sheldon brookbank 2012

sheldon brookbank 2012

Blackhawks vs. Maple Leafs - Win Recap

"Hero Of The Leap Day"



So, that trade deadline certainly was exciting wasn't it? I didn't think so, either. The Leafs came into the UC Wednesday night to face the Blackhawks in a rare matchup between these two clubs. Back in the day, Toronto was in the same division and there were many storied rivalry games, but since they were moved to the other conference the Hawks haven't seen much of them. This Leafs team was a pesky one that is as streaky as any team in the NHL. Some days they are world beaters and others, dick beaters. With a coach on the hot seat, and players that seem to be on the window ledge of "Don't Give a Fuck Tower", you never know what will light a flame under their ass. If I were a member of that team, and Brian Burke was the GM, I'd be afraid. He comes off like the Mike Ditka of NHL GM's. That being said, I'd love to have him at the helm of the Hawks. Anyhow, before even taking the ice, the Hawks were still majorly shorthanded, without El Capitan, Hammer, and Montador. Hossa and Keith didn't skate in the morning run through, so it was anyone's guess what was going on there, but it was announced that they would be on the ice for the game. In happier notes, Rookie Brandon Bollig was making his Hawks debut, as "The Enforcer". Anything is better than Big Slow, so I'm exited to see what he does in his predictable 8 minutes of ice time. By all accounts, EVERYONE loves this guy. I'm hoping for a smarter Ben Eager. That's not too much to ask for, is it? Especially since Eager has the IQ of a bucket of dirt. On to the game!

There wasn't a lick of defense played in the first period of the game last night. To be fair, There wasn't much goaltending, either, with the Leafs getting 3 goals on 10 shots, and the Hawks getting 2 goals on 11 shots. Brutally sloppy hockey for both teams. The second period looked much better for the Hawks. They scored 2 goals, to take the lead, on 11 shots, while holding the Leafs to no goals on 7 shots. Not pretty, but certainly better hockey. The third period was pretty tight, even though the Hawks scored an empty netter, and the Leafs scored one with only a couple of ticks left on the clock. The Hawks walked away with a 5-4 win to hat their latest losing streak, but it's not like they beat the Wings, here. Take it for what it's worth, a game the should have won.

The Good

• Andrew Shaw tied the game up for the Hawks on a pretty simple play, and an honestly weak goal. He dug the puck out of the corner, spun off his guy, and curled through the left circle. As he squared up to the net, he just ripped a shot past Gustavsson's stick side. At least the Hawks aren't the only team to be giving up weak goals. 1-1 Tie.
• Dream Warrior brought the Hawks back within one goal, with under 30 seconds to go in the first period. Nick Leddy picked up the remains of yet another Duncan Keith blocked shot and figured that he'd try and power one through the traffic himself. This one got to Kruger, who redirected it back to Gustavsson's left, and into the net. 3-2 Leafs.
• Kaner scored his second goal in two games, off a bad Leafs rebound and turnover. Lepisto took a long wide open point shot that Gustavsson saved. The rebound popped out to his left and Joey Crabb nonchalantly went after it. Kane snuck up behind Crabb and lifted his stick, and sending the puck towards the net. Brunette got a stick on the puck and held onto it long enough for Kane to get there and chip it up and over Gustavsson. Tie game 3-3.
• Hossa put the Hawks up for the first time of the night, about midway through the second period. He took a feed from a curling Kane and drove hard to the slot, and beat Gustavsson to the stick side, after powering through the Grabovski backpack he was wearing. At this point Gustavsson's glove side is a GLARING weakness. 4-3 Hawks.
• Hoss had what has to be one of the most determined empty net goals you'll ever see, from a very tight angle, to ice a 5-3 Blackhawks win. He ended up with 2 goal, and a plus 3 on the night. LIKE A BOSS! 5-3 Hawks.
• Sami Lepisto saved held the lead for the Hawks, late in the third period. How's that decision to sit him for 10s of games at a time, Joel? Was that REALLY necessary? He may not be Duncan Keith, but the guy is playing his ass off. Nice to see him get the nod over O'Donnell for a change.
• Razor was a beast, after coming in cold. He held the Hawks together long enough to come back. He deserves the #1 spot. No more dicking around.

