To find out why this bedazzled Chicago Blackhawks jersey is relevant, you’ll have to listen to the podcast! Click on the green button below to get started.
A COMPLETELY RELEVANT PICTURE OF PATRICK SHARP THIS WEEK. (Photo: Mel Boysen)
Second Balcony Breakdown makes a triumphant return this week live from Casey’s apartment (which means the sound quality is about 500% better than any podcast that came before it)! Casey was out of the country last week, so we have a lot of ground to cover, including…
Working backwards, the Chicago Blackhawks‘ games against the… (deep breath) Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche times two, Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues, and Edmonton Oilers (again)
Other happenings around the NHL, including the debate on visors being reignited by Marc Staal‘s injury, the Anaheim Ducks and Ryan Getzlaf‘s baldness contract extension, the Philadelphia Flyers‘ woes, and the Blue Jackets as the Little Team That Could.
Patrick Sharp‘s insatiable vanity during warmups
Jonathan Toews‘ spread in Splash magazine (click here for the online article about it — you’ll be able to tell what photos I’m talking about when you get there) and his new nickname, Captain Tiger Beat
Casey’s experience watching a Belfast Giants-Cardiff Devils game in Ireland
The best hockey bar Casey has ever been to is in Belfast at the Odyssey Arena, and it’s called Rockies Sports Bar. They have every sort of jersey you can imagine… except for a Blackhawks jersey. Someone needs to get on that. Have the Blackhawks’ people call their people.
The Line Cocktail for the week, which is the most disgusting one yet.
Question for this week: I don’t even know — you find it.
Make sure you’re following us on Twitter! Casey is @Raedances, and I’m, of course, @RunsOnDuncan.
Click the green button below to listen.
Download the podcast here. (Right-click and select “Save target/link as…” to download the MP3 to your computer.)
I’m starting to think that Patrick Sharp should just be our “logo.” (Photo: Mel Boysen/flickr)
Welcome to our newly-renamed podcast, Second Balcony Breakdown! Casey and I would like to thank Fork from HOCKEENIGHT for providing us with part of the name (the “Second Balcony” part). Seriously, go check out HOCKEENIGHT if you haven’t already. Just don’t click the links if you’re at work. You might get fired… or arrested.
Onto the topics, which include…
Last week’s Chicago Blackhawks games against the San Jose Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets (we already had a special podcast about the game against the Vancouver Canucks, which you can listen to here)
Duncan Keith is a weirdo (talking about Brandon Saad‘s “big, hairy” body after the Sharks game). Check outhis quotes to Brian Hedger on Hedger’s Twitter, for example.
Lindy Ruff, and why the Buffalo Sabres are terrible
Various games around the league, including the shitshow that was the Pittsburgh Penguins/Philadelphia Flyers game, the return of Luocho in the Canucks game against the Detroit Red Wings, and Evgeni Malkin‘s concussion in the Penguins’ game against the Florida Panthers
The NHL’s proposed realignment plan and why it’s boring (check out my post about it)
This week’s Line Cocktail Whoops, no Line Cocktail for this week, because we forgot. Next week’s will be a doozy to make up for this.
This week’s question: With Detroit possibly out of the Blackhawks’ conference next year, who will take their place as their top rival?
Click the green button below to listen. One of these days, I will sound less like I’m talking with a scarf wrapped around my face while inside a tin shed. Hopefully by next week.
Download the podcast here. (Right-click and select “Save target/link as…” to download the MP3 to your computer.)
Shocking news from the Chicago Blackhawks! Patrick Kane is playing without a mouth guard this season, according to the Chicago Tribune.
“They didn’t have one for me when I got to Switzerland,” said Kane, who played for HC Biel during the lockout. “I could have gone to the dentist and got one, but I forgot all about it. When I came back here, (the Hawks) had some for me to try, but it just kind of felt weird in my mouth.”
The mouth guard hanging out of Kane’s mouth (instead of actually, you know, guarding his mouth) had become something of a trademark for Kane. The last two Kane bobbleheads featured a mouth guard dangling from his lips, and the Blackhawks even used replica mouth guards as a giveaway last season. Guess the Blackhawks marketing geniuses will have to come up with something else now. Maybe a Kane spinning top for all those spin-o-ramas?
GO GO BIG-LIPPED MOFO! (Photo: Cheryl Adams/flickr)
Corey Crawford was named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week, sandwiched between the San Jose Sharks’ Patrick Marleau (channeling his Jeremy Roenick hatred into something useful?) and the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Martin St. Louis (who will always be Teeny Little Super Guy). (nhl.com)
While I think there are a couple of Blackhawks worthy of mention in this discussion (Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane, mostly), Crawford has been solid in net so far with a 1.78 GAA and .933 SV%. He was also a big reason why the Blackhawks were able to take last night’s game into overtime, with key saves while everyone around him was dying on their feet.
So, keep it up, Crawford. We’re counting on you (mostly because Ray Emery‘s hip isn’t fully functional yet, and the Blackhawks’ goaltending depth goes off a cliff after you two).
REAL AMERICAN HERO. (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)
Alright, I’m exhausted and my brain hurts, so let’s get to the point.
The Blackhawks had one of their best periods in the first — only to be followed up by one of their worst periods in the second. The third is kind of a blur, since I was attempting not to pass out from holding my breath too long. The Red Wings tied it up, it goes to overtime, and I’m thinking “Hey, 5-1 isn’t so bad. At least we’re not the [insert terrible team right now here]…”
But Nick Leddy interrupted that thought by scoring the game winner. The Blackhawks have their best start ever. Boom.
Okay, now you can watch this video of Leddy’s goal a million times. I’m going to bed.
I have no idea who will be in goal for the Blackhawks, since no one’s confirmed anything yet — but I wouldn’t be surprised if Corey Crawford was back between the pipes. Jimmy Howard has been confirmed as the goaltender for the Red Wings. (MLive.com)
Some of you may remember me as your erstwhile Chicago Express reporter. Well, as we all know, the Express went to the big ice rink in the sky shortly after the conclusion of their inaugural season. So what is a newly minted Chicago-area ECHL fan to do?
The upcoming 2012-13 ECHL season has seen four new teams added to the league, including two “local” entities, the Fort Wayne Komets and Evansville IceMen. I say “local” because in reality, Kalamazoo is closer to either one of those locations from Chicago, and it’ll be a cold day in hell before I root for the Wings (*gag*).
So my allegiances (and somewhat limited reporting skillz) has fallen behind the Toledo Walleye, the farm team of the Blackhawks and dreaded Detroit Red Wings. What sadist in the Toledo front office came up with that marriage made in Hades?
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