Hawks players celebrate in the waning moments of their Game 6 victory Monday.
It took 13 long years, but Blackhawks fans finally can savor a Stanley Cup playoff series victory. Nikolai Khabibulan made 43 saves and Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist Monday night in the 4-1 clincher at Calgary, the first win by a road team in the series.
Next up: the Vancouver Canucks, who swept aside St. Louis in four games and will be rested and ready for the first two games on their home ice. They present a much more formidable challenge than the Flames, whom the Hawks outscored 9-2 in the final two games of their series and beat eight times in 10 meetings overall this season. Appropriately, the Hawks' last playoff series victory also came at the expense of the Flames, a four-game sweep in 1996.
The Hawks and Canucks split four games this season, but Vancouver took the last two by a combined score of 11-3. Goaltender Roberto Luongo stonewalled the Hawks 4-0 in their most recent meeting March 29, and twin brothers Daniel and Henrik Sedin will be a handful as well.
Youth was served in the Flames series, but will the precocious Hawks' overall lack of experience catch up to them vs. Vancouver? Anyone willing to predict that the Blackhawks will prevail again and move on to a possible conference-finals showdown with the mighty Detroit Red Wings?
It's a wonderful thing. We would have won the Game 7 at home. It would have been more exciting. However, fingernails would have been obliterated. There might have been a few extra trips to the cardiac center. You get the idea.
Here come the Hawks...the Baby Blackhawks...Show me your beards...I'll show you some peach fuzz...
Here come the "FUZZ"!
My heart says the Blackhawks will move on to take on the Red Wings in the Conference Finals, but my brain says that the Canuckleheads will win the series based on homefield advantage and their goaltender extraordinaire, Luongo. Even the Red Wings are no sure thing against Anaheim, don't assume. Go Hawks!!!
Edgar,
I agree. Vancouver has not been a good matchup for the Hawks in years. They use big people that play an exasperatingly effective positional game. They are almost as boring as the Minnesota Wild, but more talented. Then, they wait for their chances on the PP or odd-man breakouts usually with the Sedin twins. Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows also give them fits.
Add that all together with Roberto Luongo and his amazingly big frame combined with athleticism and it is frustration times frustration. Even in beating them, it's rarely a pretty game. Let's not forget that Vancouver, despite the fact that we outpointed them 104-100 in the regular season gets home ice by virtue of taking their division. Home ice is huge, but I will say not quite as huge as it was for Calgary as Calgary fans are far more obnoxious and the Flames play a more obnoxious type of game.
I predict the Canuckleheads (nice term!) in seven, BUT I WOULD GLADLY BE WRONG!!! We need to steal one of the first two games in Vancouver to have a chance. The first game would be the easier one to steal since they've been off for a awhile.
Now, if the Hawks lose, let's not forget that they met their goal of not only making the playoffs, but winning a series. Moreover, they did it in grand fashion. It's already been a hugely successful season whatever happens!
Go Blackhawks!
I am happy the Hawks advanced! Youth is serving them well, lets hope the same for the Bulls tonight.
From what I understand, the Hawks are stacked!!! Management had the stones to let go of player and fan favorite Savy and go with Quinville. Hats off to them for seeing past the first round. NOW thats how you run an organization. With FORESIGHT!!! Roll the dice and go for it ALL! RIGHT NOW! They are to be credited with keeping both goalies too! And now their CUP Chances are alive and well because they placed themselves in a position to outplay and outcoach their opponents. It might not happen, but that won't be because management didn't try! Now if they could only get rid of that man on their jersies. (I had to say it) GO HAWKS!
Keith says "Now if they could only get rid of that man on their jersies." What exactly are you referring to Keith? Is it Chief Blackhawk or the "www" for the late William W. Wirtz? I'd like to assume that it's the latter since the former i.e. the Chief Blackhawk emblem is hugely responsible for why a great many believe that the Hawks have perhaps the sharpest uniforms in sports.
That big coach looks like he is about to eat the whole bench...
PS ...
Is this the only NON-PORN website left in the world that still has POP UP ADS?
