I also think simply saying the Bruins won game 2 because of their power game is selling them a little short. That's a skilled team over there as well.
- andru2797

The Bruins power game led to like 3 scoring chances, their skill led to a lot more

I also think simply saying the Bruins won game 2 because of their power game is selling them a little short. That's a skilled team over there as well.
- andru2797

Don't think I said that. They are a great team because they have a balance of speed and grit, and can choose which style to play when required to do so.

As I said before, the most alarming thing about Saturday's loss was the manner in which they lost. After their second miserable failure of a PP (about 7 seconds of zone time...literally), they were totally dominated in every facet except the scoreboard.

Lots of people suggesting that the 1st period proves the Hawks can dominate if they just play "their game". Problem with that is that is, the 2nd, 3rd, and OT proved that Boston also appears to be able to dominate when they play "their game", and Boston seems better equipped to impose their will.

I hope tonight looks more like Saturday's 1st period, but I fear that in front of the home crowd, Boston may impose their will right from the opening puck drop. I hope I'm wrong, but I feel like a blowout is coming...and not the good kind. 5-1 B's.
- Ogilthorpe2

You've almost completely captured what I have been thinking since Saturday night. Hope you're (we're) wrong too.

Don't think I said that. They are a great team because they have a balance of speed and grit, and can choose which style to play when required to do so.
- Return of the Roar

Indeed...but they also have their weaknesses. Toronto didn't fluke their way to almost beating them. They had the right idea: use speed and quick movement to get the Bruins to take penalties and make them pay. That's the template. The problem is until we can make them pay on the PP that doesn't work.

I will reiterate: you cannot expect the Hawks to try and play the Bruins' game and beat them at it. That's like Bruins fans asking that their team play a speed/finesse game to try and beat the Hawks.

The best way to try and beat them is to gameplan around your team's strengths.

Lucic is so far and away the best power forward in the NHL it makes no sense to say the Hawks don't have a guy that can answer that.
- rollpards19

it took looch all regular season to get himself in shape and he's healthy this playoff series for a change. he flipped the switch halfway through the 3rd period of the game 7 against the buds.

i'd target horton's shoulder which would move seguin up and force the b's back to 2 lines.

The best way to try and beat them is to gameplan around your team's strengths.
- andru2797

Tend to agree here - it is possible. Q seems at times to plan around the other team's weaknesses in favor of planning around his team's strengths.

There IS a difference...Stalberg right now should have all the incentive in the world to perform: Being benched, being in the Stanley Cup Final and playing for a contract. That alone to me puts him ahead of the other two. He has everything to gain/lose. If he doesn't respond tonight, I don't know if there's ANYTHING that could get him going.
- andru2797

Hard to respond when your out of the lineup and then when you're in it, you're lucky if you see 6 or 8 minutes of ice time. I know all the advantages (speed) and warts (careless turnovers) with Stalberg and I by no means consider him a savior, but if you're only going to play him 6 to 8 minutes and you're going to relegate him to the fourth line in a checking role, then you might as well not even play him because that role is just setting him up for failure. I would put him on either one of the top two lines and see what he can do playing with Toews and Hossa or with Sharp. I don't think he is going to hurt you as long as he keeps things simple, but you might catch lightening in the bottle if you give him a shot with one of the top lines at least to start the game. At the very worst, I would put him on the third line with Bickell and Shaw if you don't trust him on either of the top lines. In my opinion, that third line should have never been broken up in the first place as it was consistently their best line. Also, the Hawks need Toews to be more effective. They've tried numberous combinations on that first line and he's still struggling to find the scoresheet. Throw Stalberg up there with him and Kane for starters and see if they can generate something. We all know how Q works, so if something isn't working, he's going to change it anyway.

He's so damn good. Very jealous...but until this series is over F' him, i know hes big and tough but he can be baited into dumb penalties. Its difficult to do though because most of the time any kind of attack on him just bounces off harmlessly haha

GO HAWKS'
- BlazinMike

>Hockey is a game of confidence
>Just a few weeks ago (end of regular season), Lucic was dropped from the Bs 1st line, to the 2nd, 3rd, down to the 4th line and then press box to watch
>Many in Boston at that time were wanting him dealt
>Now he's playing with great confidence
>There's a fine line between playing careless and confident and the Hawk need to find it

One big check from Buff and Pronger disappeared
- Maggie

Exactly. So who's it going to be tonight on Lucic AND Chara? I don't care if it's Corey Crawford, so long as somebody puts them on their behinds at least once.

Exactly. So who's it going to be tonight on Lucic AND Chara? I don't care if it's Corey Crawford, so long as somebody puts them on their behinds at least once.
- Lash8

I'm looking at you Bicks.

Exactly. So who's it going to be tonight on Lucic AND Chara? I don't care if it's Corey Crawford, so long as somebody puts them on their behinds at least once.
- Lash8

No one in the NHL will be doing that to Chara. No way.

I'm looking at you Bicks.
- golfbard

Keep looking. Judging his last game, I don't see him showing up any time soon. The carriage has become a pumpkin

The problem with your analysis is that you have contradicted yourself. They scored one goal in regulation (which is why they lost) because they got forechecked out of the building for the entire game after period one. This will be a recurrent theme as you admit, wearing them down in the latter games of the series.

It is not about how many goals were not given up in the face of the opponents' forecheck - it is about how many you get in the other team's net.

The stars are failing to produce because they have no physical punch to their game to compliment the skill and speed. This narrative is necessary, because if this series boils down to a simple war of physical attrition, those calling for more of a power game up front will have been correct.

