I like the Hawks at +dough.
This team reminds me alot of the early Oilers.
No playoff guyz but too stupid to know how to lose.
Fire power and learning every game.
Nucks were no pushover.
This year my Fav teams to watch were Wings, Hawks, Caps
Will do what I do and play the overs.
This team reminds me alot of the early Oilers.
No playoff guyz but too stupid to know how to lose.
Fire power and learning every game.
Nucks were no pushover.
This year my Fav teams to watch were Wings, Hawks, Caps
Will do what I do and play the overs.
Fun Fact - Chicago playing with 2+ Days Rest this season is 25-2 when graded at +1.5 (both losses were Away).
Wings playing with 2+ days rest are just 11-17 graded at -1.5 (9-11 at Home)
Could be a real nice spot to use CHI +1.5 (-170) in parlay with either an NBA dog (Orlando +130?) or a MLB dog on Sunday.
Wings playing with 2+ days rest are just 11-17 graded at -1.5 (9-11 at Home)
Could be a real nice spot to use CHI +1.5 (-170) in parlay with either an NBA dog (Orlando +130?) or a MLB dog on Sunday.
And I'm fully aware of how deep, dangerous, young and opportunistic these Hawks are and can be. And they've seen a lot of the Wings over the last couple years. Detroit has always seemed to come out ahead in the key games of late but that does'nt mean their not capable of giving the Wings fits. Especially if the backchecking were to break down and leave Osgood vulnerable. We all know he's as good as this team plays defensively. Even I know that.. And Scotty Bowman knows exactly what makes this Wings team tick as he's pretty much been the architect of this team. He knows exactly where Detroit's weakness' are if there are any to exploit. Anaheim was/is pretty much one dimensional with one great line and a B+ goaltender. Chicago can throw 4 lines at you that can all play hard nosed hockey AND score. i think the key for Detroit is exploiting Chicago's young but non playoff tested Defence. Cambell's got 59 PO games and Walker just 3. And Rafalski's return spells a lot of trouble for the Hawks. But Helm adds a dimension this reg season team didn't have a chance to enjoy. He'll he a thorn in the side of the young Hawks D all series if healthy. And we still have basicially only heard a peep from Hossa and Datsyuk so far. That can't continue. And won't. You have to crawl before you can walk. Detroit in 5 or 6 at best. this team is just operating in their element right now. Only an injury can slow them. And only if it's key. I.E. Osgood,Lidstrom,Datsyuk.
Helm has been playing great. The unsung hero for Chicago has been Brian Campbell. He was a disappointment during the regular season, but has been great in the playoffs.
Just got the great news that my NBC affiliate (South Bend) will show Obama at Notre Dame instead of Game 1. :hanging:
Just got the great news that my NBC affiliate (South Bend) will show Obama at Notre Dame instead of Game 1. :hanging:
I actually like your write-up Bushay. You toned down the homerism quite a bit which shocks the hell outta me. haha. This could be a longer series than you stated but I feel that the Wings have a definite edge. I also think Datsyuk is gonna go off sooner than later.
After game 5 of the Ducks series I put a few units on the Wings to win the West at -130 and the Cup at +190. I might take a look at the adjusted series price on the Hawks depending on what happens after the first two games.
This should be a real good one! Go Wings!
After game 5 of the Ducks series I put a few units on the Wings to win the West at -130 and the Cup at +190. I might take a look at the adjusted series price on the Hawks depending on what happens after the first two games.
This should be a real good one! Go Wings!
Hawks have enough - Leadership from guys like Buhlin and Phallson who have cup rings to know what it takes.
I also remember young Toews showing us all his future when he single handedly won theworld Jrs as captain of the team.
They were 2 minutes away from being down 3-1 to Vcr and then just throttled us.
Cant say I have made very much money betting against the wings but I will bet on the hawks for the series as it will provide good hedge opportunities if it goes 7.
Also I can see both detroit and carolina losing game 1 of their series after their tough emotional wins in game 7.
I also remember young Toews showing us all his future when he single handedly won theworld Jrs as captain of the team.
They were 2 minutes away from being down 3-1 to Vcr and then just throttled us.
Cant say I have made very much money betting against the wings but I will bet on the hawks for the series as it will provide good hedge opportunities if it goes 7.
Also I can see both detroit and carolina losing game 1 of their series after their tough emotional wins in game 7.
I believe it was PTB that pointed out that Seabrooke is actually playing the best out of their top 3. And even having Cambell as your 3rd best Dman isnt such a bad thing. One negative on him is he's never really proved he can lead a team very far as "the man" back there. And like I said, out of ALL their other D only Walker has ANY PO experience before this season. And he only played 3 games at that. Coach Bushay says....THAT's what you attack if your the Wings. Try and wear down their D as Khabibulin [even with a ring] has not been stellar so far. And Detroit will eat a situation like that up before you can blink.
