2014-15 NHL Thread

[LloydsLegs]

Yeah...the way they came back, just felt like they had to win that one. This Anaheim team is very good, and in many ways they are the 'Hawks kryptonite. Big and physical, just grind you down. Lots of scoring options and depth, which is murder on a four-man defense.

I realize not everyone can be Duncan Keith, but they need a defense that goes 6 deep. Oduya is likely gone after this year, Kimo is ancient and clearly past his prime, and both Cumiskey and (when healthy) Roszival have their own significant issues. No matter what happens this year, it's Keith, Seabrook, and Hjalmarsson next year, and as good as they are, that's not enough. Hope Bowman has a trick or two up his sleeve.

So far he's been loading up on young forward from Europe. 

Also has Trevor van Riemsdyk, who may be ready to play in the finals if they get there, and I think he is signed or can be signed for next year.  But they will need an Oduya (I'm assuming they won't sign him) replacement plus one more, even with TvR, just to get to 6.

[SaintPaulWarrior]

Timo is awful. And Com wasn't much better. Was it desperation by Q in playing Kane and toews together?

No.

[SaintPaulWarrior]

Yeah...the way they came back, just felt like they had to win that one. This Anaheim team is very good, and in many ways they are the 'Hawks kryptonite. Big and physical, just grind you down. Lots of scoring options and depth, which is murder on a four-man defense.

I realize not everyone can be Duncan Keith, but they need a defense that goes 6 deep. Oduya is likely gone after this year, Kimo is ancient and clearly past his prime, and both Cumiskey and (when healthy) Roszival have their own significant issues. No matter what happens this year, it's Keith, Seabrook, and Hjalmarsson next year, and as good as they are, that's not enough. Hope Bowman has a trick or two up his sleeve.

He should have had a trick up his sleeve for this year's playoffs.  4 D-Men do not get you to the finals.

[NavinRJohnson]

Despite the whole defenseman debacle making it extremely difficult, I will stand by my stance that the Hawks are the better team and will win Saturday night.

Two game 7's this weekend. Can't beat it.

[jsglow]

I'm really liking the Toews, Kane, Saad line pairing.  Do you hockey experts expect that for Game #7 or does the fact that the Ducks get last change make a difference?  Oh, and if the Hawks win and they name series MVP it's Keith, hands down.  He's been simply incredible.

[🏀]

I'm really liking the Toews, Kane, Saad line pairing.  Do you hockey experts expect that for Game #7 or does the fact that the Ducks get last change make a difference?  Oh, and if the Hawks win and they name series MVP it's Keith, hands down.  He's been simply incredible.

You'll see it for sure, but Q won't start the game with it.

[Benny B]

He should have had a trick up his sleeve for this year's playoffs.  4 D-Men do not get you to the finals.

The Ducks won the whole thing in 2007 doing essentially the same thing.

[jsglow]

You'll see it for sure, but Q won't start the game with it.

So is the way 'last change' works is that on any faceoff the visitors must commit to their lineup prior to the home team thereby enabling the home team to match up to whatever's out there?  Of course you can do anything on the fly that you want.

[🏀]

So is the way 'last change' works is that on any faceoff the visitors must commit to their lineup prior to the home team thereby enabling the home team to match up to whatever's out there?  Of course you can do anything on the fly that you want.

Correct. Q will put out his lineup in any delay of game call. Gabs then can make any adjustment based on what Q throws out there, unless it's an icing call, which technically isn't a delay of game.

[Benny B]

I don't know if they do this in the pros, but in the upper amateur levels (USA Hockey), the referee will raise one arm before a face-off to signal that the visiting lineup is on the ice and the home team needs to finalize its line change.  Once the arm goes up, the visiting team may not change anyone on the ice until the puck drops.

In 30 years of playing and officiating hockey, I have only seen one instance where a home coach actually took advantage of that rule to respond to a lineup, and it was an end-of-game situation where our team was leading by a goal and we wanted to see if the other team put in their "speed" line or their "power" line.

That said... the home line-change advantage is probably used more often in the pros, but outside of an end-of-game or end-of-period situation, the last thing you want to do - especially in a game 7 - is try to get too creative or fancy with your line changes that you end up with an unintentional mismatch and paying the ultimate price for it.  While no one will ever admit it, teams typically don't "play to win" in Game 7s, they play "not to lose."  So coaches are probably instructing their teams on which lines/players should be on the ice in certain situations before a game or during an intermission/timeout more than they're making on-the-fly lineup decisions at every face-off.

[LloydsLegs]

I don't know if they do this in the pros, but in the upper amateur levels (USA Hockey), the referee will raise one arm before a face-off to signal that the visiting lineup is on the ice and the home team needs to finalize its line change.  Once the arm goes up, the visiting team may not change anyone on the ice until the puck drops.

In 30 years of playing and officiating hockey, I have only seen one instance where a home coach actually took advantage of that rule to respond to a lineup, and it was an end-of-game situation where our team was leading by a goal and we wanted to see if the other team put in their "speed" line or their "power" line.

