Blackhawks Are the Anti-Cubs As They Actually Pull Off Comeback WIn

In case you missed it, (and judging from the general apathy towards hockey in this country, you probably did) the Blackhawks tied an NHL record for biggest comeback when they beat the Calgary Flames in overtime on Monday. Calgary scored 5 goals before the first period was barely past the halfway mark, chasing starting goalie Christobal Huet after he surrendered the first 3 goals. Rookie Antti Niemi replaced Huet and promptly gave up 2 goals of his own. The Hawks managed to score once in the first, on a goal from John Madden and headed for the first intermission down 5 to 1. Game over, right?

Wrong. The Blackhawk offense came out strong in the second period and simply dominated the Flames. Patrick Kane, Dustin Byfuglien, and Davey Bolland scored a goal apiece to bring the Blackhawks within one. It was almost like a different team came out to play in the second period. The Hawks were all around shitty in period one, looking flat-footed and sloppy. The unit that came out in the second used their speed to skate rings around their opponents. They were aggressive and kept the puck in the Calgary end for most of the period.

The third period was more evenly matched, as the Hawks came down to earth a little bit. At the 4:32 mark, Patrick Sharp put the tying goal past Miikka Kiprusoff. After the two goals he allowed in the first period, Niemi settled down and blocked the other 13 shots the Flames sent his way. The game went into overtime, but Brent Seabrook only needed 26 seconds to end the game with his winning goal.

This was one of the best hockey games I've ever seen, especially considering that the Hawks were complete shit for the first 20 minutes. It would have been so easy for these guys to just have rolled over and quit for the final two periods. I think this game was further proof that these kids are the real deal and hopefully are going to be a presence in the league for seasons to come. The only issue I see going forward is at goalie. Christobal Huet does not seem like the guy the Blackhawks can rely upon to take them deep into the post-season again. Niemi may be a rookie, but aside from his shaky first period Monday night, he's looked like the stronger goalie. Before it's all over, the Blackhawk front office may regret not resigning the Bulin Wall, who has looked solid in his outings with Edmonton so far this season. I guess we'll have to wait and see how long a leash Joel Quenneville gives Huet in the weeks to come.

Gist on Ice: Blackhawks 1, Redwings 2

Well, unfortunately the Blackhawks' stellar season has come to an end in Motown. The Hawks, particularly Christobal Huet, put up a valiant effort, but lost in overtime to division rivals Detroit. This was a hard fought, low scoring goalie duel. Huet saved 44 of 46 shots and was absolutely magnificent, especially for a goalie who'd seen very little action since the end of the regular season. The Man From France stepped up big time, vastly improving on the effort he gave during the final game in Chicago. I'll never forget the save he turned in in the third, stopping one blast, and then catching the rebound from on his belly by a well-timed flick of his foot. It was truly unreal. Unluckily for Huet and the Hawks, Chris Osgood was equally as effective for the Red Wings, stopping 30 of 31 shots, the only goal allowed an absolute beauty from Patrick Kane in the third. For the third time in the series, the Hawks and Wings went to overtime where Darren Helm was able to chip one in the corner of the net and win the game for Detroit.

It was nice to see the Blackhawks end their run on a classy, well-executed game, as opposed to the pitiful showing they exhibited the previous game. Detroit showed why they're the best team in the league and it would have been nice to have taken more than one game in the series. It was a disappointing finish for the Blackhawks, but hopefully the start of good things to come. With all the youthful stars on this team, the Hawks should be poised to contend for many seasons to come. I know I've had my love of hockey reinvigorated by this team and I'm looking forward to watching Johnny Toews, Patrick Kane, Dustin Byfuglien, Patrick Sharp, Kris Versteeg, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and hopefully Marty Havlat, Nikolai Khabibulin and others for many seasons to come. Hats off to you guys, it was a great run, and I enjoyed the hell out of it! Let's get even further next year.