Havlat's their experienced leader on the Hawks.
Havn't made much bettting against Detroit? Why change that now. Go for it.
I'm a stubborn German myself. Can you tell?
i think Detroit will be thankful the Ducks are no longer on their schedule. Their so big and tall, long reaches. I think the ice gets a lot bigger for the Wings this series.
Granted I agree with alot of what is said here, but there is one difference I have noticed about these hawks of late. They have a found the ability do come back on opponents everytime they have been down by 1 2 or 3 goals. It's like they have built a little character during these playoffs. Or maybe it was the 2 straight games ending with the out-door game where the wings schooled them. Who knows maybe they went to school and learned their lessons well after all detroit just may have been the teacher they needed.
I look apon this series as the master vs the pupil, After all even scotty has a big hand in this match up from both perspectives.
I will enjoy this series, watch closely and maybe jump on the black-hawks band wagon, Then again my gut screams out to tread water very lightly and just enjoy this
I look apon this series as the master vs the pupil, After all even scotty has a big hand in this match up from both perspectives.
I will enjoy this series, watch closely and maybe jump on the black-hawks band wagon, Then again my gut screams out to tread water very lightly and just enjoy this
I was thinking all day today about how the winner of this series is going to be the team that wants that puck and each and every game more than the other. It will be difficult to pick a series winner so I believe the way to go is each individual game seperatly. I came across this guy's blog from over at ESPN and he had a lot of my same feelings. Check it out.
http://espn.go.com/chicago/columns/blog?post=4171501&name=cimaglia
As difficult as 1-2-3
The Blackhawks can beat Detroit, but there are three key factors for success
May 16, 2009, 1:29 PM
By: Al Cimaglia
At the start of the playoffs my thinking was the Blackhawks could win two rounds and then would probably meet the Detroit Red Wings. I have always had a profound respect for the Wings organization. No matter the changes in rule interpretation or the consequences of the salary cap, Detroit always flourished. More often than not they would put themselves in a position to win the Stanley Cup. Truly the Red Wings are one of the finest organizations in any sport.
I have greatly appreciated the talent of the Wings since the 2006-07 season and even picked them to win the Cup that year. If not for an injury to top defender Mathieu Schneider, which forced him to miss the entire conference finals, they may have beaten the eventual Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks.
The Blackhawks have proven to be a special group this season. Since the playoffs have begun, my appreciation for their talent has grown. The Hawks will have to perform in near perfect fashion to beat the wise old Wings but now I believe they can. Three factors will have to fall the Blackhawks' way for them to triumph.
1. Attitude
When the Hawks lost to the Wings on December 30 and again on New Year's Day, they were a somewhat fragile group. It appeared this young club might have been too cocky to begin with and then were stripped of their confidence right after the Winter Classic was decided.
Back then, the Wings knew they could end the Hawks' division title dreams with two consecutive wins. By the beginning of the last period of the Winter Classic, the Hawks appeared drained. After that contest they spoke almost in a submissive fashion concerning their chances of defeating Detroit.
The Hawks may have gone from too little respect for the Wings to not enough for themselves. Now there is a much better balance. If the Hawks begin this series with a "Thanks for letting me play against you, Mr. Red Wings" attitude, they will be quickly eliminated. I doubt if that will happen given the last two wins against the Detroit at the end of the season.
I know in those games, both teams had players missing. Detroit may not have been very interested in the last game of the season, but they certainly didn't want to lose at home to Chicago. Detroit had just suffered a bad home loss to Nashville a couple of days earlier and they did want to make up for that performance.
Regardless of the motivation this is a contact sport. No one plays at half speed. Because the Hawks won their final two meeting versus the Wings, plus their recent playoff success, they now should have the right attitude to succeed.
2. Fatigue
There is no substitute for experience. It's also true that Father Time waits for no man. (Well, except for Chris Chelios, but he may not dress in this series.) If the Red Wings would have swept the Ducks or won in five games instead of seven they would have been tough to pick against but that is not the case.
Detroit appeared a bit worn out in Game 7 and Chicago has to take advantage of their younger legs. Nicklas Lidstrom is 39 years old and Brain Rafalski is 35 and they both play a ton of minutes. Chicago will have to make life difficult on all the Wings, but especially for those who get the most ice time. The Hawks will have to display controlled physicality and also not be too rusty to start Game 1 Sunday.
Somehow Chicago has to avoid being down three games to two in this series. The Red Wings have not lost a series while having a 3-2 advantage since 1991. I won't say the Hawks have to split in Detroit to start but it would make their mission easier. If they go down in the opening two games they would then have to win three in a row, unless the Hawks want to buck history as they have done all season.