Add to this Al's observation that the withstanding of punishment style of game favors the Bruins.
- Return of the Roar

I'm with you on this, and I admitted as such in my post. The Bruins most likely will wear down the Hawks. But its not necessary to say it now just out of the zealousness that people were unhappy about the roster and now choosing Game 2 as a rallying point to crow about these calls of impending doom. Two games in to the series, one was a physical draw and the Bruins carried the second. Nothing groundbreaking there.

You can have the physical forecheck by the Bruins as your reason for the Hawks not getting a lot of pressure over the last 40 minutes. In my opinion that's a little revisionist history about the second period. Both PPs the Hawks drew in that period were a result of pressure in the Boston end. Boston carried the play, but I would not say that the Hawks spent the whole period hemmed in their own end getting pounded mercilessly.

My main point is that the stars need to produce. Everything else is window-dressing. 30 million dollars worth of power play talent had 6 minutes to extend out the lead in Game 2. If I am looking for somewhere to lay the blame of a loss to, I'll go with that over the hitting debate that the Hawks have shown to be game to this spring.

I would have been happy with a big grinder added up front, but I don't hold that as the reason the Hawks are tied right now. This team showed itself as tough enough when many thought they would get rubbed out (I know, you moved the goal posts on the Hawks proving themselves against the Kings because the Kings weren't healthy while not giving the Hawks any cover for injuries despite known injuries to Sharp and inferred injuries to several other Hawk stars). If the stars score, the Hawks will win.

Keep looking. Judging his last game, I don't see him showing up any time soon. The carriage has become a pumpkin
- rollpards19

Yup he stunk last game and frankly I didn't think he was great in game 1 despite making a key hit that lead to the game winner. Rest of the game was mostly meh. Welcome back Bickell, the player weve known and loved for the last few years.

No one in the NHL will be doing that to Chara. No way.
- andru2797

http://video.nhl.com/vide...0092010,2,645&event=BOS30

Sharp did in 2010

he better deliver
- John Jaeckel

Oh he will JJ just think of Johnny Oduya in the neutral zone...he'll serve it up to to Boston. Stalberg's another charmin soft Stanbow special. I'd take Versteeg any day over this guy.

I am exhausted with all the analysis

Please not Carcillo
- PEIHawkFan

I guess you liked game 2...

Oh he will JJ just think of Johnny Oduya in the neutral zone...he'll serve it up to to Boston. Stalberg's another charmin soft Stanbow special. I'd take Versteeg any day over this guy.
- DK002

Or Ladd...or Brower or buff or hell frasier...

http://video.nhl.com/vide...0092010,2,645&event=BOS30

Sharp did in 2010
- Hemingways

Ha! Nice find! But still...who won that one? *EDIT* Nevermind...found the boxscore...need a game exactly like that night from Duncs!

On a side note, seriously NHL? 30 second commercials before a WEB video? Shameful...

Or Ladd...or Brower or buff or hell frasier...
- southernhawk

We'd all like to have Ladd, Versteeg, Brouwer and Byfuglien back but it's not happening.

Or Ladd...or Brower or buff or hell frasier...
- southernhawk

Definitely fair to compare the guy who makes 800k to 2 5 mil guys and two 3 mil guys

No one in the NHL will be doing that to Chara. No way.
- andru2797

Sharp put Chara on his ass one time in the regular season a couple years ago...its not impossible and it doesnt need to be the biggest guy ever

I'm with you on this, and I admitted as such in my post. The Bruins most likely will wear down the Hawks. But its not necessary to say it now just out of the zealousness that people were unhappy about the roster and now choosing Game 2 as a rallying point to crow about these calls of impending doom. Two games in to the series, one was a physical draw and the Bruins carried the second. Nothing groundbreaking there.

You can have the physical forecheck by the Bruins as your reason for the Hawks not getting a lot of pressure over the last 40 minutes. In my opinion that's a little revisionist history about the second period. Both PPs the Hawks drew in that period were a result of pressure in the Boston end. Boston carried the play, but I would not say that the Hawks spent the whole period hemmed in their own end getting pounded mercilessly.

My main point is that the stars need to produce. Everything else is window-dressing. 30 million dollars worth of power play talent had 6 minutes to extend out the lead in Game 2. If I am looking for somewhere to lay the blame of a loss to, I'll go with that over the hitting debate that the Hawks have shown to be game to this spring.

I would have been happy with a big grinder added up front, but I don't hold that as the reason the Hawks are tied right now. This team showed itself as tough enough when many thought they would get rubbed out (I know, you moved the goal posts on the Hawks proving themselves against the Kings because the Kings weren't healthy while not giving the Hawks any cover for injuries despite known injuries to Sharp and inferred injuries to several other Hawk stars). If the stars score, the Hawks will win.
- PhatJoeSki

I'm not rallying for them to fail. I am actually hoping they sack up like they did against DET and find that next level they seem to sporadically roll out.

I also think the lack of success on the power play has something to do with the lack of physical game as well as the tried and tired umbrella. Have to have someone willing to take a cross check to the head from Chara while standing in front of Rask.

I'm not rallying for them to fail. I am actually hoping they sack up like they did against DET and find that next level they seem to sporadically roll out.

I also think the lack of success on the power play has something to do with the lack of physical game as well as the tried and tired umbrella. Have to have someone willing to take a cross check to the head from Chara while standing in front of Rask.
- Return of the Roar

Shaw has literally already done this exact thing, so now what else do you want? How can the Hawks prove they're tough to play with the big bad Bruins? How about tape to tape passes and not getting walked out of corners? (guaranteed first round exit looks a bit premature eh?)

Shaw has literally already done this exact thing, so now what else do you want? How can the Hawks prove they're tough to play with the big bad Bruins? How about tape to tape passes and not getting walked out of corners? (guaranteed first round exit looks a bit premature eh?)
- rollpards19

OK, that's one...and is he consistently on a PP unit? Save the finesse for the 5 on 5. You need bangers to make the PP work. More than one.