GDT: Game 3, Hawks @ Leafs: 6PM Central on NBCS-CHI and NHLN-US--Don't Upset Evil Saad!

[ChiHawks10]

All the things you think the Hawks were missing are generally proxies for ability relative to whoever a team is playing. Toronto is a very good team. The Hawks will beat them on many nights, but they didn't tonight, and it's because the Leafs have a ton of speed and young legs and consistently made skill plays to get possession and drive the puck up ice.

The Leafs are a good team. Not saying they aren't. Love that team, and the young players on it. But the Hawks disappeared in the 2nd and 3rd. End of story. The Leafs were ok, in my eyes, tonight. And in the 1st period they got destroyed through the vast majority of it. Their top two lines were basically invisible in the 1st period.

 

[looseneditforyou]

By that logic the Hawks are 10 times better than the Pens and the Jackets because they made both teams look like lottery teams.

If you honestly think Kane's play tonight was the result of "actual, tangible shortcomings" then idk what to tell you.

It doesn't work on a small sample size. I'm not saying it entirely explains the Hawks' play tonight in particular, or so far this season, or Kane's play tonight. I'm objecting to the notion that when a team loses it necessarily means they didn't try hard enough. Tonight, I'm pretty sure I saw a team win because they were better. The Hawks are going to make the playoffs this season easily, but better teams are going to beat them more regularly than in the past.

 

[BK]

I'm not saying that they lost entirely based on effort, but it definitely looked like a huge factor in my eyes. There was something definitely missing from the 1st period to the 2nd and 3rd period. Call it endurance. Call it drive. Call it interest. Call it effort. Something wasn't there that was in the 1st period. The Hawks played like **** in the 2nd and 3rd. Period. They played like a bunch of house league level players. If the Hawks play the entire game like period one, they probably win that game like 6-2, or better, particularly with the way that Forsberg played.

This. It is not just effort. It is effort and execution. This was not a game where the team was just dominated like a better team who completely out skilled and worked them. Toronto played much harder in the 2nd and 3rd. The Hawks refused to get it deep too many times to count, the forecheckers were lazy and late attacking the zone, and their effort on the backcheck was terrible. These have nothing to do with the Leafs. It was an overall sloppy game on both sides.

When a team "looks" better it's generally because they are better. What looks like a lack of effort is usually just the result of actual, tangible shortcomings on the part of individual players. These guys are trying as hard as they can pretty much all the time. Keith didn't suddenly decide to play worse. He was matched up against good players and often couldn't outplay them.

Sometimes its that way but how many times have the Hawks completely dominated teams since 2010 only to lose 2-1, a lot. Effort was a huge factor tonight and Kane was the leader of lack of effort.

 

[JaegerDice]

Very few of the criticisms being made about the Blackhawks play tonight are being extrapolated to 'and that's why they're a bad team that will fail over 82 games' by the people making those criticisms.

Saying the Blackhawks roster got outplayed and couldn't handle the Leafs roster has yet to be followed by the phrase 'and they'll never beat them' in this thread.

They played badly tonight. That has very little to do with how they played against PIT and CBJ. The Blackhawks beating up on those teams also doesn't mean those teams are going to finish like Colorado did last year, nor does it mean those teams mailed in their own performances effort-wise.

You can be a good team, bust your ass and get thoroughly out-played, without it being a statement about the quality of a team moving forward.

 

[BK]

It doesn't work on a small sample size. I'm not saying it entirely explains the Hawks' play tonight in particular, or so far this season, or Kane's play tonight. I'm objecting to the notion that when a team loses it necessarily means they didn't try hard enough. Tonight, I'm pretty sure I saw a team win because they were better. The Hawks are going to make the playoffs this season easily, but better teams are going to beat them more regularly than in the past.

It doesn't work in small sample sizes but you are looking at 2 periods?

Again, effort was not the only issue but it was driving factor. The Leafs did enough to win but there is no way they should walk out of that game thinking they were just dominated based on skill and overall ability. The Hawks laid a dud in effort and execution.

 

[looseneditforyou]

It doesn't work in small sample sizes but you are looking at 2 periods?

Again, effort was not the only issue but it was driving factor. The Leafs did enough to win but there is no way they should walk out of that game thinking they were just dominated based on skill and overall ability. The Hawks laid a dud in effort and execution.

I'm responding to the feeling on this board that a poor performance is generally more attributable to a lack of effort or preparation than a lack of skill. Whenever the Hawks lose or someone's favorite players get exposed, people freak out.

 

[BK]

Thats why I was screaming bad trade when it happened, I wonder if Columbus would trade him for Panarin now??? LOL I am sure Stan tried to trade Anisimov for Saad back int he summer and they laughed in his face...

I am 99% sure you didn't mention that when the trade happened. I already pointed out what you said.

AA was not great tonight but he was the furthest thing from the issue on that line tonight. Kane was actively terrible. I will say that AA is better off playing with Cat and Sharp this year based on play styles. The new Kane line is much more speed based and already has a grinder in Hartman. AA and Hartman on the same line are redundant and don't mesh well.

 

[BK]

I'm responding to the feeling on this board that a poor performance is generally more attributable to a lack of effort or preparation than a lack of skill. Whenever the Hawks lose or someone's favorite players get exposed, people freak out.

Do you think the Hawks lost tonight because they lacked skill? Skill was not even close to the issue tonight. It was execution and effort. Tonight had nothing to do with skill.

To be clear, I think the Leafs deserved to win tonight because after the first they outworked and out-executed the Hawks.