3. Tactics/Matchups
Nikolai Khabibulin has to outperform Chris Osgood. Osgood is just good enough, which is no slight to him. He has won championships and is an unbelievable competitor but Khabibulin has been better throughout this season. In this series Khabibulin needs to shine and outduel his counterpart.
Mike Babcock doesn't get the credit he deserves because he has a talent-laden lineup. He and Joel Quenneville will have an interesting battle as well. Normally Babcock can just play his best against his opponent's top line and then let his overall depth provide the reason for victory.
Two players who aren't at the top of the Red Wings marquee yet have killed the Hawks this season. Johan Franzen and Jiri Hudler have accounted for 33 percent of all Red Wing goals scored on the Hawks this year.
The Hawks can now be content to let their two lines play even with the Wings' top forwards. Players like Kane, Toews, and Havlat have to score but mainly they just have to hold serve, so to speak.
It's the bottom six forwards of the Hawks which can provide the edge if they can outplay their Wing counterparts. This will mean Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg and Samuel Pahlsson will have to be at the top of their game at both ends of the ice. They can be a meaningful element which the Wings may have trouble contending with. That leaves the stage set for productive and physical minutes of action from the Chicago fourth line.
I am including Patrick Sharp on the fourth line as he could wind up being Quenneville's ace in the hole. Having a deep enough team to spread out the talent so that a recent 30-goal scorer skates on the fourth line is an edge for the Blackhawks. Sharp is a tough, smart hockey player who can be a difference maker. He can score five-on-five and is also great on the power play.
Speaking of power plays, the Hawks have to stay out of the penalty box. There is no need to tempt fate and have to face the Wings' high-powered offense while down a man. Somehow the Hawks will have to be physical but not get penalized. Skill players don't enjoy being hit. The Hawks' top guns have shown they can handle the physical pressure throughout the playoffs. Chicago will have to test the will of the skillful Wings in this series by hitting them often.
The Blackhawks will have to be ready for action early on in these contests. Detroit has won 85 percent of their playoff encounters when scoring the first goal. I am sure Coach Q has gone over the same and we will see if the Hawks can improve on their starts.
As I said yesterday, Pahlsson has to be a decisive factor for the Hawks. Quenneville will need him to defend against the Wings' top forwards and to also win a lot of faceoffs.
The Blackhawks can win a game 2-1 but they won't tailor their style to suddenly turn into the Minnesota Wild. The Hawks will want to push the pace and control the puck. It may not be in their best interest to try to win this series by playing in 7-6 games, but the Hawks have to stay with what has gotten them this far.
We will find out soon if the Blackhawks will have more players being positive factors in this series than the Wings. I believe they have the depth to succeed versus Detroit. It may all come down to "want" and at this point I can't pick against this group. I don't have a clue as to how many games it will take, but somehow, some way the Hawks get past the Wings.
Al's Shots
On Tuesday night we will conduct a live chat whereby fans can posts their comments. I would like to hear from Hawk fans throughout Game 2 as to their thoughts. You can post comments during the game or at the end of periods and at the conclusion of the contest as well. This is a special time for Hawk fans so let's get together and share some hockey chatter during Game 2.
http://espn.go.com/chicago/columns/blog?post=4171501&name=cimaglia
As difficult as 1-2-3
The Blackhawks can beat Detroit, but there are three key factors for success
May 16, 2009, 1:29 PM
By: Al Cimaglia
At the start of the playoffs my thinking was the Blackhawks could win two rounds and then would probably meet the Detroit Red Wings. I have always had a profound respect for the Wings organization. No matter the changes in rule interpretation or the consequences of the salary cap, Detroit always flourished. More often than not they would put themselves in a position to win the Stanley Cup. Truly the Red Wings are one of the finest organizations in any sport.
I have greatly appreciated the talent of the Wings since the 2006-07 season and even picked them to win the Cup that year. If not for an injury to top defender Mathieu Schneider, which forced him to miss the entire conference finals, they may have beaten the eventual Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks.
The Blackhawks have proven to be a special group this season. Since the playoffs have begun, my appreciation for their talent has grown. The Hawks will have to perform in near perfect fashion to beat the wise old Wings but now I believe they can. Three factors will have to fall the Blackhawks' way for them to triumph.
1. Attitude
When the Hawks lost to the Wings on December 30 and again on New Year's Day, they were a somewhat fragile group. It appeared this young club might have been too cocky to begin with and then were stripped of their confidence right after the Winter Classic was decided.
Back then, the Wings knew they could end the Hawks' division title dreams with two consecutive wins. By the beginning of the last period of the Winter Classic, the Hawks appeared drained. After that contest they spoke almost in a submissive fashion concerning their chances of defeating Detroit.