It is killing my computer and preventing me from coming back as much as I would like too...just an FYI.
Gig - I am sorry, but I just don't like the Chief. You are right, its a GREAT logo because the people are beautiful. But that is exactly what they are - people, not mascots or emblems for show. All you have to do is ask them. NOW I SAY THIS JUST FOR EFFECT: The Swastika and Nazi uniform is one of the sharpest you will find, but we all know what that represents. They are aesthetically pleasing. Beautiful colors and clean lines. That said, they make me ill. Hawks organization mean no harm, but its not what they mean to do, its what they do and convey. They are not above reproach. And btw - they are NOT committed to the Indian. Maybe if they changed the Indian to a photo of old man Wirtz would fans begin to understand how the Indians feel. And I am not Indian.
Everything else - I'm with them. GO Hawks.
Blackhawks will be in the Western Conference finals....they responded in a big way last night...
and Keith, they can put my profile on their Jerseys...I would be proud
The Chicago Hitmen...and every time they score a goal, pipe a tommy gun through the PA....oh, and "leave the gun, take the canolis"
Where are all of the HAWKS posts??? Seems the BULLS have stolen their thunder.
Hitman - first I am cracking up, but that would be a welcomed change. Second, in order for you to understand the totality of the insult, someone would have to murder all of your family and leave a few of you left, then openly insult you some more, ruin your entire way of life for years - THEN put your logo on a jersey - against your wishes. Regardless of your protests and tears. And then call it a sharp jersey that you should be proud of.
Keith,
Thanks for asking about where are all the Hawks posts. There really ought to be more than the Bulls, but that's just the way it is. It's just one of those things I believe in which most bloggers--especially those here--know and follow basketball much more closely than hockey. Perhaps in time the separation will improve, but I don't believe we're there yet.
Gig - I have a coworker who gave me some good pointers today. He explained Icing and Offsides. He was so passionate about it. I watched some the Hawks games in the Calavary series. He also believes that the Hawks have the talent to go all the way. He is both a Bulls and Hawks fan. I want to be all things Chicago.
You want to be all things Chicago, Keith? Does that mean you're a Cub fan too now? Hmm, always contradicting youself, don't you? ;-)
I maintain my hopefully wrong prediction of Hawks in 7, but I do want to give kudos to them for coming back from a three-goal deficit (IN LESS THAN ONE PERIOD NO LESS!) yet again these playoffs. That's unheard of. It really is, especially in the playoffs. Moreover, you don't do that against a team like Vancouver and Luongo. I'm really proud of them.
For Vancouver's last goal, the Hawks were going for the homerun win in regulation and got caught in a 3 on 1 break. Khabbi had no chance whatsoever unless he controlled the rebound which, in that situation, is asking an awful lot. The fifth goal was an empty net.
We need Game 2 on Saturday. I believe they can do it just as I believe they can win this series. It's just not what I figure to be the most likely outcome.
Go Hawks!!!
Edgar - you don't have to down someone else to make a point or validate yourself. Just post YOUR opinion which is great most of the time. We might take shots at eachother thoughts - but we don't do the personal attack thing.
BTW - I root for the CUBS AFTER the Whitesox. I would rather see them cheering than anyone other than the Sox. CHICAGO first. And I will go after Cubs fans that come after Sox fans, but thats all in fun. Its never personal.
But where did I attack you personally here, Keith? I'm not sure where you got that from. Was it the "contradicting" comment? I never knew calling someone contradictory was a personal attack. Keith, I'm usually pretty careful in the blogs about hurling out something offensive so if I did here because I called you "contradicting", my bad. You misunderstood because that last post from me was actually a joke. You're probably carrying over the recent "disagreements" we've been having lately about Ben Gordon and the Bulls, but that's cool with me. It's just blog posting, man, nothing else. I'll keep the "jokes" to a minimum next time...
Edgar its all good. Sorry if I misunderstood your post. I would like to hear more from Hawks fans. We had a passionate debate about who is holding down the United Center. I guess I am going to have to go to see for myself. I won my Bulls playoff tickets. Don't know how I am going to get to see the Hawks. I will keep watching.