Pre-Game Talk: Blackhawks at Sharks - 2/5 at 9:30 PM CT

[Cullksinikers]

Biggest test of the year so far. San Jose is off to a hot start. We will have had a couple days of rest and possibly Bolland back.

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[Cullksinikers]

Lock it up if it's too early to discuss the game. Don't really care.

 

[Illinihockey]

Luckily we get San Jose playing their 3rd game in 4 nights.

 

[MadhouseOnMadison]

Bolland might be back?

I avoided that thread about his injury once it turned into a Kruger/faceoffs discussion and I promptly did a...

 

[cherrypik]

Luckily we get San Jose playing their 3rd game in 4 nights.

Yeah, I was thinking about that as well. We need to win games when our opponents are playing 3 games in 4 nights. We played and lost both games against Minny and Van when they were playing their 3 game in 4 nights. IMO, We have looked bad in the 2nd and 3rd periods in our 3rd game in 4 night(STL, DET, CAL) games.

P.S. I know the Calgary win offset the two loser points we got in those games.

 

[Kurtosis]

The Hawks need to bring a 60 minute effort. If they fail to do so they will be in for a long night.

 

[Illinihockey]

Yeah, I was thinking about that as well. We need to win games when our opponents are playing 3 games in 4 nights. We played and lost both games against Minny and Van when they were playing their 3 game in 4 nights. IMO, We have looked bad in the 2nd and 3rd periods in our 3rd game in 4 night(STL, DET, CAL) games.

P.S. I know the Calgary win offset the two loser points we got in those games.

Vancouver wasn't a 3rd game in 4 nights, only Minnesota was.

 

[BobbyJet]

It seems to me that Bolland has always been a slow healer and I hope he’s back, but I wouldn’t count on it. If not I think we will need a strong game from Shaw, who has been better lately. SJ will likely want to play a no-hitter to preserve their strength. Hawks need to play a gritty game (early on especially) to wear them down… no fly bys please!

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Let's just hope that everybody's awake tomorrow as opposed to the past couple days and that we don't have to rely on our netminder to stand on his head just to keep us in it.

 

[ChiGuySez]

Hawks offense sans Kane and Hossa has disappeared. The rest of the team needs to start helping out getting some goals for support. Any road point is a good point but playing 1 goal games doesnt bode well for the percentages, especially when it come to playing powerhouse offensive teams like the Sharks. Hawks used to be until the O flatlined.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

If there is ever a game where a parade to the penalty box will extinguish any hope of winning - it's this one. SJ's PP is lethal with Marleau, the Big Pavelski and the Big Doofus virtually unstoppable with the man advantage.

The Sharks get almost all scoring from the top two lines: Marleau (9), Thronton (3), Pavelski (4), Couture (5), Havlat (3), and Clowe (0) and ZERO goals from the 3rd and 4th lines. D-men have the other goals with Boyle (2), Vlassic (1) and Irwin (1). I know it's a road game so Q will be hard pressed to get line matchups he would want - but I'd try to get Toews line out against the Thornton line and go head to head with the two best lines.

 

[w00d]

I'm tempted to buy a ticket to the Ducks-Sharks game tonight in Anaheim. I'm not convinced this Sharks team is for real and I think the Ducks are going to beat them tonight and the Hawks will beat them tomorrow. Marleau and Thornton are overdue to get back to their usual underachieving selves.

Edit: Just got tickets to Ducks-Sharks tonight, I'll give a scouting report after the game. Hopefully the Sharks get good and tired.

 

[FakeKidPoker*]

Big, tough, physical team.

Can Toews get out of this one healthy?

 

[Sevanston]

@ChrisKuc
Corey Crawford will start in goal for #Blackhawks vs. Sharks tomorrow night.

Can't say it's the wrong choice, but Ray has definitely earned the right not to have to wait six games to get another start.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Tracey Myers ‏@TramyersCSN
Dave Bolland "likely" to play tomorrow vs. Sharks. Crawford will start. #Blackhawks

 

[Cullksinikers]

Can't go wrong with Crow in net with the way he's played.

 

[Illinihockey]

So relieved that Bolland injury wasn't major. At the time, I didn't see the slash and thought it was his knee

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Emery may start in PHX, per Lazerus.

 

[Bubba88]

just hope they don't rush Bolland back cause of our bad C depth or lack of said depth

 

[w00d]

Emery is #2, Crawford is #1. One great game from a #2 doesn't give him the right to start over a #1. He's earned some more starts, but that's all. Crawford is playing at Vezina-level right now and won't be challenged in his position by anyone. As long as they both keep playing well, I expect Emery will get more frequent starts later in the year in order to keep Crawford fresh for the playoffs. I predicted 8-10 starts for Emery at the beginning of the year, and he'll probably get 12-16 now.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Emery is #2, Crawford is #1. One great game from a #2 doesn't give him the right to start over a #1. He's earned some more starts, but that's all. Crawford is playing at Vezina-level right now and won't be challenged in his position by anyone. As long as they both keep playing well, I expect Emery will get more frequent starts later in the year in order to keep Crawford fresh for the playoffs. I predicted 8-10 starts for Emery at the beginning of the year, and he'll probably get 12-16 now.

Kinda contradicting yourself here. After 1 great game, you've jumped up his start total by as many as 8 games.

 

[Sevanston]

Emery is #2, Crawford is #1. One great game from a #2 doesn't give him the right to start over a #1. He's earned some more starts, but that's all. Crawford is playing at Vezina-level right now and won't be challenged in his position by anyone. As long as they both keep playing well, I expect Emery will get more frequent starts later in the year in order to keep Crawford fresh for the playoffs. I predicted 8-10 starts for Emery at the beginning of the year, and he'll probably get 12-16 now.

Crawford is playing extremely well, but Emery's performance in Calgary was far more "Vezina-level" than anything Crawford has done this season.

Ray had no help, faced 47 shots, 30+ scoring chances, and only gave up two goals. If the Vezina were given out for one-game performances, it would have Ray Emery's name on it right now.

 

[Oh_so_saad]

Crawford is playing extremely well, but Emery's performance in Calgary was far more "Vezina-level" than anything Crawford has done this season.

Ray had no help, faced 47 shots, 30+ scoring chances, and only gave up two goals. If the Vezina were given out for one-game performances, it would have Ray Emery's name on it right now.

it was one game.

 

[w00d]

Kinda contradicting yourself here. After 1 great game, you've jumped up his start total by as many as 8 games.

What I meant was that Emery doesn't automatically get to keep starting consecutive games, which is the starter's job. If Emery were allowed to start against San Jose tomorrow, then that would mean he's become the starter, and it would be disrespectful to Crawford.

There is no reason to start Emery on Tuesday unless Crawford isn't playing well, which he very much is. I originally figured Crawford would start around ~40 games, and Emery would relieve him on back-to-backs. If Emery keeps playing well, he'll get some more besides those, but probably not until late March or April.

 

[w00d]

Crawford is playing extremely well, but Emery's performance in Calgary was far more "Vezina-level" than anything Crawford has done this season.

Ray had no help, faced 47 shots, 30+ scoring chances, and only gave up two goals. If the Vezina were given out for one-game performances, it would have Ray Emery's name on it right now.

Crawford is 1.66/.934, and has not lost in regulation or OT. That's Vezina-worthy. I'm not saying he'll be a Vezina finalist come May, but right now he's a top-5 goalie in the league. There is a lot of hockey left to be played and Emery has only had 1 good game. He won't be in the mix for the Vezina any time soon.