The Bad

• Fifty nine seconds into the game, the Blackhawks were already fishing the puck out of their own net. Bolland got caught trying to beat the puck through a pair of shit guards, and turned it over. Bozak pulled it from behind the net and backhanded it on Crawford, of course, it ended up in the net. Oduya had to be looking at Seabrook wondering what possessed him to leave Bozak wide open and vacate what was the only place the Leafs could go. Fucking Brain Fart! Couple days rest did you boys some good, eh?
• The starting defensive pairs made no sense. Keith/Leddy, Seabrook/Oduya. Lepisto/Olsen. I can't understand, why Quenneville puts these stupid pairings out there knowing full well they will need to be adjusted. If he doesn't know this, he's not as talented a hockey mind as everyone makes him out to be.
• Just twenty eight seconds after the Hawks first goal, the Leafs scored on the powerplay. Lupul tipped a shot past Crawford, who was hung out to dry with two Leafs forwards in his grill, and no defenders. Oduya was on the ice for both early goals, for what that's worth. Apparently, he subscribes to the "not tying up opponent's sticks" school of thought, too. Lovely.
• Clarke MacArthur put the Leafs up 3-1 when he picked up a puck that was blocked by Seabrook and hit a virtually wide open net. Crawford was down way too early, and couldn't recover when the puck ended up going to his right. When I say down early, I mean down WAY early. The end of the period marked the end of Crawford's night.
• The Leafs Mike Brown ended Emery's scoreless streak, with 3 seconds to go in the game, as he tipped a pass from the corner up and over Razor's shoulder. Whatever, Emery was a beast nonetheless.
• Brandon Bollig got into his first Hawks fight, taking on Luke Schenn. The two of them pretty much hugged it out, but you had to know he would have fought ANYONE to make himself visible to the coaches. I was off on his TOI, though. I predicted 8 minutes of time for Bollig, and he got 5:34. In my defense, if he didn't get in that fight, he might have had another 45 seconds. He only saw the ice once after the fight. Mr. Bollig, welcome to Chateau Bow Wow, I'm your Maître d', Dr. Lineblender. While I like his spirit and hunger to contribute, that was an awful time to fight. He's going to have to pick his spots better. That was the very thing that plagued John Scott. The Hawks had just taken a 4-3 lead, and had the momentum.
• Seventeen shots against in the third period of a one goal game is bad news! You're not going to win many games getting peppered like that in your own end.

The Ugly

• I finally figured out why Dylan Olsen looks so FUCKING slow. He can't skate backwards from a stopped position, or when he has to transition from forward to backwards. If he's standing still and a forward breaks in on him fast, he is dead to rights. Just a huge pylon.
• The Blackhawks led one of the worst 4-on-2 rushes I've ever seen; in any league. It was just painful to watch them aimlessly throw the puck around the neutral zone like a live grenade.
• Stalberg took a nasty hit from behind from Franson late in the second period, that got no call, but Stalberg ended up in the locker room with what looked like a shoulder problem. That was a bad missed call, and thankfully Stalberg was back for the third period.
• Crawford was pulled in favor of Razor, after the first intermission, as he should have been. Honestly, the look on his face, as the period started, was one of sheer confusion. He is a beaten man and can't understand what is wrong. I've been there, and it's so fucking frustrating. Just another example of why the idea of trading Emery was asinine, unless they had given up on the season.

Here are your video highlights:

Blackhawks: Movin On Up

Today, the Blackhawks did exactly what any halfwit would have expected. They made two small splashes. One move was made to add to the team, and another to clear up a roster spot for the first. First of all, the Hawks traded two draft picks to former Assistant GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and the Winnipeg Jets, for 30 year old Johnny Oduya. The second move was Bowman trading John Scott to the New York Rangers for a 5th round draft pick.

Do these moves fix all the problems that the Blackhawks have? Absolutely not, but the Oduya move addresses the Hawks biggest hole, which was on defense. Based on what was available, they probably got the best option on the market, to fit their needs. Not an ideal choice, but with the recent re-signings, there was a seriously depleted talent pool. In acquiring Oduya, they were carrying too many defensemen on their roster, and felt that keeping Dylan Olsen in the NHL and Sami Lepisto on the roster were in their best interest. That lead to the John Scott deal.

Johnny Oduya

Johnny Oduya is a 30 year old, 6’0” 200lb, lefthanded defenseman from Sweden that will wear #27 for the Blackhawks, and probably debut Wednesday night against the Leafs. He was originally brought up in the strong New Jersey Devils system, and traded to Atlanta/Winnipeg, was part of the infamous Ilya Kovalchuk deal, in February of 2010. He has two 25+ point season for the Devils, so behind the right team, he can contribute offensively. The Blackhawks acquired him for 2nd and 3rd round picks in 2013.

He is regarded as a great skater, which is not to be confused with FAST SKATER. He’s strong on his skates, and has good balance. This means you won’t see him tripping over his own feet or getting turned around like a top. He is younger and probably a better skater than both Montador and O'Donnell. He will probably be the injury replacement for Montador, to begin with. If Montador makes it back this season, he'll somehow push O'Donnell and Lepisto back down to the #8 and #9 guys, or possibly push Olsen back to Rockford. This is a good move, but not a great move, and purely a rental, because Oduya is an UFA at the season's end. No one knows just how this one will turn out until the draft of 2013. Right now, it's low risk, and possible high reward.

