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.

Big Blackhawks Game Tonight in San Jose!

I am pulling double-duty tonight. As I sit here at the Hulman Center for tonight's Saluki basketball game against Indiana State, I thought I would say something about the other big sporting event. (Yes, as WSIU FM sports director, this Saluki game is a big sporting event for me!).

Anyways, that other big game is on the ice, as the Chicago Blackhawks continue their road trip with a game at San Jose. Each meeting between the teams this season has been close, except for a 7-2 Blackhawks rout in northern California earlier this season. Yet, that was somewhat of a fluke, as San Jose continues to lead Chicago by just 2 points atop the NHL standings.

San Jose goalie Evgeni Nabokov is one of the best in the business. This team has been near the top of the league the last few seasons. They finished 1st in last year's regular season before being upset in the first round. They are back at the top, and San Jose and Chicago have separated themselves from the rest of the Western Conference.

The NHL will be watching this Blackhawks game tonight, and this is a very interesting way to end Chicago's eight-game road trip. They play in San Jose tonight and then close the trip against last-place Carolina on Saturday; you cannot have two different opponents coming up.

We will see what Chicago will do tonight. I do not see the Blackhawks winning 7-2 like they did in that November road game with the Sharks. If they do,or win in any other way in regulation, the teams will be tied atop the NHL with 78 points.

Either way, the Sharks and Blackhawks will fight to the end of the season for that number-one seed in the West.

(By the way, it is currently 12-10 Salukis with 11:54 to go....time to solely focus on that)

Detroit (Doesn't) Suck! Yet Just Another Hawks WIn

The Detroit Red Wings sure looked different than when they lost 3-0 in back to back games against Chicago, earlier in the season. Chicago got out to a 2-0 lead today at Joe Louis Arena, but it took a crazy shootout win to defeat the division rival.

Yet, in the end, winning a game is exactly what they did. It took a goal-scoring extravaganza to beat Columbus yesterday, and these wins are just the start of what should be a crazy 8-game road trip.

Chicago is 21-5-1 at home this year, but the road games are beginning to come in bunches for the NHL's best team. The Hawks will be in a race with San Jose, all season, for the top spot in the Western Conference. They lead the Sharks by just two points, but have a double-digit lead against everybody else in the West.

This road trip is certainly the toughest part of the schedule, and with the Olympic break coming up in mid-February, it is crucial to win as many games as possible going into that break.

This weekend brought a pair of wild wins, and the offense has now scored the most goals in the NHL. They have needed every one of them lately, since the goaltenders have struggled a bit. It was the other way around earlier in the season, and Chicago has still allowed the fewest goals in the Western Conference. Good teams pick each other up, and Chicago is doing that.

Still, these two wins show that life will not be easy for the young Hawks. There is a target on their backs as each team is looking up to Chicago in the standings. Opponents will play physical against guys like Patrick Kane, but a good coach like Joel Quenneville and a mix of veterans should keep the team focused.

The final 2.5 months of the season should be exciting, just like the first 3.5 months have been.

The Good, Old Original Six

Things have certainly changed, but there was a time where just six NHL teams took the ice during the season. Now these six continue to be a special part of the NHL...

-Blackhawks
-Red Wings
-Rangers
-Bruins
-Canadiens
-Maple Leafs

These half a dozen teams are doing pretty good, with Toronto being the only one that would not make the postseason as of today. Hockey is slowly becoming relevant again across the country, and when fans see these teams in the playoff race, there is a certain joy that enters the mind.

You didn't have to be alive during the original six days to understand what they mean to the league and how exciting it is when they meet on the ice. The Blackhawks and Bruins play each other tonight in Boston, and the Bruins also played New York on Monday. People still bring up the original six when these teams play each other, and they always will bring that up.

Other teams have exciting players and consistently win, but when these original teams are successful, there is a higher feeling of emotion that comes with watching the victories. Players like Bobby Hull, Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr and Jacques Plante mean a lot to any hockey fan, and the early days will always be remembered.

Top 10 Blackhawks' Stories of the Decade

A matchup against the Devils is a fitting way to end the decade. You have two of the best teams in hockey going up against each other at the United Center. Chicago will be rocking in the New Year outside, but there will be plenty of noise inside the Madhouse on Madison as well.

And now, I look back at the 2000's with the Blackhawks' top 10 stories of the decade.

10. Kane Meets Taxi Driver
It cannot be all good news for this franchise. The past offseason was filled with controversy, and it included the 21-year-old Patrick Kane allegedly punching a Buffalo taxi driver. This was not the news his hometown, or the city of Chicago, wanted to hear. Yet, people associated with the incident said it was "overblown," and we have moved on.

