for next year's Illini-Saluki game?

Center Of Attention: A Changing Of The Guard In Saluki Nation

I'm not sure if I have ever seen someone climb a depth chart as quickly as Eugene Teague.

The 6-foot-9-inch, 290-pound center started the 2009-10 season as a project with role player minutes, but has grown to become the Southern Illinois University men's basketball team's go-to guy in the post.

Expect for the Missouri State Bears to get a heavy dosage of Teague tonight at the SIU Arena with tip-off slated for 7 p.m.

The Salukis are struggling with a 12-9 record overall and 4-7 record in Missouri Valley Conference play, but are also in the midst of a change in ideology and game plan.

Through the team's 9-2 start, Southern averaged 76 points per game.  The Salukis resembled the Rich Herrin Era of Dawgs that scampered up and down the court, pushing the ball any and every time it had the chance. 

It was a stark contrast from the philosophy that earned SIU the "Floorburn U" moniker during Lowery's first three years as the head coach of his alma mater.

Since its 9-2 start, the team has gone 3-7 and has seen its points per game average drop to 63 points per game. 

Teague has seen an increase in minutes since Nick Evans got himself ousted from Southern Illinois' two-point loss at Creighton.  Evans had a stellar start to the season and looked to be rounding into form.  However, the 6-foot-11-inch redshirt sophomore regressed and reverted to some bad habits that include fading away  too much on his hook shot and settling for 15-foot baseline jumpers when he should be banging away in the post.

I digress.

For the sake of this post, we'll ignore the 2-point effort in the team's 81-80 overtime win against Illinois State because the Salukis went back to their run-and-gun game.

Again, without the Illinois State hiccup and the one-game self-imposed suspension, GT has taken advantage of the increased PT averaging 11. 8 points and 8.8 rebounds in 21.8 minutes per game since taking center stage in Southern's loss in Omaha, Neb.

Southern hasn't had an inside presence like Teague since Randal Falker graduated in 2008.  And the thing Saluki fans should enjoy most about Teague is that he has moves as a freshman that Falker did not develop until his junior year in Carbondale.  With the proper coaching and a little bit of work ethic, Teague could be 15-point, 10-rebound guy in the Valley.

Most Valley teams have trouble handling one big guy, team Teague with Anthony Booker, and assuming Book tosses out the idea of shooting perimeter jump shots off the top of the Pulliam Clocktower, SIU has a distinct size advantage on the low block.

Southern has come a far way from the days in which I suggested running a four-guard offense in hopes of out-shooting opponents and breaking them down and blowing past them with quickness.

It is almost unprecedented that a team has changed its offensive philosophy midseason, but that seems to be the case with my alma mater. The development of Teague is crucial to this team's success over the rest of the regular season and in the next three years to come.

For Chris Lowery and his coaching staff, they have three simple tasks that I will assign.

1.  Keep Teague in the classroom.
2.  Keep Teague away from Jim Hendry and his Krispy Kreme donuts.
3.  Send Teague to a big man's camp for a summer.

Following those three steps would ensure that the round mound from Brooklyn is truly destined to become the next big thing in Carbondale.

Image Credit: Me.  Yeah, I got photo skills.

Derrick Rose & The Class Of 2010

When Derrick Rose became the first Chicago Bulls player to make the NBA All-Star team since Michael Jordan was the last to do so in 1998, it just might have changed the landscape of the 2010 free agency class.
Allow me to explain.

In spite of having one of the NBA's worst head coaches, Derrick Rose has single-handedly put Chicago Bulls basketball back on the map.

Between this killer crossover...



... and this thunderous dunk ...



... Rose brings the kind of star power Chicago has not had since Jordan last soared across the city skyline.

The biggest fear Bulls fans have about this free agency class is that none of the premier players will want to come to Chicago as the rejections from Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady and others are still fresh in the minds of Bulls fans. 

(Apologies to those of you who were really trying hard to remove the Ron Mercer-Eddie Robinson era from your brains.)

It's a legit concern, but unlike that batch of free agents, this group already has established contributors on board.

If this excites any free agent in particular, it might be LeBron James.

After reading this tweet , ESPN's Bill Simmons and I must be drinking the same Kool Aid because we're both convinced James is coming to Chicago.  TBL is convinced we're smoking the funny stuff.  I'm not buying it. (However, I am buying Simmons as being the next Bulls GM, especially after this tweet.)

Personally, I'm convinced that everything, with the exception of Madison Square Garden, tied to the NYC hoops scene is overrated.