John Scott

The John Scott experiment has ended in Chicago. He was sent to the New York Rangers for a 5th round draft pick in this year's draft. For as many people that wanted him off the ice, they didn't necessarily want him gone. He was a good locker room guy, and his teammates loved him. The problem is that he is a terrible hockey player, but a talented face tenderizer. Maybe one of the worst hockey playing enforcers in recent memory. When he fought, he did is exceptionally, but there was no way around putting him on the ice to actually play hockey. People would argue that just the his mere presence would scare the bejesus out of the other team, and I would vehemently disagree. He was a clown; a sideshow act. He fought at the wrong times, took stupid penalties, and forced other players to incur extra ice time, because he was barely worthy of stepping on the ice. That's the cold hard truth.

BUT, alas, he is gone to the city that welcomed King Kong, and the Sultan of Swat. Surely, they will welcome the Big Slow. Maybe they are hoping he will be able to fill the big shoes left by the unfortunate death of Derek Boogaard. He may just fit right into that spot, because he is quite similar in stature and personality. Good luck in New York, John. Honestly and Sincerely.

Blackhawks Trade Deadline Ticker

Feel free to bookmark this page, I will outline any moves the Blackhawks make today.

New Blackhawks Players

Johnny Oduya

Height: 6'0"
Weight: 190
Shoots: Left
Born: 1 Oct 1981 (Age 30)
Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden

Details - Winnipeg acquires 2nd and 3rd rounds picks.
Assets - Is a great skater with the instincts to limit the damage to a minimum in the defensive zone. Owns an infectious attitude and is a solid teammate. Can occasionally play a shutdown role.
Flaws - Isn't a major offensive threat, nor is he big by National Hockey League standards. Also lacks the temperament to play with physical aggression on a consistent basis. Lacks consistency.
Career Potential - Mobile defensive defenseman.

Stats
Games 63 Goals 2 Assists 11 Points 13 PIM33

Salary
$3.5million

Blackhawks at Anaheim - Loss Recap

"San Andreas Fault"



Hotel California was not been good to the Blackhawks, thus far. After a shutout loss the night before to the Kings, the Hawks limped the short trip to the Pond, aka The Honda Center, to take on the suddenly hot Ducks. This would be yet another game without Jonathan Toews, Steve Montador, and Nik Hjalmarsson. Ray Emery was in net, and this could be the last time we see a couple of these players in Hawks uniforms. If Stan grows a set of balls, that is.

The first period of the game, Sunday night, was pretty much all Blackhawks even though they were out shot 11-10. A very late unfortunate goal on a brain fart by the Hawks, tied up the game at 1-1. The second period was very much a Ducks period. They scored one goal on 13 shots, and the Hawks only had 5 shots the entire period. The third period was, again, all Ducks. The Ducks out shot the Hawks 13-4 and shut the Hawks down defensively. A 5-on-3 powerplay goal was all the Ducks needed to close the Hawks down.

The Good

• That Hawks scored the first goal of the game, about half way through the first period ON THE POWERPLAY! You read that right. I don't have the words to describe this actual goal, because I haven't seen such a site in in more than a dozen games. Anyhow, it was Kaner that snapped a long shot past Hiller on a screen by Mayers. 1-0 Hawks.

The Bad

• Of course, the Hawks had three chances to get the puck out of their own zone and failed miserably. Eventually, the puck ended up on net, and the rebound was poked in by Cogliano with 19 seconds to go in the first period. After a LONG look see from the folks in Toronto, it was decided that the kicking motion from Cogliano didn't lead directly to the goal, and that he got a stick on the puck. I agree with their call.
• Nick Leddy went and got his ass rocked by Ryan Getzlaf, in the second period. He might have needed use of the quiet room after that one.
• Leddy wasn't the only one to get rocked, with Marcus Kruger getting rocked twice. Always good for recently concussed players.
• Sheldon Brookbank put the Ducks up 2-1 with just over 7 minutes left in the second period. Hayes screened Emery on the long shot that hit Deuce in the leg and ended up in the net.
• Selanne put the Ducks up 3-1 on a 5-on-3 powerplay, 5 minutes into the third period. At that point the Hawks were out shot 6-0. The Hawks had no life.
• Father Time absolutely murdered the Hawks with a goal, an assist, and 8 shots on net. Some of the Hawks were half his age, and couldn't keep up.

The Ugly

• Towards the end of the second period, Razor took exception to Hagman pitchforking him and threw a few shots at him. I can't say I blame him, becasue I would have done the same thing. Glad to see someone actually had some fight in them, because the rest of the team resembled steaming dog shit.
• When you're out shot 38-19, you're not going to win many games.