Gist on Ice: Hawks 2, Redwings 3

Well, it was a helluva game, but unfortunately, the Redwings were able to score in overtime and send the Blackhawks back to Chicago winless. Osgood and Khabibulin were both spectacular in their respective nets as this game was a real goalie duel. The Bulin Wall stopped 35 of 38 shots and Osgood was just a little better, snuffing out 37 of 39 Blackhawk shots. Johnny Toews, the young captain, scored both Chicago goals and Rafalski and Cleary scored Detroit's regulation goals. Mikael Samuelsson delivered the heartbreaker a few minutes into overtime.

I guess the only comfort to take away is that the Hawks really showed that they can hang with the big boys in this one. Both teams looked fantastic and this is what playoff hockey is all about. I would have preferred the final to have gone the other way, but I have no complaints with the effort. The Hawks will have their work cut out for them in Chicago, so hopefully they can continue the strong play they showed today and take both games at home. I'd like to see the kids win at least a couple in front of the home crowd.

Gist on Ice: Hawks 2, Redwings 5

It was an ugly day in Motown for the young Blackhawks as they fell 5-2 to the defending Stanley Cup champs. The Bulin Wall was solid, but too many turnovers doomed the Hawks. The game could have easily been much uglier if not for some stellar saves from Khabibulin. He did give up four well struck goals and the Wings added an empty-netter in the final few moments. Kris Versteeg and Adam Burish scored the only Blackhawk goals and I won't bore you with details of the Redwings' tallies.

Basically, it comes down to this: the Blackhawks have to have better puck control if they're going to have a chance in this series. There were a lot of turnovers in the Vancouver series as well, but the Redwings are a far superior team and will take full advantage of any mistakes. I think Habby is an elite goalie, but if the more shot opportunities a team is given, the more likely it is that they will score and that's certainly a big part of what happened yesterday. Tighten up the puck control and the defense and the Blackhawks will have a shot here. If not, there will be a long offseason to think about those things for next year.

Gist on Ice: Canucks 5 Blackhawks 7

Hawks Win! Hawks Win! The Blackhawks are going to the Western Division Championships to face either the Detroit Red Wings or the Anaheim Ducks thanks to a win in a back and forth game that didn't slow down in intensity since minute one. What a game. Patrick Kane was unreal, delivering a hat trick. Johnny Toews, the young captain, scored two goals of his own, including the go ahead goal in the 3rd period. Kris Versteeg and Adam Burish contributed the other two Blackhawks goals as the youngsters outlasted the Canucks in a wild game that went right down to the wire.

The teams traded scoring throughout the game, but the Blackhawks scored the goals that counted. Congrats guys on being the first team in the final four. Bring on the Wings or the Ducks! There will be more Gist on Ice to come over the next week and hopefully beyond.

Gist on Ice: Hawks 4 Canucks 2

The Blackhawks looked really good last night in Vancouver. Dustin Byfuglien was a beast in the first two periods, notching two goals. Davey Bolland would put the Hawks over the top in the third and Martin Havlat would add an empty netter to seal the deal at 4-2. The Canucks played well, answering Big Buff's 1st period goal with one by Ryan Kesler a few minutes later. They would score first in the second as Mats Sundin tallied a score against The Bulin Wall. That was all the Russian would allow for the evening, stopping 19 shots out of 21. This was the first time in the series the Blackhawks had scored first, something the coaches had wanted to see happen. The series now returns to Chicago with a chance for the young Hawks to send the Canucks back to Canada disappointed.

One note to the Blackhawks' GM: You must resign Marty Havlat next year. How clutch has this guy been so far this year? He pretty much singlehandedly kept the Hawks alive in Game 4 and has come up huge in so many regular season and post season games, I've lost count. Open up the checkbook and make sure he sticks around. If it helps, I'll buy a fricking Havlat jersey next year, even though they're so damn expensive.

Hopefully the series concludes on Monday. Stay tuned!