9. 2001-2002 playoff team
You would think all the great stories come from the last three years, but there was a good Hawks team in 2001-2002 as well. They lost in 5 games to the rival Blues in Round 1, which was not very good, but the team finished the regular season with 96 points. They returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1996-1997 and actually took the first game of the series with St. Louis.

8. Hawks Lead In Attendance
There was a time when nobody cared about hockey in Chicago, and to see how fast things have changed, is pretty marvelous. Their stadium is nicknamed the Madhouse on Madison, and they lead the league in attendance this season. They led in that category last season as well, and had 20,000-plus for the preseason games as well.

7. McDonough Takes Over as President
He did wonders with the Cubs' franchise, and when the Blackhawks hired him in 2007, hockey fans had to expect the same type of wonders. Could he really do that, though, to this struggling franchise? That question has been answered quickly as McDonough has brought a fan convention and helped bring the Winter Classic to Chicago. Forbes' Magazine calls this franchise the "The Greatest Sports-Business Turnaround Ever," and McDonough is a big reason why.

6. Winter Classic
Speaking of the Winter Classic, that New Year's Day game last year was pretty special. They ended up losing 6-4 to Detroit after getting out to a 3-1 lead, but hockey at Wrigley Field was a fun event. It had the best rivalry in hockey, on what is one of the most recognizable sports' venues in the world.

5. Hossa Signs With Hawks
In 2008, the Hawks received Brian Campbell in the offseason. This past offseason, the Hawks received Marian Hossa. Hossa is a 40-goal scorer, and he scored two goals in his Chicago debut, after missing the first month and a half with an injury. He has played for a Stanley Cup participant the last two years, and his teams have lost both of those games. Chicago hopes this skilled veteran can win one this year.

4. Quenneville Hired, Savard Fired
It was a shocking move early in last year's season. The popular Denis Savard was fired four games into the season, with Chicago losing three of those four to start the year. Savard's team won the game right before his firing, but Chicago was ready to bring in Joel Quenneville. Quenneville was working as a scout for the Hawks, and the veteran returned to his coaching duties. The move has worked, and Savard remains with the team as an adviser.

3. Kane, Toews, Keith Sign on Same Day
Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith are three key players for Chicago, and their long contract extensions mean this team is ready to be good for a long time. They announced the moves on Dec 3 this season. Keith signed for 13 years, the longest contract in Blackhawks' history. Kane and Toews, the two symbols of Chicago's resurgence, signed for 5 years. These young Hawks' players will get to know Chicago very well.

2. Conference Finals
Similar to the Winter Classic, Chicago's great story ended with a loss to the Red Wings. Yet, three of the five games went to overtime, and nobody knew this team could get all the way to the Conference Finals last season. The Blackhawks defeated Calgary and Vancouver to get there, and the expectations are very high this season.

1. Bill Wirtz Dies, Rocky Takes Over
In 2007, longtime Blackhawks' owner Bill Wirtz passed away, and his son, Rocky, took over. It was a sad day, obviously, but the sadder part was that many Chicago fans were happy to see Bill Wirtz go. Rocky has done wonders for this city the last few seasons, while his dad sort of took Chicago out of hockey for a while. The games were not on television and nobody came to the United Center. Things have changed with Rocky taking over, and I am sure Bill is looking down with joy.

Blackhawks: All-Decade Team

Many players come from the last few seasons, but there were some notable names earlier in the 2000's.

Goalies

Starter: Nikolai Khabibulin
He is not the best goaltender in the world, by any stretch, yet the Bulin Wall stepped up throughout the big 2008-2009 season. His 2.33 GAA is solid, and he was missed after going down with an injury late in last year's postseason. The man deserves credit for being let go in the offseason, brought back because nobody wanted him, and still coming through when the Hawks needed him.

Reserve: Cristobal Huet (this season)
Sorry, I could not go with Jocelyn Thibault. Yes, Thibault was the goaltender for half the decade and put up some okay numbers. Yet, Huet has had a remarkable season this year. His 2.13 GAA, to go along with Antti Niemi's 1.79 as the backup, is a big reason why the Hawks lead the Western Conference. Huet was not good early in the season but has turned it around. He was also a solid backup for Khabibulin for most of last season.

Defensemen

Starters
1. Duncan Keith
The Blackhawks signed this man to a big contract this season for many reasons. He plays almost half the game, leading Chicago in minutes. He is quick, relentless and has the second-most points on the team. The Blackhawks' attack starts on the back end with their defenseman, and Keith is usually in the middle of the rush.

