Western Conference

Hawks look to rally against Ducks

February 26, 2012

With only 19 games left for the Blackhawks every game heading down the stretch becomes huge. The Hawks must find a way to rebound from the last two games against Dallas and LA. Heading down the home stretch to make a playoff run somehow the Hawks need to get points in all of these remaining games.

Anaheim is currently in 13th place in the Western Conference but has been making a significant push as of late and is only 6 points out of a playoff spot. On the other side the Hawks have been finding new ways to lose to teams who they should be beating and must stop this trend.

This will be the final meeting of the year between these two teams. In their pre...

Blackhawks handed a Razzie by LA Kings in 4-0 shutout

February 26, 2012

Maggie Avila

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The LA Kings I knew would be a tough opponent tonight for a couple of reasons. Like the Hawks, the Kings are desperately in need of points to make the playoffs in the Western Conference. They are currently outside in tenth place with a record of 27-22-12 and 66 points which is only seven points behind the Hawks’ 73 points so I knew they would come out inspired.

With the reunion of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter the old Philly brethren would make for inspired play on the ice and excitement in the crowd. The question was would their chemistry still be there and carry over from Philadelphia given the limited practice time they had together. Unfortunately for the Hawks...

Blackhawks look to continue winning streak against Red Wings

February 20, 2012

Maggie Avila

3 Comments

The Blackhawks need to somehow dust off their A game as they look to continue their three game winning streak when they face the best of the best in the league, the Detroit Red Wings. They currently sit atop the entire NHL with 84 points and a record of 41-17-2.

This game is paramount for the Hawks which goes without saying. This is a potential four point swing game. If the Hawks can somehow pull this out in regulation it would do wonders not only for their confidence but to continue racking up points against divisional foes.

Detroit has few weaknesses to exploit. They are ranked only behind Boston in GF/GA differential. In other words they have a potent offense a...

Hawks stars shine in NYC – beating Rangers 4-2

February 17, 2012

Maggie Avila

2 Comments

Ah New York, New York “I'm gonna make a brand new start of it In old New York. If I can make it there, I'd make it anywhere Come on, come through, New York, New York.” – Kander/Ebb lyrics

And make it there the Hawks certainly did. This game had everything, Two Original Six teams meeting who don’t normally see each other, historic Madison Square Garden and ey New Yawkers in the stands. If that was not enough to stir the blood, you had the classic offence versus defense and two teams on different trajectories.

I was not sure what to expect in this one except the Hawks had nothing to lose. What I was pleasantly surpris...

Elliot Returning to Ottawa With Vezina Talk in Tow

February 6, 2012

Taylor Giffin

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Looking back to the start of the season, if you were to ask any hockey expert who the starting goalie of the St. Louis Blues would be, they would not have said Brian Elliot. If you asked any of those same experts whose numbers which goaltender would be represented by a 1.69 G.A.A, a .938 save percentage and five shutouts at the All-Star break, they would not have guessed Brian Elliot. Or even better, if you asked those same questions to the Sens Army they would not have responded with Brian Elliot.

However, if you were to ask Brian Elliot himself wha...

Blackhawks burned by Flames in 3-1 loss

February 4, 2012

Maggie Avila

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Going into tonight’s game I was hoping to see an improved defensive performance from the horrid game against Edmonton the night before. I think every Blackhawks fan was looking for answers after the Oilers game. How would the Blackhawks respond? With the quick turnaround I wasn’t quite sure if we would see a tired drained Hawks team or an invigorated team looking for a little payback.

In the first week of the nine game three week road stretch to say this Canadian trip has not started the way the Blackhawks would have liked is an understatement. Coming into this game out of a possible four points against Western Conference opponents the Hawks only garnered one...

Blues Looking to Improve on Road Record for Second Half

February 3, 2012

Taylor Giffin

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More important than the return of Alex Steen and Andy MacDonald, more important than the impressive play of their two goalies, more important than the extra long break they got after the All Star Break, nothing is more key to the Blues keeping pace atop the Western Conference standings than improving their road record. The Checking Line's Taylor Giffin takes a look at the road woes that St. Louis has had and if the second half presents an opportunity for change.

Coming out of the All Star Break holding down one of their best positions in the Wes...

Detroit's Next 12 Games Present Golden Opportunity

January 16, 2012

A.K. Bennett

5 Comments

The Red Wings currently sit 3 points behind division and conference leader Chicago with two games in hand,1 point behind St. Louis with equal games played and 3 points ahead of Nashville. They are trying to improve on a middling road record (11-13-0) while maintaining a league best home record (17-2-1). It is highly unlikely any of the top 4 teams in the Central will stop challenging for the division title barring a rash of injuries.

Detroit's performance over the next 12 games has the potential to help them overtake their division rivals, give them a small cushion in the standings, gain ground in the fight for home advantage throughout the playoffs and reestablish their road ga...

Hawks can’t clip Wings fall 3-2 in OT

January 14, 2012

Maggie Avila

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It seems every time the Blackhawks play the Detroit Red Wings something big is at stake. Today’s game was no exception and with the big lights of the national stage shining as well. There’s nothing like a little Doc Emrick and Eddie Olczyk in the morning. Forget Saturday morning cartoons give me Saturday morning NHL hockey. I hoped the Blackhawks all had their coffee with an early 11:30 puck drop but I don’t think they did.

The Blackhawks will be battling these Red Wings along with the St. Louis Blues all the way until the end of the season for supremacy in the Central. Every game these two play will be vital. This was the first meeting on the Red Wing...

Drawing The Line: Isles Will Move To "Conference D" Next Season

December 5, 2011

Rob McGowan

6 Comments

(Photo Credit: cornholeo2552/Flickr)

It wasn't news to anyone that the NHL would be setting up a new realignment plan for the 2012-2013 season. Plenty of speculation went into this idea as to how it would effect the current Eastern and Western Conferences. The Winnipeg Jets, although presently in the East, seemed to be a team that would make much more sense in the West. Rumors began to run that the Detroit Red Wings would move to the Eastern Conference, or even quite possibly the Nashville Predators.

The bigger question, and one that still looms over the hearts of many fans out in the desert, is whether or not the Phoenix Coyotes will still be in any Conference next year. They are currently in what seems to be the final year of their lease agreement after almost being relocated this past summer. There's still a good possibility that they might be relocated in the near future as well, but all of that remains in limbo as the 2012 season moves forward.

However, the NHL and it's Board of Governors could not wait to see what happens in Phoenix and passed a very dramatic change to the current alignment. The Eastern and Western Conferences will ultimately be removed next year; the standard two conferences that consist of 15 teams will become four conferences with either seven or eight teams in each one.