Gist on Ice: Canucks 1 Hawks 2

I think I just had a fucking heart-attack. A scoreless first period, a Canucks nobody scoring a goal in the second that holds up until Marty Havlat finally pushes one past Roberto Luongo with 2-fuckin'-44 left in the third. Sudden death overtime-Khabibulin stops three quick shots in a row, Hawks take the puck and Davey Bolland puts a perfect pass on the stick of Andrew Ladd, who puts it in the net, scoring 2:52 in OT. Slow deep breaths. Series returns to Vancouver Saturday night, tied at two apiece. Christ, I love this goddamn game!

Gist on Ice: Blackhawks 6 Canucks 3

The Blackhawks did what they needed to do and left Vancouver with a split. At the end of the first period, things looked kind of bleak as the Hawks were down 2-0. They'd taken a lot of stupid penalties and just didn't look real sharp. But Patrick Sharp would score twice in the second to tie the game and the Hawks played their brand of hockey the rest of the way. Davey Bolland would give the Blackhawks the lead on a short-handed breakaway goal that I'm still skeeting over.

The good vibes continued in the third period as Ben Eager scored his first playoff goal, followed quickly by a tally from Patrick Kane to make it a 5 to 2 game. One of the dipshit Sedin twins would score in the third, bringing the Canucks within 2, but an empty net goal from Bolland would seal the deal for the Blackhawks at 6 to 3.

After allowing the first two goals in the first, the Bulin Wall was in full effect, making several spectacular stops to keep the game close, allowing the offense to claw back into it. More evidence of the continuing bad blood between these two teams reared its head in the third as Alex Burrows of the Canucks and Johnny Toews and Dustin Byfuglien of the Hawks earned 10 minute game misconducts in the last seven minutes. Toews earned his, but Big Buff's was complete bullshit, as he made a clean hit and then was grabbed from behind by another of the Canucks, as seen in the photo to the right.

The Hawks still have to play at least three more games with these assholes, so don't expect it to get any easier. The Calgary series was physical, but not malicious. This series only promises to get uglier. Hopefully the Hawks seize the home field advantage and take the next two games at the UC.

Gist on Ice: Blackhawks 3 Canucks 5

The Blackhawks got off to a rough start in the first game of the Western Conference Semifinals. They looked flat through the first two periods and Vancouver took advantage, scoring once in the first period and twice in the second. The Hawks would find their mojo in the third period, as Patrick Kane scored twice and Davey Bolland chipped in to tie the score. Unfortunately, the momentum shift came too late and the Canucks were able to bounce back, scoring with just over a minute left to play. The Hawks sent off goaltender Nikolai Khabibulan, but even with six attackers on the ice they were unable to tie the game, finally surrendering an open net goal.

Hopefully, the Blackhawks rebound and come back strong from this defeat. They can't afford to give two periods away as they did in this game, not really playing the way they're capable of doing until the final period. Expect this series to maintain a physical, nasty edge, as the bad blood between these teams continues to seethe.

The Gist on Ice: The Bulin Wall Edition

If Nikolai Khabibulin pays for a drink tonight, his teammates are a bunch of pikers. The Bulin Wall was rock solid this evening, delivering 43 saves in 44 chances. He wasn't scored upon until the third period and was absolutely fucking incredible in the second, making several amazing saves as the Flames fired 17 shots at him, 1 more shot than the Hawks had in the whole game. As announcer Eddie Olczyk said, Calgary could have had two pucks on the ice and Habby still wouldn't have allowed a goal in that period. A true bravura performance to secure the Blackhawks' first post-season series win since 1996. While the offense didn't take many shots on Miikka Kiprusoff (16), they made the most of it, scoring twice in the first and once in the second before Dustin Byfuglien put the game away for good with an empty net goal near the end of the third. Congratulations to the Blackhawks and good luck in the second round!

Gist on Ice: Blackhawk Playoffs Game 5: Hawks 5 Flames1

Now that's what I'm talking about! After being embarrassed two games in a row in Calgary, the Hawks came out of the gate strong tonight, scoring 3 goals in the opening period. Brent Seabrook got things rolling, scoring just over 9 minutes in to the first, followed in short order by Patrick Sharp and Kris Versteeg. The Blackhawks would continue to roll in the second period, answering a Dustin Boyd Calgary goal with tallies from Andrew Ladd and Cam Barker.