2. Brian Campbell
He may not be the unbelievable defenseman that people thought the Hawks were getting, but the 2008 free-agent acquistion had a solid 52 points last season and is on pace to surpass that number this year. He has a wicked slap shot and is a big contibutor to Chicago's power play.

Reserve
Brent Seabrook
He has been in the team's top 10 in points for three of the last four seasons. The Hawks have not had a better core of defenseman this decade than Keith, Campbell and Seabrook. Brent is not as good as the other two, but he is very physical with a good balance of offensive skills as well.

Right Wing

Starter
Tony Amonte
Now, we are going back to the earlier part of the decade. Amonte began the team's decade with 84 points, a number that has not been passed by a Blackhawk to this day. The hall-of-famer surpassed the 40-goal mark three times during his Hawk career. His teams may not have been very good, except for the 2001-2002 playoff team, but he was always a feared scorer during his time with the Blackhawks.

Reserve
Patrick Kane
He is one of the most explosive players in the NHL, and is one of the many young faces that have helped bring the league, not just the franchise, back in the spotlight. The young man has shook off some off-ice troubles this offseason and has continued to bring speed to the Hawks' attack. Kane was 19 years old in the 2007-2008 season, and he led the Hawks in points. He should lead them again this season and will probably be a U.S. Olympian as well.

Left Wing

Starter
Kyle Calder
Okay, this could be argued a bit, yet Calder was a pretty consistent player for the Hawks in the middle of the decade. He led the team in points in the 2005-2006 season and could be found in the top 10 during those middle years. He never fully lived up to his potential, but Calder deserves some credit for his contributions.

Reserve
Andrew Ladd
The current Blackhawk is not flashy in any way, but just gets the job done. He fights for the puck, helps get the big scorers in good situations and can put the puck in the back of the net himself. His 49 points last year were pretty good, and he has been a good acquisition from Carolina the last three seasons.

Center

Starter
Jonathan Toews
This choice at center position was the toughest of any, but I have to give the nod to the youngest captain in Blackhawks' history. He is third on the team in points this year, but you cannot even look at the stat sheet to know this man's contributions. He is a leader, despite being just 21 years old, and Toews should be on Team Canada in the Olympics.

Reserve
Alex Zhamnov
Zhamnov was a consistent scorer for the Hawks in the early part of the decade. He could be found near the top of Chicago's points leaders. He had 60-plus points two different times in the decade and another season with 58. Patrick Sharp could be on this list, but I need to give Zhamnov the credit he deserves.

How Long Can The Blackhawks Keep This Up?!

There are three major sports going on right now in Chicago, and two of the three do not know what they are doing. You have a coach about to get fired, a jump-shooting team that gave away their best jump-shooter in the offseason and a quarterback that keeps throwing to the wrong team.

Yet, as bad as the Bulls and Bears have been this season, the Blackhawks are trying their best to make up for the rest of the city. Heck, you can go back to the baseball season and say those Chicago teams were pretty pathetic as well. The Blackhawks, meanwhile, are 26-9-3 on the season and lead the Central Division by 8 points. In fact, Chicago has the most points of any team in the NHL.

They defeated second-place Nashville on back to back days this weekend, including Sunday's wild 5 to 4 victory which included four Chicago goals in the third period. Patrick Kane may have passed Derrick Rose on the list of Chicago stars, and while you expect Jay Cutler to throw an interception during that final chance to win, the Blackhawks come through with wins in some of the wildest ways.

They have many road games in the second half of the season, and some tough home games as well including New Year's Eve against the Devils. There is still plenty of work left for this team, but they have continued to bring positive energy to an otherwise struggling sports town.

It was just a few years ago that the AHL's Chicago Wolves captured more attention than the Blackhawks, but that team at the Allstate Arena is currently an afterthought. The Blackhawks have gone from a team that just wants to put fans in the stands, to a team that is disappointed if they do not win the Stanley Cup.

In Chicago, the current idea is to expect the worst from your teams no matter how exciting they could be for a certain period of time. There have been a few exceptions lately with the Bulls in the the 1990's and the 2005 White Sox. Yet, for the most part, this city has brought plenty of disappointment to its loyal fan base.

The Blackhawks could break the bad fortunes of Chicago sports, and this is great for the city, especially those fans that remember the glory days with Bobby Hull and Tony Esposito. The glory is back, and Chicago hopes it can continue.

As two other Chicago teams struggle to find wins right now, the Blackhawks keep rolling along in the Windy City. The Stanley Cup is not out of the question, but again, there is plenty of work left in a jam-packed Western Conference race.

The question remains: How Long Can The Blackhawks Keep this Up?!

