Two goals in the series clinching game for this man. (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

It was nice of the Blackhawks to let the Wild win a game but most people didn’t expect this series to get past five games. Tonight, the Blackhawks took care of business by finally looking like the team that won the Presidents’ Trophy this season. Sure Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane still don’t have playoff goals but Toews did finally get two assists tonight for his first points of the playoffs.

It didn’t matter as the Hawks got goals from Marian Hossa in the first, Marcus Kruger, Hossa again and Andrew Shaw in the second plus a 5-on-3 power play goal by Patrick Sharp in the third. Josh Harding started the game but was pulled after Hossa’s second goal to help try and change momentum. It didn’t help.

» Continue reading “Blackhawks Take Care Of Business In Game Five”

Congrats on becoming a father Duncs! (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

It wasn’t the prettiest win for the Blackhawks but in the playoffs, wins don’t need to be pretty. They just need to happen. And the Blackhawks got their third of the first round.

Before we get to the game, in case you didn’t hear Duncan Keith had a lot happen between game three and game four as he flew home yesterday for the birth of his first child. Colton Duncan Keith was born earlier this morning allowing his father to make it back to Minnesota in time for the game. (Side note: See that link to see what Seabrook had to do with the birth of little Keith.) He then went and lead the Hawks, and all players not named Ryan Suter, in ice time with a little over 23 minutes.

» Continue reading “Crawford Shuts Out Wild To Give Hawks 3-1 Series Lead”

Keep making those amazing passes. Maybe at some point the Wild will catch on. Nevermind. (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

A lot of people picked the Blackhawks to sweep the Wild. I knew they wouldn’t. Today, the Wild got their win…in overtime. Look, no disrespect to the Wild but this season, the Blackhawks are a better team. It shows in the standings and it should show on the ice.

By now, you’ve read the recaps so I won’t bore you with that. Instead, I give to you the two Blackhawks goals scored by defense off of passes by Patrick Kane:

» Continue reading “Wild Avoid Being Swept, Beat Hawks To Make Series 2-1″

Hi Patrick Sharp! Thanks for scoring two goals, including the game winner, tonight! (Photo: Kevin Carlson/flickr)

In game one of this series, the Blackhawks were nice to the Wild and let them stay in the game. Tonight, they remembered they were a number one seed who won the President’s Trophy and therefore weren’t expected to do that.

For instance, unlike in game one, the Blackhawks actually showed up to the start of this game. Corey Crawford saved the first shot he saw (which was better than his numbers earlier in the week) and the Blackhawks were getting good chances on Josh Harding. A little less than five minutes into the period, Patrick Kane pulled a new trick out of his bag – he literally kicked the puck into the net. Pretty sure he was trying to kick it to his stick and then put it in but it missed the middle part and went straight into the net. Obviously it didn’t count but he had the right idea.

Three and a half minutes later, the Hawks put the puck in legally as Michael Frolik buried an Andrew Shaw rebound for his first of the playoffs. Seven minutes later the Hawks were given a chance to extend their lead while on the power play but…well for those who read my stuff about the Rangers, you know I call their power play a power kill. I’m pretty sure I can use the same term when it comes to a Blackhawks power play.

The first period ended with the Hawks still having a 1-0 lead and a 17-7 edge in shots. I said the boys showed up to this first period.

» Continue reading “Harding Great But Hawks Better As Series Shifts West”

Turn that frown upside down Bickell. You just scored an overtime playoff winner! (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

Hi everyone! Melissa from Black and Blueshirts here ready to cover one of my Western teams, the Chicago Blackhawks, for the playoffs. My hope is by covering the Hawks and Rangers at least one of my teams will make it to the finals. Not sure what I will do if both of them do but will deal with that if it happens. For now, stick with me on Intermission Report for all your playoff Blackhawks needs.

Josh Harding is an easy guy to root for. By now his story is well-known as it’s almost a given that he will take the Masterton Trophy at this years’ award ceremony. And I would be rooting for him. But one, his team is playing the Blackhawks and two, his team knocked out the Blue Jackets…and I have soft spots for both of those teams. That said, he took a less than ideal situation and made it even harder to root against him.

The game didn’t start well for the Wild as expected starter Niklas Backstrom was hurt during warm-ups and needed help getting off the ice. In his place Josh Harding, and his twenty minutes of playoff experience, got the start against the Presidents Trophy winners. You would never have known how inexperienced he was watching him tonight.

» Continue reading “Hawks Need Overtime But Finally Dispose Of Wild”

During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Aerys NHL writers have been revealing their picks for the NHL award categories. You can find the previous prognostics over on the side bar.

