| 29 October 2010
One of these does not look like the others.
Game Time: 7:30 PM CST
TV/Radio: CSN / WGN Radio (720 AM)
The Enemy: Low on Oil
Hossa could miss up to a couple of weeks.
That's about all you need to know about the state of the Hawks. Well, I lied. It isn't the only thing (Bolland missed practice as well, but it was a maintenance day for him, which could bring into question the state of his back, but to be honest that's not a topic I'd like to get into right now), but it's a big thing. As far as the team is concerned, their play so far has been carried by the performances of one Marian Hossa and one Patrick Sharp, and with Hossa missing, that puts a rather big hole in the Hawks' play on both ends of the ice that a current Hawk will need to fill. Before you ask who that Hawk will be, you gotta wonder first if the hole will even be filled at all.
Our lines could potentially look like this:
That last spot could be filled in by Brophey, potentially, or the Hawks may choose not to call anyone up and have Hendry fill in that role instead, but I'm pretty sure that with Hossa out for more than a game or two, the Hawks would want someone capable of skating as an actual forward in that role.
Our defensive pairings remain the same, mostly, with Cullimore skating alongside Hjalmarsson most of the time. He didn't actually fuck up then, because as much as Boynton's been a solid defenseman, it's his miscues that have been most costly to us so far. At least Campbell's skating again, and this could certainly pave the way for his return in the near future. Thank the friggin' hockey gods; Niklas looks about ready to die out there.
No word on who starts tonight, but I hope it isn't too soon to say I'm just glad there's no goalie controversy brewing this year. Turco has surprisingly been more than capable behind the Hawks' atrocious (relative to last year, that is-- we're 24th on shots against per game, but 13th for goals against per game-- thanks, Turcs!) defense, and Crawford has also been a very solid back-up.
Tonight the Hawks face the Oilers, who are living proof that winning the first two games in the season and being crowned "hot" and "upstart" the way they have been is premature when you consider the sample size-- those are the only wins they have so far this year, having lost their last six contests, the last two in the shootout. That's a very long streak, and you have to believe eventually the Oilers will right that sinking ship, but hopefully that isn't tonight.
I can't tell you that I've been religiously following the Oilers' games-- they look like the Hawks from a few years ago (even their goalie looks kinda familiar, anyone know why?) with not just two, but three studs-in-the-making in Magnus Paajarvi, Jordan Eberle, and Taylor Hall, who I hear was picked pretty high this year. It's entirely possible that those three alone could eventually will the Oilers to a playoff spot, but I think for now this requires Oilers management to get their heads out of their asses and possibly, just possibly, do something about their blue line as well. (In case you haven't heard, Souray is being paid millions to play in the AHL, but even that's been hindered by his latest injury-- a broken hand.)
Tonight, in all honesty, looks like it could be a gimme. But with the Hawks nothing comes easy anymore, and it's a lesson they've got to learn, over and over again, until they get it right. There's 70 more games to go for this team to remember or rediscover what it takes to be a champion, and one thing to keep in mind is that no game is ever just a gimme.
Let's go Hawks!