Nashville Doesn't Seem As Fun As Detroit

Last season, the Blackhawks had a key home and home series with the rival Red Wings around this time. They were right there in the Central division, but lost both games against Detroit, including the Winter Classic.

Chicago is leading the division and conference this year, and they began an important home and home series with Nashville on a good note. The Blackhawks beat the second-place Predators 4 to 1 and are now 6 points ahead in the division standings. Nashville, currently, is a better team than Detroit. The Red Wings have dealt with injuries to their top players, and it is Nashville that has been Chicago's toughest competitor.

The Blackhawks earned two shutouts over the Red Wings earlier this week, and they basically dominated the team that has developed a dynasty over the years. The Red Wings were the team that Chicago had to beat in order to get to that next level, but lately, the victories over Detroit haven't been too difficult.

Nashville is Detroit right now, but that was easy too. Chicago has another game with the Predators on Sunday night, and the United Center fans will be rocking and rolling once again on Madison street. While the Predators have been a good hockey team, it does not seem right that they are the second-best team in the division.

When Detroit gets healthy again, they should return to the postseason and continue to to be a tough team. Chicago knows that and wants to take advantage of the weaker Red Wings team before Detroit gets back to their normal winning ways.

For now, the Predators are the team to beat, and Chicago took care of business this evening. They play Nashville tomorrow for the final time this season, and a win could give Chicago an 8-point lead in the division.

Important wins against Nashville, though, do not sound as cool as crucial wins against Detroit. The Blackhawks don't mind, though, as long as they continue to put wins in the standings.

So Much for the Bad Goaltending in Chicago

There was a time, earlier in the season, that the Chicago Blackhawks were known as a scoring team without any goaltending. Now, Chicago has earned two straight shutouts, one from Antti Niemi and one from Cristobal Huet.

Huet earned tonight's win over rival St. Louis, a team that the Hawks had not played yet this season. It was a physical contest and even Huet got in on the pushing and shoving late in the game. The fight out of Huet is something that Chicago fans thought they would never see, as he was known to be a soft goaltender that allowed some soft goals early in the season.

He has stepped up lately, and the goalies have actually helped carry the team to some victories. Chicago has given up the fewest goals of any team in the NHL, and by far, the fewest in the conference. The Hawks have allowed just 67 goals in 32 games, and Phoenix is second with 78 allowed.(New Jersey and Martin Brodeur have allowed just 69 to lead the East.)

Niemi is second in the NHL with 3 shutouts, despite only starting 7 games. Huet had his second shutout tonight. The Hawks are not scoring as many goals as people thought, but they are starting to get the offense going again recently.

Chicago has outscored their opponents 7-0 in the last two games. Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews make a very potent first line. The Hawks still have some work to do, with Nashville just two points behind in the division.

Yet Chicago has solved their goaltending issues. The goalies were a concern, and now they are the reason the team leads the division.

Mount Hushmore: Bill Wirtz (1) vs. Steve Bartman (4)

Who were Chicago's most embarrassing athletes?  The guys you hated so much, you considered booing them even though they were on your team.

We'll take a look at two as we continue the Mount Hushmore challenge as Bill Wirtz goes up against Steve Bartman.

Bill Wirtz

The man tried to Plax hockey in Chicago.  Ask any old-time Chicago sports fan.  They'll tell you a tale that once upon a time, the City of Broad Shoulders was not a Cubs town or a Bears town.


It was a Blackhawk hockey town.

Wirtz comes along and basically takes all the good will stored up over the years for this franchise by its fans and takes a dump on it.  High ticket prices weren't enough?  How about no home games on TV?  That alone kept this young Chicago sports fan from embracing hockey until he got to college.

It's because it wasn't available to him.

Steve Bartman

Part of me feels bad for Bartman because he's a Cubs fan.  Then there's the part of me that says, "If you're going to sit in the front row and have headphones on listening to the game ... and see Moises Alou coming at you full speed chasing a fly ball you might want to get away from the incoming ball and/or ballplayer."

Bartman's act is kin to Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicking over a lantern in 1871.

Alex Gonzalez, Dusty Baker and others take parts of the blame as well, but thanks to the vote of the people, Barman made the cut for this Mount Hushmore.

(Ed. Note from Luda: I probably should have put Bartman here in the first place.  If the Cubs make the World Series that year, I had tickets ... and a potential date.  No World Series + girl getting back with boyfriend = Pissed off.  Fuck it I'm voting for Bartman!)

 (Image via)

Now, it's your time to vote.

Who should move on to the next round.

• Bill Wirtz
• Steve Bartman

Created on Dec 9, 2009

View Results

poll by twiigs.com

The New Era of Hockey: Blackhawks Are Good and Contracts are Crazy!