As a SIU alum and Saluki fan, I'll take Brooklyn-born center Eugene Teague and grad assistant Koby Altman, but you can keep Starbury, Telfair and the rest of the over-hyped and underwhelming point guards, take 'em to The Rucker and have a nifty street ball tournament.

But this isn't limited to LeBron.

If you're Chris Bosh and you've been hidden in relative obscurity in Toronto, you would cross the border so quickly you would forget about the wonderful healthcare system Canada has to offer to play along side Rose.

Same goes for you Amare Stoudemire.  Just think of it as playing with a younger Steve Nash.

How about Joe Johnson, a 6-foot-8-inch shooting guard who can create off the dribble as well?  He could come to Chicago and become one half of an elite 1-2 backcourt punch for the next five years.

Dwayne Wade, anyone?  Much has been made of a potential homecoming and the All-Star, All-Chicago backcourt of D-Rose and D-Wade.  But very few have mentioned the kind of burden that would be lifted off Wade's shoulders knowing he doesn't have to be the primary ball handler all the time.

In two years, Rose has already established himself as a star and the kind of player established stars would want to play with.

I know that sometimes people dismiss All-Star status, but at the end of the day, for better or for worse, when we talk about Hall of Fame careers, one of the things we look back on is how many times a player made the All-Star team.

And having Derrick Rose on board puts the Bulls one step ahead of the curve in luring a sidekick for Chicago's current superhero. 

That's Going to Sting

Can New Orleans catch a break?

Everything was going so well. The Saints have had a magical run to the Super Bowl, the Colts best defensive player is very questionable for Sunday's game and people are talking about the city again without thinking of devastation.

But apparently the universe needed to drop a reality check on Who Dat Nation and make sure the city's All-Star point guard sits out the next couple of months on the sidelines. This of course comes after the universe teased Hornets fans by having them play their way back into the No. 8 seed after being in the basement of the conference.

So what should Hornets fans expect now that Chris Paul can no longer carry the weight of the team with a meniscus tear in his left knee?

To put it into current terms: The exact opposite of what the city's football team did.

Optimists will point to rookie point guard Darren Collision. The young, standout guard has had a great season and led the team to a 4-4 record while averaging 15.1 points and 7.7 assists per game when he started in place of Paul earlier in the season.

But when you compare that record to the 13 victories Paul has led the Hornets to in their last 17 games, it no longer seems so impressive. Add to that the Hornets just dumped a serviceable guard in Devin Brown for a scrub center in Aaron Gray and now the team is looking at some serious problems.

The Hornets now only have one true point guard in Collison with 6'7" Morris Peterson and rookie Marcus Thornton serving as backups.

Clearly it's decision time for the Hornets.

They worked hard to get into the eighth seed and it would be sad to watch them squander all hope, but if they don't make a trade, that is exactly what they are doing. If the Hornets want to make a push for the playoffs, they have two trade pieces on their roster:

James Posey and Julian Wright.

No one would want Stojakovic's $13 million contract and David West to good to let go. But Wright has upside and Posey is a good pickup at $6 million for the defense and outside threat he brings.

There are a few guards the Hornets could push for. Kyle Lowry, Steve Blake and Jason Williams are some that come to mind. Williams has been playing especially well for the Magic this season, but with the team missing that spark, a trade may be in the works.

Lowry is a good player stuck behind a better one and Blake is becoming more and more of an afterthought in Portland with Miller's stellar play recently and Jerryd Bayless' continuing improvement.

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer or move for the Hornets to make here, but staying stagnant would drop them out of the playoffs after all the hard work they put in to get back.

Hey, but who am I to rain on a New Orleans parade — that city has a Super Bowl to bring home.

The Good, Bad & Ugly: Bears Hire Mike Martz

Under the dome in St. Louis, it was called The Greatest Show On Turf.  So, what will they call it once it hits Soldier Field? 

The Greatest Show On Sod?

In the end, the Chicago Bears finally hired Mike Martz as offensive coordinator, putting an end to a four-week circus that saw the Bears get turned down more times than the pimply faced nerd searching for a prom date. 

Eventually, the acne-challenged child (Lovie Smith) found the chick  who was really hot before she got coked out (Martz) in what will likely spawn the beginning of a new era or the beginning of the end of this era.

Let's break it down, shall we?