 

[ChiHawks10]

I'm responding to the feeling on this board that a poor performance is generally more attributable to a lack of effort or preparation than a lack of skill. Whenever the Hawks lose or someone's favorite players get exposed, people freak out.

I'm not freaking out. And I don't think anyone is. But if you're attributing the Hawks shitting the bed in the 2nd and 3rd to a "lack of skill" it's just wrong. It has nothing to do with a lack of skill. Players don't just lose the skill they have at random points in games..... especially players who are quite obviously more talented than the vast majority of the opposing team's players. How the hell can you honestly believe that the Hawks lost tonight due to a lack of skill?

Terrible effort in two periods + OT. Terrible execution in two periods + OT. That is why they lost.
Their skill didn't just go away... from one period to the next.

Kane, specifically, looked like he was out partying in Toronto last night until 5am.

 

[JaegerDice]

I find it very odd, that the Toews line played less than a minute 5v5 against Matthews. Either Q was just fed his lunch by Babcock on the matchup game, or he just didn't want to put clearly his best line against the other team's most dangerous line.

And if not, why?

Thats why I was screaming bad trade when it happened, I wonder if Columbus would trade him for Panarin now??? LOL I am sure Stan tried to trade Anisimov for Saad back int he summer and they laughed in his face...

Anisimov wasn't even the worst player on that line. Kane was.



Now, that said, I do think Anisimov has looked slower this year and I really hope it's not the new normal following his ankle injury (which the GM who traded for him obviously couldn't have foreseen happening).

 

[looseneditforyou]

I'm not freaking out. And I don't think anyone is. But if you're attributing the Hawks ****ting the bed in the 2nd and 3rd to a "lack of skill" it's just wrong. It has nothing to do with a lack of skill. Players don't just lose the skill they have at random points in games..... especially players who are quite obviously more talented than the vast majority of their opponents.

Kane, specifically, looked like he was out partying in Toronto last night until 5am.

Of course they don't lose skill at random points in the game. However, teams with less skill will carry the play for long periods. The fact that the Hawks were better in the first isn't evidence that if they felt like it they could be better at all times. Good, fast teams will make their opponents appear indifferent or appear to be making bad decisions. I'm just putting that out there. Effort could very well have been a factor in the Hawks' loss tonight, but I saw them lose to what appeared to be a more skilled team. Overall the team is fine and has skilled players that are still finding their way in the league, I expect them to beat good teams regularly.

 

[TheSting]

Jeezus Christ Batman, talk about overanalyzing. Hawks stole a point on the road after being dominated in the shots department. On to the next game

 

[ColdSteel2]

Jeezus Christ Batman, talk about overanalyzing. Hawks stole a point on the road after being dominated in the shots department. On to the next game

Yeah, that would have been a 4-1 ass whooping last year. Good but far from great. 79 games to improve.

 

[Blackhawks]

I am 99% sure you didn't mention that when the trade happened. I already pointed out what you said.

AA was not great tonight but he was the furthest thing from the issue on that line tonight. Kane was actively terrible. I will say that AA is better off playing with Cat and Sharp this year based on play styles. The new Kane line is much more speed based and already has a grinder in Hartman. AA and Hartman on the same line are redundant and don't mesh well.

I did not mention that I hated that trade??? LMAOOO OK buddy I said it a million times...

 

[Blackhawks]

I find it very odd, that the Toews line played less than a minute 5v5 against Matthews. Either Q was just fed his lunch by Babcock on the matchup game, or he just didn't want to put clearly his best line against the other team's most dangerous line.

And if not, why?




Anisimov wasn't even the worst player on that line. Kane was.



Now, that said, I do think Anisimov has looked slower this year and I really hope it's not the new normal following his ankle injury (which the GM who traded for him obviously couldn't have foreseen happening).

Yes but Kane is the best player for the Hakws in 70% of the games, but ya you keep talking smack about Kane bud

 

[BK]

I did not mention that I hated that trade??? LMAOOO OK buddy I said it a million times...

No you 100% said you hate the trade. You never mentioned AA's speed. You said he had no skill and was bad defensively which are 100% incorrect.

 

[BK]

Yes but Kane is the best player for the Hakws in 70% of the games, but ya you keep talking smack about Kane bud

Saying a player was bad during a game is not talking trash. Kane was very bad in this game and his effort was not there. Did you watch the game?

 

[sharkhawk]

Teams have good games and bad games. If it was strictly based on talent, the best team would go 82-0 and the worst teams would go 0-82. And hockey would be an extremely boring sport to watch. We stole a point tonight, meh. On to montreal tomorrow

 

[TheSting]

Teams have good games and bad games. If it was strictly based on talent, the best team would go 82-0 and the worst teams would go 0-82. And hockey would be an extremely boring sport to watch. We stole a point tonight, meh. On to montreal tomorrow

Well done sir, you get a Like

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Much being made out of the third game of the season. Just watched it on dvr.

Holy shit the refs were suspect. Both ways. I'm not one to hate on the officials, but that was awful. If they're really not telling guys why they're being kicked out of draws, something needs to change quickly.

Forsberg played very well. Stole us a point. The Hawks either checked out after the first or they were gassed. I'm not sure which would be worse. Jaeger being Jaeger in this thread.

The Leafs are a good young team. They're not controlling the play to that degree after the first with the Hawks having nothing to do with it good. Just like the Nashville series.

On to Montreal. Take the point and forget this one.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Also, the PP is and has been ass. It'll continue to be that way as long as Keith is on it. You simply aren't dangerous when you continuously throw a guy out there who's no threat to score.