Depth is certainly a key to the Chicago Blackhawks' success, as numerous players can put the puck in the back of the net. Yet with all of Chicago's solid athletes, there is a trio that falls right in the middle of them all.

Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith can really make the engine run. The Chicago organization seems to understand their importance, as all three players signed long contract extensions today.

Kane and Toews get five year extensions, with each getting more than 6 million dollars a year. Keith ends up with a franchise-record 13-year extension. Yes, 13 years, and he gets 72 million dollars overall.

The team expects to have success for many years to come, and the signing of these three young stars validates that idea. The other thing this does is add to the crazy contracts that NHL players sign today. Chicago's Marian Hossa agreed to a 12-year contract in the offseason.

The salary cap issue definitely comes into play down the road, but for now, the Blackhawks' organization is not worrying about that. New general manager Stan Bowman grew up in a competitive hockey family, with father Scotty Bowman known to be one of the greatest head coaches of all time. The older Bowman built a dynasty in Detroit, and Stan is hoping the same thing happens here. I guess Scotty does too, now that he is in Chicago's front office.

Keith starts the offense from the back end, and then Kane and Toews can finish the job in the opponent's zone. The funny thing about Kane and Toews is how they will always be linked together. They are both 21-years old, they now have the same contract extensions, and they have always been the two symbols of the Hawks' resurgence.

As for Keith, the 26-year old is slowly creeping up to Kane and Toews' level of star status. Keith is one of the best, and most active, defenseman in the game today.

The Blackhawks are tied with Calgary for second place in the Western Conference, and they beat the Flames 7 to 1 on their recent road trip. Hockey is back in Chicago, and the league understands that.

Can the Hawks keep the consistency going? Chicago's theme the last two years has been "One Goal". Kane, Toews and Keith certainly will go a long way in determining whether the Hawks will bring the Stanley Cup to Chicago.

Marian Who? Oh Yeah, The Blackhawks Did Get Hossa!

Remember that rough offseason that the Blackhawks had? A star player punching a taxi driver, a president getting booed at a convention he created, a former player bashing the front office and a general manager getting demoted.

The final piece of that rough offseason puzzle was the announcement that prized free agent Marian Hossa needed shoulder surgery. Yes, the guy was signed to a 12-year deal and would make an impact at some point, but it just added to the offseason troubles. Well, now, this past summer is out of the minds of Hawks' fans everywhere. The team is in second place in the Western Conference, first in the division and riding a 7-game win streak.

Oh, and all this is happening without Hossa on the ice. He makes his return tonight at conference-leading San Jose, a team the Hawks beat in overtime on their recent homestand. It is very fitting that this 40-goal scorer returns for a game between the top two teams in the West, and you also have to wonder how he will fit in with this group.

Chicago was doing so well on the ice, that you almost forget they signed this guy in the first place. He will definitely make the team even better, and a line with Hossa, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane is very potent.

The main core of players is there and Chicago plans to sign Toews, Kane and Duncan Keith to contract extensions in the near future. This core led the team to the conference finals last season, and they were well on their way to another deep playoff run this year.

It was such a good group, that you never thought about Hossa not being there the first 22 games of the season. His injury was the final piece of a rough offseason, but now, he might be the final piece of their Stanley Cup hopes.

Circus Trips Showing Two Sides of United Center Teams' Spectrum

When watching the Chicago Bulls on the circus trip, it seems inevitable that they will let a lead slip away or go down by a lot when it is all said and done. They have been close in parts of games with Los Angeles, Denver and Portland, but all of them have ended in double-digit losses.

On the other side of things, the Chicago Blackhawks have dominated two opponents on the trip and also pulled out a 1-0 win on Sunday at Vancouver. It is hard to compare two different sports like this, but it is clear that the Chicago winter sports are on two levels.

The Hawks' Joel Quenneville has been in the head coaching business for a long time, while Bulls' coach Vinny Del Negro is in his second year as a coach.

The Bulls' top free agent is Jannero Pargo, while the Hawks' free agent is 40-goal scorer Marian Hossa (who will return from injury this week).

The Blackhawks go somewhere with their offense, while the Bulls just run around like maniacs and toss up crazy shots near the end of the shot clock.

The Bulls are happy to get out of the first round of the playoffs, while the Blackhawks will not meet expectations if they don't advance to the Stanley Cup.

Life on the circus trip has magnified these points, where the Hawks have stepped up against some top teams and the Bulls have slipped away in a heartbeat. The Bulls are a circus right now, and while they will make the postseason, they still do not have a very good team. The goal is to wait for a prized free agent next summer, and we will see if that happens.