Here are your video highlights:

Blackhawks at Los Angeles KingsSHUTOUT Loss Recap

"King Nothing"



The Blackhawks winning streak wasn't going to last forever, but none of us thought that the streak would end at home, against Dallas. If the Hawks can put together four game winning streaks, we should all be happy fans. Saturday night, the Hawks traveled to LA to visit the Kings and their newest acquisition Jeff Carter. The Blackhawks, themselves, have been rumored to be making a deal, or deals before Monday's deadline. No one, but Stan Bowman, knows what will happen, but thank god the fans have games to keep their minds somewhat at ease. If they didn't, I would have to go on a machine gun killing spree. So, back to the Hawks and Kings before this turns into a tirade.

The first period of the game didn't go as planned, at all. The Hawks gave up two powerplay goals on two awful penalties, and they weren't able to generate much pressure on their own powerplays whatsoever. The second period was a complete and utter shit show. The Hawks gave up two more goals on 15 shots, including a shorthanded goal, to whimper into the third period down 4-0. So much for the hopes of a new winning streak starting in Los Angeles. The third period was a mere formality as the Hawks were a beaten team with no energy. When the final horn sounded, the Kings had sent the Hawks to Anaheim 4-0 losers.

The Good

• MegaMayers was the only Hawks highlight in the first two periods taking on Matt Greene in a little kerfuffle. That's it, a fight.
• Pat Foley had the quote of the night when the third period began, "Not a lot has been awesome here tonight". Ain't THAT the truth?
• The Kings took their foot off the gas, but Razor Emery had a nice night, making 20 saves. Look for him in net, in Anaheim.
• The Kings only out hit the Hawks 30-29, so that tells you how much that stat really matters.

The Bad

• Ten minutes into the first period, Big Slow took a stupid roughing penalty, and the Kings scored on the resulting powerplay. Frolik got caught forechecking extremely deep in the Kings end, and once Stoll beat Frolik, he was off to the races. When Stoll hit the Hawks blue line, he dished it off to a waiting Dustin Brown. Brown followed the pick set by Stoll and the Red Sea parted. He was able size up Crawford, and pick his spot, easily. 1-0 Kings
• For the second time in the first period, Nick Leddy was beaten by a Kings forward, but the Hawks caught a breaks when Kopitar was called for goaltender interference, even tough he never touched Crawford. STUPID RULE! Not like the Hawks could possibly score on the powerplay, anyway.
• Brown scored his second powerplay goal of the night on a bad Stalberg checking from behind penalty. Hossa lost the ensuing faceoff in the Hawks zone, and Martinez sent a clean shot on net. The rebound came off Crawford's pads, and Brown was left to whack the fuck out of the puck, by Lurch and Seabrook. Could SOMEONE on this penalty kill tie up an opponent's stick? Once? Please? 2-0 Kings.
• To make matters worse, the "shorthanded break-a-way of the game" went to Dustin Brown, and he ended up with his hat trick, only five minutes into the second period. Leddy and Keith couldn't get a clean entry into the Kings zone, and Hoss put in a half ass effort to drop off and help out. The effort just wasn't there. 3-0 Kings
• Nick Leddy started he shit show on the fourth Kings goal. He completely bailed on a Kings dump in and Stoll was able to control it. Stoll pushed it behind the net to Brown, who then fed it out to a wide open Willie Mitchell at the point. Mitchell had about 36 hours to set up and take his shot. Nonetheless, Crawford should have stopped the shot, but he didn't, and that was the end of his night. Four goals on 10 shots. That is terrible. For all those dopes out there calling for the Hawks to trade Emery last week, THIS is why they can't do that. GAME OVER FOLKS!

The Ugly

• In a minute stretch of the second period, Michael Frolik, and Vik Stalberg both missed break-a-ways. Stalberg's was a 2-on-0 with Sharp following up the play, in which he couldn't even hit the net so Sharp could get the rebound. This game just got more brutal by the second.
• THIS stupid shit is what really pisses me off about the "genius", Joel Quenneville. Big Slow was on the ice FOUR times in the first two periods. Two of those shifts ended in HIS penalties, the first of which ended up resulting in the first Kings goal. People like Stalberg, Smith, Shaw, Frolik, Bickell, and Lepisto get benched for one bad HOCKEY PLAY, and Big Slow is allowed to run around like a big stupid gorilla, taking uncontainable penalties that are either off the play or after the whistle. Tighten up the leash on that smelly beast, Dr Lineblender!
• Leddy showed why being forced to play top 4 minutes is above and beyond his current skillset. He was out muscled all night, and he constantly looked confused. He needs to be the #5 guy with a veteran stay at home guy that can cover for his short attention span, like Montador, unfortunately. If they don't pick a defenseman up by the deadline, this team does NOT make it past the second round, if even that far. I said it here, February 25th.

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