Tempers boiled over in the 3rd as Ben Eager beat the crap out of Flame Adam Pardy. Both were sent off the ice, given five minutes for fighting. Lesson: Don't Fuck With Ben Eager. The Hawks would later deliver an awesome penalty kill as Brouwer and Bolland would get sent off for successive penalties. The penalty kill was up to the task and the Boulin Wall rebounded from a tough Game 4 to record 19 saves in 20 chances. The series resumes in Calgary on Monday. Hopefully, the Blackhawks get the series win in the Land of the Great White North. Pretty sweet, eh?

Gist on Ice: Blackhawks Playoff Game 3: Hawks 2 Flames 4

This will be a brief gist, as both the Hawks and yours truly lost the battle in the third period. The Hawks lost the game and I fell asleep. Lame on both counts. All I can say about this game is that the Flames had it going on. They seized the momentum in the second period and apparently never looked back.

Gist on Ice: Blackhawk Playoffs Game 2: Hawks 3 Flames 2

A Chicago sports victory trifecta, does it get any sweeter? Following victories by the Cubs and Bulls, the Blackhawks made it a perfect day by defeating the Flames 3 to 2. Martin Havlat was the go to guy in Game 1, scoring 2 goals. In Game 2, that role would go to 20 year old captain, Jonathon Toews. If you haven't been watching the Blackhawks, then you've been missing out on one of the most exciting young players in any sport. Following the same blueprint as Thursday night, the Hawks came out of the gate sluggish through the first period. Down 2 zip after the first, the youngsters once again upped their game with goals from Patrick Sharp and two tallies by Toews, one on a power play. The Boulin Wall was in full effect, not allowing a goal after the first period, making several spectacular saves along the way.

Look, I know hockey has become something of a national joke, but this Blackhawk team is a gas to watch. When they get rolling, they set a quick, exciting pace of game. I was a big Hawks fan in college, but let the team slip by the wayside. It wasn't until John McDonough took the job as team president that I began to get interested again, and not until this season that I began watching games regularly again. I'm totally glad I did, as Jonathon Toews, Patrick Kane, Kris Versteeg, Marty Havlat, Nicolai Khabibulan, Dustin Byfuglin, and others are among some of the most excting athletes I've seen. This team is legit and is poised to be for years to come. They may not be good enough to get past Detroit and they still have to win two more to get past Calgary, but here's hoping they take it as far as they can.

Oh, and Ryan Dempster was at the game, taking shots at the net during the 2nd intermission penalty shot competition. Dempster Baby was wearing a plaid sportjacket even Shecky Green would have been embarrassed to be seen in. Ryan, you just signed a huge four year deal in the off-season. You can afford a nice suit, jerkweed. Christ, at least let your wife pick out your clothes if you can't handle it yourself.

Gist on Ice: Blackhawk Playoffs Game 1: Hawks 3 Flames 2

Let me preface this post by saying that if gay marriage were legal in Illinois, I'd probably be Mrs. Marty Havlat right now.

After a sluggish first period in which the Blackhawks were clearly dominated by the Calgary Flames, the youngsters turned their game up a notch and started returning some of the punishment the more experienced Flames were dishing out. The Hawks also began using their superior speed, evening up the playing field.

Calgary got on the board in the first period with a goal from David Moss. The Blackhawks would tie the score on a long shot from Cam Barker in the second. Calgary scored again early in the third period, with Mike Cammalleri pushing one past Russian studnik Nikolai Khabibulan. Things were looking dicey as the third period wound down when Martin Havlat scored the Hawks' second goal off of Calagary keeper Mikka Kiprusoff to send the game to overtime. 12 seconds into overtime, Havlat would score again, securing the Blackhawks first postseason win since 2002.

If Marty Havlat could pitch effective lefty relief for the Cubs, I would marry his scruffy ass.