Games 69 & 70 - Mel takes rolaids, gets relief (albeit a day late)

Yes, I'm doing two game recaps in one post again. So sue me - back-to-back west coast games on school nights are a bitch to watch, much less write about. Besides, it's not like anyone reads this anyway :P


Quacks 4, Hawks 2

What more really could be said about this game? They say things come in threes - and this was the proverbial cherry on the shit sundae. Seeing the hit Wiz put on Seabrook live was scary - not quite as bad as when Kronwall knocked out Marty (which I was in attendance for and didn't really get to see the horribleness of it full force until I watched the replays at home) but still pretty bad. There are two three things that make it worse than the Ovie/Campbell hit: 1) there was obviously intent to injure. Apparently Wiz took exception to the hit Seabs put on Corey Perry earlier in the shift (it looked borderline to me - Perry ducked in preparation of the hit which made it worse than it should have been) and charged in from the blue line like his pants were on fire. No excuse. None. That is Matt Cooke territory. 2) Seabs and Wiz came up together in the AHL, were road roomies and Seabs is standing up in Wiz's wedding this summer. Or should I say was - apparently he's having second thoughts about it. I know there's no such things as friends on the ice, but c'mon. That was a total shitbag thing to do to a person who you are(were) close to off the ice. 3) Again, as with the Ovechkin PR debacle, we have Wiz, the Head Coach and Bob Murray (a former Hawk!) saying in the media that it was a clean hit, didn't intend to injure, shouldn't get a suspension, blahblahblah. I won't go into detail on the comments but fuck you to Wiz for not manning up for a dirty hit on a *friend* (sorry, still can't get over that). Fuck You to the Ducks Coach (sorry, I'm not going to be bothered to look up your name) for saying Wiz was your "Number One Star" in the game. I hope the team bus runs over your foot. Finally a FUCK YOU to Bob Murray for his below the belt comments about the Hawks organization. Your team is 13th in the conference shithead - have fun sitting and watching the playoffs at home - if you didn't throw the chairs at unsuspecting people first. I knew that I made the right choice when Troy was my favorite Murray growing up. To me, these kind of post game comments are as infuriating as the hit themselves. Personally I think the NHL needs to start fining asshats like these for their post game comments. Then again, they can't get their facts straight regarding which hits get suspensions and for how long. I have to say I was surprised at the 8 games Wiz got - I was expecting five.

The only other comment I'll make about this debacle is regarding Corey Crawford. Give the kid credit for the last minute start as Huet had the flu (why not start Niemi back-to-back though? It's almost April now Q -it's OK!). But his Kiprusoff-esque blunder led to the second goal, and even though it was probably the bench who told them to leave the net empty when the Ducks had possession, I still find that inexcusable. I'll see you in Rockford soon Corey!


Hawks 3, Kings 0

I really thought this was going to be loss number four in a row. A Sopel/Keith top D pairing? Buff back playing defense (Lord have mercy)? Against one of the top goalies in the league (Quick)? I was gladly proven wrong. Surprisingly the Hawks played one of their best defensive games in recent memory (only 17 SOG for the Kings and only a handful were decent shots). Brouwer got the first tally in the second, and Kopecky got two (!!) in the third to close it out. To complete the alternate reality game, Kopecky and Buff were the numbers 1 and 3 stars respectively (Dunc was 2nd). I am really proud of the team - this was a character game by all standards and after they way they've been playing lately, they really stood up and took control. A shoutout to Niemi too for the shutout. Not the toughest game he's faced, but as we've seen all year it's the low shot games that seem to give our goalies problems - good job my little Finnish friend!

Well we have the 'Yotes tomorrow night to close out the mini west coast tour. That should be a much tougher game than anyone would have thought looking at the schedule a few months ago. I'll be happy with a point. In any case, I'll most likely be at a viewing party at a bar, so don't expect to hear much from me until Sunday.

By the way - I'm on VACATION! No work for Mel until the 29th! w00t!