The James Norris Memorial Trophy is awarded each year to the NHL’s top “defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position.” The award was first given in 1954 and since then, it has been awarded 58 times to 24 players. It is named for James E. Norris, owner Detroit Red Wings from 1932 to 1952.

Last season Aerys projected Erik Karlsson to win this award and he did! You can read more about that here.

Other notable past winners include Bobby Orr, Ray Bourque, Nicklas Lidstrom and Chris Pronger.

This year, perhaps because of the shortened season, the pool of quality candidates is large and hard to separate from one another but the following are my own nominations for this year’s Norris Trophy.

PK Subban – Montreal Canadiens

Subban’s season began a little later than everyone else’s as he was a restricted free agent without a contract. But soon he and the Montreal Canadiens reached an agreement and he was well on his way to leading all NHL defensemen in points with 38 (11 goals, 27 assists) in just 42 games played. In addition, seven of those points came on the powerplay and he was a combined +12 for the year. His success was instrumental in helping Habs go from the bottom to the top of the Northeast division.

Ryan Suter – Minnesota Wild

When Suter hit free agency this past summer, we all knew that a sweepstakes of sorts would take place. The Minnesota Wild were the winners then and continued to be winners as Suter proved himself to be an invaluable asset to their organization. Offensively, he contributed four goals and 28 assists, which when combined adds up to 32 points, the third best in the league among defensemen. In addition to offense, Suter also provided leadership as he wore an “A” on his sweater and mentored his rookie partner, Jonas Brodin into becoming a potential Calder Trophy winner. Suter played in all 48 of the Wild’s games and he averaged 27:13 minutes of ice time per game. However, in nine instances he played over 30 minutes, even three times playing more than 32. Even with playing those kind of minutes, Suter was a +2 for the season.

Kris Letang – Pittsburgh Penguins

Letang brings an interesting argument for his candidacy to the table. Despite playing in only 35 games this season, he collected 38 points (five goals, 33 assists). He was an overall +16 for the year and only amassed eight total penalty minutes. Many have dismissed Letang’s worthiness of this recognition due to argument that his impressive stats are more as a result of his fortune to play on a star-studded team than his actual play. Regardless, it would be silly to not include him as a Norris Trophy finalist.

My winner of this year’s James Norris Memorial Trophy is Ryan Suter. Not only does he fit the description of being proficient in all aspects of his position, he has done much of the heavy lifting in helping the Minnesota Wild to the playoffs for the first time in five years. Throughout the season he played a huge amount of minutes against the Western conference’s best players and was able to contribute offensively while still anchoring the team’s defense–everything that you want in your number one defenseman.

When most people hear the name Brent Burns, they likely think of the roar of laughter that came with this season’s training camp and what became well known as The Evolution of Brent Burns. I suppose when a 6’5”, 225 pound defenseman (sometimes forward) turns up at the San Jose Sharks training camp looking more Paul Bunyan than Blades of Steel, it’s hard not to notice. And you have to admit, it was going to be difficult after a four-month long lockout for punch-drunk hockey fans not to find something so easy to poke fun at.

Given his reputation as someone who spends a considerable amount of his time caring for others, his rough around the edges look didn’t seem too surprising. Who has time to worry about themselves when they’re busy living life and making other people priority? His ear-to-ear smile with the gap from a long-ago misplaced front tooth, the tattoos, the toques that match his suits, that’s just him. The beard and out of control mop of hair, well, alright… one had to wonder just what in the world he’d spent the lockout doing.

I’m no expert, but I’d like to believe he’d been having a ball with his family and looking after the folks and all the living things he’s made a part of his life. I’d really like to think that meant spending his extra time tending to all the interesting creatures – birds, cats, lizards, fish, you name it – in the animal sanctuary of a home he’s created for them which is lovingly referred to as the Burnzie Zoo.

» Continue reading “The Hawt Trophy: Brent Burns”

Making friends in high places! (source: flickr/bridgetds)

We all know hockey players are cute. This week’s They Said WHAT will make you want to pinch some cheeks, or just pat them on the head and tell them they’re pretty.

» Continue reading “They Said WHAT- Oh You’re Precious Edition”

Every once and a while you just want to see a haymaker filled donnybrook. Thanks to Mike Rupp and Tom Sestito, we can all go into the weekend on a high note. » Continue reading “Friday Fisticuffs: Tom Sestito vs. Mike Rupp”

As a special gift to you this Friday, we have a duo of fights for you courtesy of the Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild. Zenon Konopka is no stranger to our weekly meetings, so we welcome back in his latest sweater.

Here we go! » Continue reading “Friday Fisticuffs: Dale Weise vs. Zenon Konopka Double Shot”