<p>That’s the way you run a power play. ;)</p>
<p>Son told me that he’s hearing hooting and hollering. He’s about 1/2 mile from the Garden. I assume that this is from his neighbors. I don’t know if the game is in Boston or Chicago.</p>
<p>The game is in Chicago, BCEagle, and the game is now in OT.</p>
<p>This is just un.be.lievably good hockey.</p>
<p>I have to get to bed! What a great first game of the series. It’s kind of sad that one of these teams has to lose. They must be exhausted. Good night, everyone!</p>
<p>Crawford’s been praying to the post Gods, and for that we are grateful here in Chicago.</p>
<p>Man, what a game! I think Boston would have scored if we didn’t get the break.</p>
<p>I gave it up after the second overtime, and woke up to find out the Bruins lost. :mad:</p>
<p>Ugh, another blown 3rd period lead. They managed to avoid that over the last couple of series, but this happened so many times during the regular season. I hope they are not falling back into this bad habit.</p>
<p>Overall, a well-played, hard-fought game on both sides. I thought Chicago outplayed the Bruins for much of it, it seemed like the Blackhawks had much more offensive ice time.</p>
<p>Congrats to Chicago though, that is a big win.</p>
<p>Good thing they don’t play again until Saturday!</p>
<p>That was just a great game. I mean, obviously, I’m please Crawford was able to hang with Rusk, but as for just pure hockey, that was a seriously great game.</p>
<p>The teams seemed very evenly matched to me, quite a fight.</p>
<p>Yay Hawks!</p>
<p>Checking in from Son´s house. Game time here was 2:00AM and I´m typing on a crazy keyboard.</p>
<p>Won´t see any games, but it seems like I missed one for the ages.</p>
<p>I´ll keep looking in for your summations/analysis.</p>
<p>Granddaughter is just too cute, I might add.</p>
<p>No word yet on the Horton injury that I can find other than a generic “upper body” problem.</p>
<p>If he misses games, that is a serious blow to the Bruins’ chances.</p>
<p>P.S. gloworm - congrats on the grandbaby!</p>
<p>The stats, except for shots attempted, were totally even. </p>
<p>The Horton injury hurt because that line was playing really well. Lucic has had a great playoffs. His play along the boards - with his stick because he’s talented - that led to the 2nd goal was terrific. Chicago hasn’t played Krejci much and it was clear they didn’t realize how quickly he stops. That’s his skating strength: he can stop and change direction very quickly. </p>
<p>I thought Boston had a great game plan. They used longer passes to the off wing - move the puck, send it up and across to beat the forecheck. And they kept sneaking the guy up the middle because a quick pass can split the Chicago defense. </p>
<p>I can’t get on people for missed chances. The play where Daugavins had an open net wasn’t that clean: the puck came hard to the front side of his stick. He couldn’t just backhand it because it was on the wrong side of the blade. He couldn’t simply reverse the puck against the blade because the puck was clearly still live, not resting on the stick. </p>
<p>If I were Chicago, I’d tell the guys to make sure you make the clear in the zone. They looked up to see where it should go and flubbed too many. That’s focus. And they weren’t so much passing on breaks as heaving it hard across. Those don’t work unless the puck is sliding flat on the ice surface. They have to lighten the touch or not make the pass. I also would tell them to stop holding the puck so long when driving at the net. Flip it at the goal and see what happens. </p>
<p>This stuff is so hard to do. I can’t remember the Chicago player but he came around for a stuff attempt and of course put it low. Wayne would have come around and flipped it straight up into the top of the net. That’s why he was The Great One. He wasn’t just trying to get around the net and then thinking of the shot but he made the play one piece.</p>
<p>I like Boston’s 3rd line’s skating ability but they don’t have great scoring hands. To me, Bergeron is the best player. One play stands out: Chicago player coming around behind the goal with another ready to take the pass so Patrice takes his guy and holds him against the boards. Not a bone-crushing fan pleasing bit of nonsense but a solid hockey play that immobilized his man and made ending the threat easy. </p>
<p>I’m sort of thinking that Seguin will never be much more than he is. He has ability and he can make hockey plays but he can’t seem to do it consistently. Some people can’t. They can’t focus or whatever it takes to be right there in that moment. I see him using his ability and it feels like he seizes those chances because those are what is natural for him … but that the rest of the game isn’t. I don’t think that really changes, with the notable exception of Guy LaFleur suddenly getting it after 3 middling years. (They say it’s because he took off the helmet.)</p>
<p>In terms of goalies, I thought Crawford showed a better glove hand and Rask a better stick hand. Rask is really good at hitting shots well away with the stick. He also stays on his feet better but is of course then less good at scrambling. Essentially even overall.</p>
<p>My belief about the teams played out. The Bruins are not more physical - and sat their designated fighter in OT because well … - and they haven’t played a team that forechecks and shadows aggressively. The Hawks haven’t played a forechecking team that plays positionally this well. (Contrast the Wings, who skate well and forechecked but who were laxer on positioning as the series wore on and on and on.) Positional play really helps the forecheck; the idea is to force the puck handler to make a pass either to a covered player or across a lane where the positioned defender may be able to make a play. This kind of play is not easy to do well.</p>
<p>I’ve wondered about Seguin, too, largely because the comparison between him and Kessel has been so strong in Toronto. It will be interesting to see what he develops into, if, indeed, he becomes a stronger player than is evident now. Ahh, Guy, what a joy he was to watch! With the pressure he was under when he entered the league, after that amazing record with the Remparts, it’s unsurprising, I suppose, that it took him a while to find his groove.</p>
<p>Kessel was very obviously gifted offensively right from the start. The question was whether he’d care to play 2 ways. He often doesn’t, but then Jagr, etc. have spent many productive years turning circles near the blue line while the rest of the team defended. Kessel played 2 ways in the Bruins series so maybe he now gets the need.</p>
<p>Got some solid playoff beards going:</p>
<p>[Hockey</a> Playoff Beards: Bruins, Blackhawks Bring Facial Hair To Stanley Cup Finals (PHOTOS)](<a href=“HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News | HuffPost”>Hockey Playoff Beards: Bruins, Blackhawks Bring Facial Hair To Stanley Cup Finals (PHOTOS) | HuffPost Sports)</p>
<p>Except for Rask. And Krug. Of course, the two of them combined are barely as old as Jagr. :D</p>
<p>I hate playoff beards. It may be because I hated the Islanders of the 80’s (who started it). </p>
<p>But then I also hate the “Hockeytown” logo made up for the Wings. In some things I am a hopeless traditionalist.</p>
<p>lergnom, Kessel played well this year, both ways and it was nice to see. Finally. He had some personal issues this year, too, which made the results he had even more surprising.</p>
<p>notrichenough, thank you for that link. Last night, before the game started, HNIC had a segment where each of the Hawks introduced themselves, where they were from, and who their favorite player had been when they were growing up. It was fun to see the beards, other than Patrick Kane’s, who looked ridiculous. I don’t know if they ended up doing the Bruins between periods but if so, I missed it.</p>
<p>CF: I would love to answer your question. But I can’t with this new name send a pm. If you can pm me and I will respond. Ms. Ellebud’s privacy might not be just that. (But I can confirm that she is neither the coach or the assistant coaches.)</p>
<p>I was glad Toronto won playoff games in their own building. As a fan of the sport, the state of that franchise is …</p>