As far as the Blackhawks go, things are going very well for the United Center team on ice. They face a tough test at San Jose tomorrow night, and if Hossa returns for that game, it is fitting that the big free agent arrives for a game between the top two teams in the West.

Bulls fans face many frustrations with their team on the road, but Blackhawks fans are having fun no matter where their team plays.

Blackhawks Sweep Through Canada, Win Different Ways

The Chicago Blackhawks have certainly made the United Center a home-ice advantage, but a big test for this team was taking that energy and transferring it to the road as well. Chicago has answered that call quickly, winning 3 games in 4 nights against Canadien teams.

The circus trip has been no problem for the Hawks, and they are now on a 7-game win streak. The first two games of the trip were against Calgary and Edmonton, and the Hawks erupted for 12 goals combined in the two games. Things were a bit different on Sunday with Vancouver's defensive style of play combined with goalie Roberto Luongo making life difficult for Chicago.

Yet one early third-period goal was the difference because Antti Niemi, playing his first game in several weeks, made 30 saves. Young Hawk player Brian Bickell, of all people, put a rebound passed Luongo for the game's only goal. Many different Chicago players step up each game, and it was good to win a close game like this.

A team that can put up 3 goals every night sometimes cannot steal away 1-0 games. Chicago did just that on the road and can continue the momentum into California. Chicago has three more tests on this trip including Wednesday's potential thriller against conference-leading San Jose. The Sharks (16-5-4) lead the Hawks (15-5-2) by 4 points atop the Western Conference.

A win on Wednesday would be Chicago's eighth straight, second win over San Jose this season, and be the first home loss for the Sharks in 10 games. It should be a fun atmosphere, and after winning three in Canada, the Hawks are ready to take over the three California teams as well.

Time For Blackhawks To Take Show On The Road

The Chicago Blackhawks have won seven straight games at the United Center, and they just wrapped a perfect four-game homestand. More wild crowds witnessed some wild games, and three were against top teams in the Western Conference. Brent Seabrook scored an overtime goal in 41 seconds tonight, giving the Hawks a 4-3 win against the conference-leading San Jose Sharks.

They were down 3-1 in the 2nd period, and no lead seems safe against the Blackhawks. This is especially true at home, where the high-flying Hawks continue to shine. Now the circus comes into the UC , and the Blackhawks embark on a 6-game road trip. They play three games against Canadien teams and three games against California teams.

The schedule has been fairly kind to the Blackhawks this season, with 13 home games and just 6 away from the UC. A good team certainly makes their own venue a home-ice advantage, but the great teams step up on the road throughout the season as well. Chicago is 2-3-1 on the road, and while that is a respectable record, they will need to win some more road games to take the Central Division.

This team can certainly win the division, yet it will not be easy. Detroit is not as good, but will still challenge for the crown. Columbus is improving each game. Nashville has some solid players, and St. Louis got hot as the season went on last year.

The Blackhawks could be better than all these division opponents, and winning on the road would certainly go a long way in making that happen.

Huet is Only Thing Going Wrong with Blackhawks...Too Bad He's the Goalie

There is no more Dominik Hasek, Patrick Roy, or Curtis Joseph. Martin Brodeur is still a pretty good goaltender, but the era of great goalies in the NHL seems to be slowly diminishing. Despite this overall trend, there is definitely someone out there better than Chicago netminder Cristobal Huet.

Antti Niemi, the Blackhawks' backup, may become the starter more if Huet continues to struggle. Huet was pulled against Calgary last Monday after allowing three goals in under a minute. He allowed only one goal at Nashville, but the Predators had just 13 shots on net.

Then Saturday came, and Huet's troubles showed again and the Hawks fans responded with a chorus of boos at the United Center. There were some bad goals scored by Dallas, as the game-winner came on a dump-in that bounced a couple times off the boards and over the arms of a startled Huet. Now, that was a pretty bad bounce, but you cannot let a goal in like that.

I knew Huet wasn't as good as Nikolai Khabibulin, and there were some concerns when the "Bulin Wall" left for Edmonton. Yet, Huet was marvelous in the season-ending loss at Detroit in last year's postseason, and he looked pretty solid in the regular season. Still, there was a reason Huet didn't play in the playoffs until Khabibulin got hurt. He was not as good as the starter, and it is not like Khabi is the greatest goalie in the world.

Chicago will be near the top of the NHL in goals scored, but in the end, a solid goaltender is needed to win the Stanley Cup. Niemi may get more playing time, but he has yet to prove himself and may have some inconsistencies as well. We will see what happens the rest of the season, which continues this Wednesday when the Hawks host Vancouver.