That said... the home line-change advantage is probably used more often in the pros, but outside of an end-of-game or end-of-period situation, the last thing you want to do - especially in a game 7 - is try to get too creative or fancy with your line changes that you end up with an unintentional mismatch and paying the ultimate price for it.  While no one will ever admit it, teams typically don't "play to win" in Game 7s, they play "not to lose."  So coaches are probably instructing their teams on which lines/players should be on the ice in certain situations before a game or during an intermission/timeout more than they're making on-the-fly lineup decisions at every face-off.

They do raise their arms in the NHL and give 5 seconds to the home team to make the last change.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Best of luck all. I'll be doing a head count at the end of the game to make sure everyone is still kicking. Don't forget your heart meds.

[brewcity77]

Wow, what a game. Crow was standing on his head in the second. Didn't expect Anaheim to give up, man are they tough. Blackhawks took advantage of their chances and had great defensive play. I expected a loss, thought Anaheim would have the physical edge, but the pod man rushes kept them on their heels. Crow would be my first star. Not perfect, but he held up to get them the 4-0 lead and made sure they kept it.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I'm heading to Europe in a few days, will miss games 3, 4, 5 and 6.  If there is a game 7, I will be there.

Good six games.  You show? The Quacks didn't.  Toews in the 1st  period tonight set the tone. Crawford with a good series, while Andersen faltered under pressure the last three games.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Kicked ass and took names tonight. Probably the most relaxing game 7 I've ever watched.

[Benny B]

Kicked ass and took names tonight. Probably the most relaxing game 7 I've ever watched.

Being a neutral party, I was hoping for a little more action and suspense, personally.  But it was nice to get a bit of a reprieve from the excitement (not to mention a game decided in regulation)... this was a great series.

[Lennys Tap]

Kicked ass and took names tonight. Probably the most relaxing game 7 I've ever watched.

Yeah, final score was a little deceiving - game was over early. Home for game 7 and the Ducks didn't show up - again. Liked Q basically benching Bickell. Let the Ducks do all the hitting, no need to try to play their game. Last two games the Hawks just out skated them.

[🏀]

Sounds like Bicks was injured, hopefully nothing terrible or Steeger will dress game one.

I called dagger at 4-0. Ducks made a surge and had several good looks at Crow. That Hossa goal broke their backs

[jsglow]

Kicked ass and took names tonight. Probably the most relaxing game 7 I've ever watched.

Literally shooting Ducks on the Pond.  Best hockey I've yet seen from the Hawks this playoffs.  I'm thinking Hawks in 6 but I might be conservative.  Simply can't think the young upstarts from Tampa can take on this outstanding team.  The Ducks were very nearly our equal talent wise but had no idea of what it took to win the biggest games.  This isn't Round 1 or 2 anymore.

And while I was prepared for another nail biter, it was just fun to watch such a dominating performance.

[LloydsLegs]

Wow, what a game. Crow was standing on his head in the second. Didn't expect Anaheim to give up, man are they tough. Blackhawks took advantage of their chances and had great defensive play. I expected a loss, thought Anaheim would have the physical edge, but the pod man rushes kept them on their heels. Crow would be my first star. Not perfect, but he held up to get them the 4-0 lead and made sure they kept it.

1.  Agreed on Crow.
2.  Shaw in screens on the PP.
3.  Kane's passsing.
4.  Q sitting Timo again and manipulating the Said/Kane Teows line to match against Getzlaf instead of Kesler.
5.  Speed of Saad.
6.  Capt. Serious.
7.  Conn Smythe winner in waiting Duncan Keith.

[LloydsLegs]

Kicked ass and took names tonight. Probably the most relaxing game 7 I've ever watched.

I was just saying the same thing to my son--had the chance to really enjoy this one.

[brewcity77]

1.  Agreed on Crow.
2.  Shaw in screens on the PP.
3.  Kane's passsing.
4.  Q sitting Timo again and manipulating the Said/Kane Teows line to match against Getzlaf instead of Kesler.
5.  Speed of Saad.
6.  Capt. Serious.
7.  Conn Smythe winner in waiting Duncan Keith.

1) He can be scary at times, but last night was scary good.
2) Yes
3) So clutch. Made Saad's goal ridiculously easy.
4) Will be interesting to see how Q matches defense against TB. More speed on Tampa's first two lines, and they're deeper on D.
5) My god yes
6) Huge last night. Everything you could ever want in a captain.
7) Early on I was thinking Kane, but after this series has to be Keith if the Hawks win. Endless energy, always in the right place, great passing, and so many minutes. Most minutes and best +/- in the playoffs.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Let's go Hawks!!

[GGGG]

7) Early on I was thinking Kane, but after this series has to be Keith if the Hawks win. Endless energy, always in the right place, great passing, and so many minutes. Most minutes and best +/- in the playoffs.

Don't sleep on Toews though. 

[LloydsLegs]

If Hawks win, Toews, Kane, Keith and, if he stands on his head (couple of shut-outs and otherise stellar) in this series, Crawford, all in play for Conn Smythe.  I still like Keith, though.