Category Archives: chicago blackhawks

April 9, 2011 · 3:48 PM

What the Blackhawks need to make it into the playoffs; tiebreakers explained

First column: Games played, then wins, losses, OT losses, points (in bold), and ROW

As of right now, the Blackhawks are in a tight race coming down to the last game of the season with both the Anaheim Duck and Dallas Stars. The Ducks hold the 7th seed while the Hawks hold the 8th seed. Both teams have 97 points. The Stars are sitting just behind the Hawks and Ducks with 95 points. All three teams have a game remaining. The Ducks take on the Los Angeles Kings tonight at 9:30 central, all eyes should be on this game. However, if all three teams somehow end up with 97 points (which would mean a Ducks’ loss tonight and a Blackhawks’ loss tomorrow followed by a Stars’ win), the 7th and 8th seeds will end up going to the teams who meet the sufficient tiebreaker procedures. Here’s how they work:

The first tiebreaker is basically the greatest amount of games won, called ROW (wins in regulation plus overtime; shootout victories are excluded). As of right now, the Ducks have the most ROW with 42 compared to the Hawks 38 and the Stars 37, clinching them a playoff spot no matter what. They’re going to finish either 6th, 7th, or 8th no matter what happens tonight.

Can the captain lead us to the promised land once more?

A Dallas win and a Hawks loss would put both teams at 97 points and 38 ROW, therefore resorting to the second tiebreaker, head-to-head points. Therefore, the Hawks would need at least to get to overtime against Detroit in their final game of the season to put them ahead of Dallas by one point. Dallas holds the second tiebreaker against the Hawks, as they have six points (three wins head-to-head) while we have only three points (one win and an overtime loss).

A final observation: If the Hawks do in fact lose to Detroit in game 82, Dallas would have to win in either regulation or overtime. If their game with the Minnesota Wild goes to a shootout and they win, they would have the same amount of points as the Hawks (97), but would still have 37 ROW to our 38. Good lord, this is going to be an epic regular season conclusion!

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April 6, 2011 · 2:11 PM

Marty Turco makes bets with fan in Montreal, fan wins

As first reported via Yahoo!’s Puck Daddy blog, there are pictures of Marty Turco making bets with a Montreal Canadiens fan during the Blackhawks’ 2-1 overtime loss on April 5th. The photo above clearly shows Turco either giving or taking money from a fan, so there’s no doubt that the story is factual. Here’s how it went down:

According to a Canadiens’ season ticket holder named Robert (audio below), he bet Turco $5 after Michael Cammalleri’s first goal of the game that the Hawks would not tie up the game. Turco accepted, and eventually won the $5 when Patrick Kane scored to tie it up at 1-1. Robert handed Turco a bill with the words “Habs Rule” on it.

However, the betting did not cease.

Turco and the fan bet double-or-nothing on the second period, triple-or-nothing on the third period, and then in overtime Robert gave Turco five-to-one odds that the Hawks would not win. Turco accepted the bet, and eventually had to pay the fan $25 after P.K. Subban’s rocket to win the game for the Canadiens. One of the five $5 bills given to the fan was the same one exchanged in the earlier bet, but with this written on it:

Funny stuff. Not sure how much truth there is to what Turco wrote on the bill, considering he hasn’t started a game since Feb. 11. Turco does gain a ton of credit as a cool guy in my book, though. How many opposing players would actually do this with a fan, let alone respond to one?

Another question is whether Turco will be disciplined by the NHL for his actions. Exhibit 14.2 of the NHL CBA states that “Gambling on NHL game is prohibited.” Granted, commissioner Gary Bettman is not nearly as tyrannical as other commissioners like the NBA’s David Stern or the NFL’s Roger Goodell, so I would be shocked if there was harsh discipline or even a large fine.

Here is the audio of the fan who bet Turco, via the radio show “Game Points with Matthew Ross” on Team 990:

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April 4, 2011 · 5:18 PM

Play of the Day – 4/3/11

Top Play: Tyler Colvin throws out runner for double play

This was clutch for the Cubs at the time, even though they ended up losing 5-4 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Also note how Geovany Soto face checks Jaramillo during the tag. Priceless.

Runner-up: Brent Seabrook destroys Steve Downie

Got to show some love for Brent Seabrook for this great hit on cheap-shot artist Steve Downie. Love seeing Downie trying to get into a scuffle only to be shrugged off like a fly.

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April 2, 2011 · 2:23 PM

Play of the Day – 4/1/11

Top Play: John Mayberry Jr. hits a walk off single to win game for Phillies

Nothing better than seeing a pinch hitter get the job done when his team needs him most.

Runner-up: Corey Crawford saves lead to Kane goal

This is two-way hockey at it’s finest.

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March 15, 2011 · 3:02 PM

Play of the Day – 3/14/11

Here are yesterday’s top plays:

Top Play: Viktor Stalberg bats puck out of mid-air for goal

This guy probably hits better than 3/4 of the Cubs. When is Jim Hendry going to give him a 1 year/$10 million deal?

Runner-up: Paul Pierce nice move and dunk vs. the Nets

Sorry Kim Kardashian, but your man got postered right there.

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March 9, 2011 · 8:00 PM

Top 10: Most Underrated NBA Players of the 90’s

Is Mitch Richmond the most underrated player of the 90s?

It’s safe to say that not a lot of people my age really watched basketball in 90s (mostly because they were too young). Heck, I didn’t really even watch it. Ever since a thing called Youtube was created I’ve been browsing clips like no other. Youtube has allowed me to catch footage of some of the greatest players that ever played in any sport, after I truly understood what greatness was.

When I think about the 1990s era of the NBA, my thoughts are mostly full of Michael Jordan and the Bulls’ six NBA Championships. That’s probably what everyone that thinks about the 90s thinks, but what about the lesser known players that just didn’t have the Scottie Pippens? This is what this list is all about.

With that said, would you rather be underrated or overpaid?

Sorry Bryant Reeves, I’ll have to take the former.

Here are the 10 most underrated NBA players of the 1990s.

Click here to see the list

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March 3, 2011 · 5:00 PM

Don’t Toews Me Bro! Hawks Win Sixth Straight

Well, that was easy

It was a fantastic wins-day evening to watch the Hawks defeat yet another opponent on the ice. Red hot Jonathan Toews notched his tenth multi-point night in the last 15 games after scoring two goals en route to the Hawks 6-4 win over the Calgary Flames. Newcomer Michael Frolik notched his first points as a Hawk (one goal, two assists) after going five straight games without a point.

The streaking Hawks hold a 7-1-2 record over the last ten games and have garnered the fourth most points in the Western Conference as of today. Captain Jonathan Toews has snared 27 points in the last 17 games and has been playing out of his mind as of late. Let’s hope the Hawks have regained their Stanley Cup form for the remainder of the season.

Michael Frolik’s goal snapped a 32 game skid and hopefully will open the floodgates for him. If he can regain his form in past seasons (42 goals in his first two seasons combined), the Hawks will likely be winning even more. One of his better plays during the game happened when Frolik sacrificed the body to pass the puck to Toews which eventually led to his second goal.

Viktor Stalberg roughed it up for the first time in his career against Mark Giordano late in the second. You can imagine how that went. To put it short: it didn’t go very well for Vik. Had Giordano landed one of those haymakers we might have been seeing Stalberg in the Tribune obituaries.

Highlights of the game below:

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