This is definitely a title contender, and the only thing standing in the Blackhawks way is a good goalie. Unfortunately, this is a pretty big barrier to overcome.

Does Announcer Eddie Olczyk Ever Stop Working?!

Chicago Blackhawks fans have loved many things the last few seasons. You have the "Chelsea Dagger" song after a goal, Jim Cornelison singing the anthem, and a very exciting team on the ice.

The fun does not just happen at the United Center, but it is also felt in the living room. Pat Foley is "the man" at play-by-play, but alongside him, there has been another great addition recently.

Eddie Olczyk loves hockey, has passion in his voice, and explains the game with such clarity that even a rookie to the hockey viewing process can understand. Plus, the great thing about him is that he is everywhere. Blackhawks fans hear him throughout the season on Comcast Sports Net and WGN, he is also the lead analyst on the NHL on NBC, and he does many games for Versus.

Chicago was on Versus last night, so there was no Pat Foley. Yet, you do get Olczyk and that adds to the love of the Hawks. The big comeback from being down 5-0 was enhanced by your own analyst, just as the experience was during the Winter Classic and the postseason last year.

The idea of hearing your own announcer on a national telecast is pretty cool. The Boston Red Sox had it this postseason with Don Orsillo on TBS, although that Boston run ended pretty quickly.

It is also nice that Olczyk never gives away that he is the Hawks' analyst. This is hard to do on a national telecast, considering he works for the Blackhawks throughout the season. Orsillo or a FOX baseball announcer runs into this problem occasionally. Yet Olczyk is on the national telecasts all the time, and the Hawks will be on national TV a good amount this season.

This is just another reason to love the Blackhawks. Foley and Olczyk, Mike Emrick and Olczyk...it doesn't matter. The Hawks' analyst is good on every telecast, and there are certainly a lot to choose from.

Who Needs Goaltending?! Okay, Just Kidding

Wow! It is hard to describe what just happened at the United Center. A crowd of 20,074 will tell you the same thing after the 6-5 overtime win over the Calgary Flames. We are five games into the season and two into the home portion of the season. In those two games, the Chicago Blackhawks have set a franchise record for longest shootout and now a franchise record for biggest comeback.

The Blackhawks had six different players score, something that they do every night (not the 6 goals, but the wide range of scorers...although 6 could be a regular thing). They were down 5-0 to Calgary faster than pitchers Jonathan Papelbon, Ryan Franklin, Joe Nathan and Houston Street could blow a save.

John Madden gets a goal near the end of the first period, but they are still four goals behind. The naive, weird fan could say that this gives them momentum and the fact that they are outshooting the Flames, 16-10, gives them hope. Well, maybe it isn't so weird. Mikka Kiprusoff is supposed to be a very good goalie, and he is. Yet Chicago made him look horrible, just as they did at times during a first-round playoff win last season.

The Hawks offense tends to do that to goalies, and you still have free-agent Marian Hossa rehabbing and maybe coming back in November. Now speaking of bad goalies, though, Cristobal Huet had a rough night. Some were not his fault, but he was definitely in bad position at times. Plus, giving up three goals in less than a minute is never a good thing.

I am not sold on Antti Niemi in net either, but he did a pretty solid job in helping the Hawks come back. Still, this goaltending is a bit of an issue. Yet, the offense certainly is not. I wouldn't make a habit of getting down 5-0, but this team can certainly score in bunches. It is safe to say that Chicago has one of the best offenses in the NHL...just ask the Calgary Flames.

Home Sweet Home for the Hawks

Another year of wild crowds and wild hockey games began this evening at the United Center. Chicago will probably lead the NHL in attendance once again this season, and the home season started with 20,655 fans inside the UC on Saturday.

As for the game, well, there may not have been a better way to begin the home schedule. Was it the best game the Hawks will play this year? Well, I hope not. Are there issues that need to be worked out? Yes.

Yet, in the end, Andrew Ladd's goal in the NINTH round of a shootout gave the home team a 4-3 win over Colorado. It was the longest shootout in franchise history, and this back and forth contest gave the big crowd plenty to cheer about and kept them on the edge of their seats.

Cristobal Huet may not be the best goaltender, but he stepped up in the shootout. There is still some concern, though, in how Huet will perform throughout the season. Any goaltending would be nice considering how many goals the offense should score this year. And how about their defensemen? Duncan Keith, Brian Campbell, Brent Seabrook and company have scored or assisted on 11 of the 12 goals the Hawks have scored in regulation this year.