THE GOOD
Kurt Warner went from bagging groceries to bagging touchdowns, and fantasy football players went on to bag bragging rights and championship games.  He got the most out of Marshall Faulk and a lot out of Steven Jackson.  Everyone knows what Martz did in St. Louis, so let's focus on some recent history.

The biggest positive in hiring Martz is that unlike Ron Turner, the man who will be at the controls in 2010 has coordinated an offense that has been productive in this century.  Turner's archaic playbook was a drag on offense, and to be honest, it would be nice to see Jay Cutler's receivers run routes at the first down chains on third down rather than seeing bubble screens get blown up for a four-yard loss on 3rd-and-15.

Martz has also been known for quick turnarounds, which is something Bears fans are kind of used to.  At least I got used to seeing Bears running backs get turned around for losses.  But I guess that's what happens when a draw play is called on 3rd-and-11. 

In 2006, Martz turned Jon Kitna's age 34 season into a 4,000-yard campaign in his first year in Detroit.  One year later, Martz's offense really clicked through eight weeks as the Lions posted a 6-2 record in the season's first half.  Eventually, the wheels fell off, but it all can't be put on Detroit's offense as the defense was lit up down the stretch.

But it's hard to play defense when Matt Millen continues to draft wide receiver after wide receiver in the NFL draft.

If Martz can make the Lions offense look like a legitimate professional offense, I imagine he could work wonders with the jokers Jerry Angelo has drafted.

THE BAD
Mike Martz offenses have oftentimes forgotten about the use of tight ends, which of course was the Bears' offense's msot prolific weapon.

Which means if you were given a Greg Olsen jersey for Christmas, cherish it, for it might be the last time you see it for a while because it might not be seeing much time on the field.

Granted, without looking it up on Google, do you even know who the Rams' tight ends were during the glory years?  Probably not.  I'll admit that I can't.  I can tell you St. Louis had Isaac Bruce as a legit No. 1 threat.  Then they had Torry Holt, who would have been a No. 1 option on almost any other team, as a No. 2 option.  Az Hakim was an excellent kick/punt returner Martz was able to get the ball to in the open field.

The Bears have that guy in Devin Hester.  The catch?  Chicago expects him to be Bruce or Holt, when he's really just another Az Hakim.

THE UGLY
With the addition of Martz as offensive coordinator and Mike Tice as offensive line coach, the Bears have three former NFL head coaches working under Lovie Smith.  In most cases, I would consider that to be a good thing.

However, the three combined to go 95-103 in 14 total seasons as NFL head coaches.  Martz (53-32) was clearly the most successful while Tice was a mediocre 32-33 with the Minnesota Vikings and Marinelli was downright awful with a 10-38 record with the Detroit Lions.

In other words, the Bears have spent the last two offseasons hiring the outcasts of division rivals whose coaching success ranges from "Meh" to "Cutlerfucked" on the Luda scale of coaching success.

I guess they'll fit in just fine.

Blackhawks Beaten In Own Game To End Long Trip

Great passing, getting pucks at the net, good goaltending on the other end and a balanced and quick attack from different lines. These are trademarks of the Chicago Blackhawks, but this evening, Carolina returned the favor at home.

The Hurricanes just finished off a 4-2 win in Carolina, as the Blackhawks end their 8-game trip with a 5 and 3 record. Chicago was coming off an overtime win over San Jose as they took the season series with the Western Conference leaders. The Blackhawks are one point behind the Sharks for the conference lead, but they could not get over the hump against Carolina.

The Hurricanes got out in space, pushed the puck, and threw the puck toward the net. A couple bounces led to some Hurricane goals, but when you are quick, balanced and aggressive, these bounces tend to go your way. The Hurricanes did that, and while they sit in last place in the East, they have won 4 straight games. If they continue doing what the Blackhawks do pretty consistently, and get great goaltending from Cam Ward, then they will continue to win games.

The Hawks' 3 losses on this trip all came against teams with win streaks. Ottawa has 9 straight wins, Vancouver has 6 straight wins, and the Hurricanes are starting to figure things out themselves. Chicago has six games remaining until the league takes a break during the Olympics, and four of those six games are at the United Center.

They take a few days off, and then face Central Division rival St. Louis on Wednesday. There are still many teams alive for the postseason, and they will look to play their best against a great team like Chicago, especially a division rival like the Blues.

I am not sure that St. Louis can beat Chicago at their own game, but if last-place Carolina can, then who knows. St. Louis is 6-3-1 in their last 10 games, and Chicago did not do well against teams on hot streaks during this trip.