The Hawks may have gone from too little respect for the Wings to not enough for themselves. Now there is a much better balance. If the Hawks begin this series with a "Thanks for letting me play against you, Mr. Red Wings" attitude, they will be quickly eliminated. I doubt if that will happen given the last two wins against the Detroit at the end of the season.
I know in those games, both teams had players missing. Detroit may not have been very interested in the last game of the season, but they certainly didn't want to lose at home to Chicago. Detroit had just suffered a bad home loss to Nashville a couple of days earlier and they did want to make up for that performance.
Regardless of the motivation this is a contact sport. No one plays at half speed. Because the Hawks won their final two meeting versus the Wings, plus their recent playoff success, they now should have the right attitude to succeed.
2. Fatigue
There is no substitute for experience. It's also true that Father Time waits for no man. (Well, except for Chris Chelios, but he may not dress in this series.) If the Red Wings would have swept the Ducks or won in five games instead of seven they would have been tough to pick against but that is not the case.
Detroit appeared a bit worn out in Game 7 and Chicago has to take advantage of their younger legs. Nicklas Lidstrom is 39 years old and Brain Rafalski is 35 and they both play a ton of minutes. Chicago will have to make life difficult on all the Wings, but especially for those who get the most ice time. The Hawks will have to display controlled physicality and also not be too rusty to start Game 1 Sunday.
Somehow Chicago has to avoid being down three games to two in this series. The Red Wings have not lost a series while having a 3-2 advantage since 1991. I won't say the Hawks have to split in Detroit to start but it would make their mission easier. If they go down in the opening two games they would then have to win three in a row, unless the Hawks want to buck history as they have done all season.
3. Tactics/Matchups
Nikolai Khabibulin has to outperform Chris Osgood. Osgood is just good enough, which is no slight to him. He has won championships and is an unbelievable competitor but Khabibulin has been better throughout this season. In this series Khabibulin needs to shine and outduel his counterpart.
Mike Babcock doesn't get the credit he deserves because he has a talent-laden lineup. He and Joel Quenneville will have an interesting battle as well. Normally Babcock can just play his best against his opponent's top line and then let his overall depth provide the reason for victory.
Two players who aren't at the top of the Red Wings marquee yet have killed the Hawks this season. Johan Franzen and Jiri Hudler have accounted for 33 percent of all Red Wing goals scored on the Hawks this year.
The Hawks can now be content to let their two lines play even with the Wings' top forwards. Players like Kane, Toews, and Havlat have to score but mainly they just have to hold serve, so to speak.
It's the bottom six forwards of the Hawks which can provide the edge if they can outplay their Wing counterparts. This will mean Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg and Samuel Pahlsson will have to be at the top of their game at both ends of the ice. They can be a meaningful element which the Wings may have trouble contending with. That leaves the stage set for productive and physical minutes of action from the Chicago fourth line.
I am including Patrick Sharp on the fourth line as he could wind up being Quenneville's ace in the hole. Having a deep enough team to spread out the talent so that a recent 30-goal scorer skates on the fourth line is an edge for the Blackhawks. Sharp is a tough, smart hockey player who can be a difference maker. He can score five-on-five and is also great on the power play.
Speaking of power plays, the Hawks have to stay out of the penalty box. There is no need to tempt fate and have to face the Wings' high-powered offense while down a man. Somehow the Hawks will have to be physical but not get penalized. Skill players don't enjoy being hit. The Hawks' top guns have shown they can handle the physical pressure throughout the playoffs. Chicago will have to test the will of the skillful Wings in this series by hitting them often.
The Blackhawks will have to be ready for action early on in these contests. Detroit has won 85 percent of their playoff encounters when scoring the first goal. I am sure Coach Q has gone over the same and we will see if the Hawks can improve on their starts.
As I said yesterday, Pahlsson has to be a decisive factor for the Hawks. Quenneville will need him to defend against the Wings' top forwards and to also win a lot of faceoffs.
The Blackhawks can win a game 2-1 but they won't tailor their style to suddenly turn into the Minnesota Wild. The Hawks will want to push the pace and control the puck. It may not be in their best interest to try to win this series by playing in 7-6 games, but the Hawks have to stay with what has gotten them this far.
We will find out soon if the Blackhawks will have more players being positive factors in this series than the Wings. I believe they have the depth to succeed versus Detroit. It may all come down to "want" and at this point I can't pick against this group. I don't have a clue as to how many games it will take, but somehow, some way the Hawks get past the Wings.
Al's Shots
On Tuesday night we will conduct a live chat whereby fans can posts their comments. I would like to hear from Hawk fans throughout Game 2 as to their thoughts. You can post comments during the game or at the end of periods and at the conclusion of the contest as well. This is a special time for Hawk fans so let's get together and share some hockey chatter during Game 2.