There is speed, timing, and a lot of flash in the Hawks offensive attack. The Avalanche saw that tonight and so did 20,000-plus at the United Center. The season's opening month is filled with home games as Chicago plays on the road just two times in the rest of October. The other seven games will have more wild Hawks fans cheering on a very exciting team.

Ten Random Things Floating Around My Head

Ten things I'm thinking about ... other than whoever that girl is .. after the jump.


1.  Comparisons to Ryne Sandberg need to stop.  Phil Rogers had the audacity to write this line, read it and think it was OK to be publishable.  "(Baker) entered the weekend hitting .311 with an .819 OPS. Ryne Sandberg's career OPS is .795."  Baker has done it since July 2.  Sandberg did it over a 16-year career.  A little difference there.


2.  So do suggestions of the Cubs re-acquiring Mark DeRosa.  For a long time, I wondered if I would ever live to see the day America elected a black president.  Now, I long for a day in which Chicago baseball fans do not let their emotions dictate whether or not a player should be signed while completely disregarding said player's statistics over the course of a season and a career.


3.  Portraying the idea that Micah Hoffpauir as a starting first baseman as a good one.  Rogers strikes again.  "It's a shame the Cubs don't have anywhere to play (Jake) Fox and Micah Hoffpauir. They could be a platoon combination at first base, but it would take a huge return to justify trading (Derrek) Lee."  It's a shame that Micah Hoffpauir posted an OPS of .674 after May 31st.  I think I can live with Fox and Hoffpauir being my power-hitting bench boppers, but the only way Hoffpauir should start is if every other player on the team breaks out in hives and has a near-death experience any time they are asked to play the position.  Even then, I'd rather have the pitcher cover first on every play.

4.  Jay Cutler is not Tom Brady.  Tom Brady has Super Bowl rings and a supermodel wife.  Jay Cutler has yet to even make a playoff appearance.  And this is no knock on Jay, for he has all the intangibles that a Super Bowl winning quarterback needs.  A strong arm, strong head and a little bit of bravado should take Cutler a long way.  But it is waaaay too early to be throwing out those comparisons.  Who knows, Cutler could be even better than Brady one day...


5.  Take a side, stick with it and shut the f*** up.  "Ozzie Guillen is too hard on his players, always throwing them under the bus," one writer will write.  "Lou Piniella has gone too soft, he needs to go nuts on his guys," writes another.  Then, these same guys will come back and say "Ozzie's being Ozzie is really helping the team come together" or "The old Lou showed up today and really sparked this bunch."  Take a stand and don't waver.  You either like batsh*t crazy managers or you don't.


6.  Same thing for Lovie Smith.  "The Bears need a guy like Ditka to run the show."  Or.  "Lovie Smith's cool, calm demeaner is exactly what they need."  Apparently, they need a guy who is willing to snipe a deer in front of a child's eyes then caress the child who will be wounded for life.


7.  Michael Jordan didn't to be there for the Chicago Olympic bid.  Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player to ever lace 'em up, is a Brooklyn, N.Y., native.  He spent his formative years in the state of North Carolina.  Jordan played basketball and baseball during his Chicago years -- and in the offseason he went home to North Carolina.  When he wasn't gambling of course.  You know where he resides now?  North Carolina.  He also works in Charlotte, N.C., just to make things clear that Jordan's ties to the city are really only connected to the House He Built, Reinsdorf Paid For and Rose Rents.

Chicago needed to be less in debt and less violent than Rio.  Not to mention, have a public trans system that was as efficient as a team led by JaMarcus Russell.  But hey, they've go until 2020 to figure all of that out.


8.  Why are Chicago's Blackhawks and Florida's Panthers playing in Finland?  OK, maybe I'm the only one thinking this, so hear me out.  For the first time in my lifetime, Chicago Blackhawks hockey is relevant throughout the city.  The combination of young talent and home games that are accessible through my television set have got me hooked.  So, why no outrage about the Hawks opening in Finland.  FINLAND!  It's like finding the love of your life, then voluntarily moving away.


9.  "Michigan is back."  News flash: Michigan never left.  Yeah, Rich Rodriguez has turned the program around only one year after a self-inflicted year that included more sucking than room full of pacifiers.  But it's not as if Michigan went anywhere.  Two seasons ago, the Wolverines ended Lloyd Carr's run with an impressive win over Heisman winner Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators.  Three seasons ago, Big Blue entered the final week of the regular season as the nation's No. 2 team.  So, where did Michigan go again?  That's what I thought.

10.  Pretty girls.  Lots of love for the Lucy Pinder pic from yesterday.  If you're not a fan, see this post and become one.  If that doesn't do it for you, this will.