Smith had a concussion at the beginning of the year and missed a lot of time and then suffered another injury recently that put him out.

Ah ok, I just remember him getting sent down in January and didn't remember seeing him back up again.

 

In the post game presser, Q said Hosa "isn't doing too well" and was getting choked up. That's bad news.

In the post game presser, Q said Hosa "isn't doing too well" and was getting choked up. That's bad news.

Yeah, that is not good at all. That would be brutal if it was a career ending hit due to concussion symptoms.

Yeah, that is not good at all. That would be brutal if it was a career ending hit due to concussion symptoms.

Now he can rest with no pressure too come back early.

Ugh.

Bad matchup vs. Phoenix or bad performance?

Hawks go down quietly, losing at home again.

Another team that hasn't done much since winning a world championship. Weird hex our championship teams have.

Ugh.

Bad matchup vs. Phoenix or bad performance?

Hawks go down quietly, losing at home again.

Another team that hasn't done much since winning a world championship. Weird hex our championship teams have.

Their goalie was hot, our goalie was bad. The 1st period they played tonight was about as good a period as you'll see any hockey team play ever.

Their goalie was hot, our goalie was bad. The 1st period they played tonight was about as good a period as you'll see any hockey team play ever.

Add some bad luck and bad officiating to the mix as well. Everything seemed to be going against the Hawks in this series. Crawford playing horrible even with 20 or less shots against in 3 games, Hossa getting injured, a brutal PP and PK, and horrible non-calls against the Coyotes. Pretty hard to win with that much going against you.

Edited April 24, 201213 yr by RME JICO

Add some bad luck and bad officiating to the mix as well. Everything seemed to be going against the Hawks in this series. Crawford playing horrible even with 20 or less shots against in 3 games, Hossa getting injured, a brutal PP and PK, and horrible non-calls against the Coyotes. Pretty hard to win with that much going against you.

The missed too-many-men in GM 1, the horrible goalie interference in GM 2, the no-call on the Torres hit in GM 3...those were tough.

Elevate the f***ing puck Brendan Morrison. Your teammates smoke Mike Smith, he leaves 3 feet of open net up high and you smack it right into his pads. Score there, and I bet we are going to game 7.

Yeah, that is not good at all. That would be brutal if it was a career ending hit due to concussion symptoms.

 

Don't you dare talk like that....

0-0 after the first period, you knew the Hawks were doomed. Smith stole one. I don't even want to know what Crawford's SV% was tonight.

 

I said exactly that to the wife tonight. The Coyotes took the Hawks best punch. The game was over when they couldn't score.

Yeah, that is not good at all. That would be brutal if it was a career ending hit due to concussion symptoms.

 

He has plenty of recovery time now.

God that game sucked so hard last night. You could just tell when Crawford let the 6th shot on goal in the net after the Hawks had like 28, there'd be no recovery. As a team, to know the guy in your net is so vastly worse than the other one, to work so hard, and then have that letdown, you just cannot recover.

Mike Smith was unreal last night.

 

 

The Blackhawks need a 2nd line center next year and a new goalie. Probably some new defense as well.

Edited April 24, 201213 yr by GoSox05

Mike Smith was unreal last night.

 

 

The Blackhawks need a 2nd line center next year and a new goalie. Probably some new defense as well.

He actually wasn't too unreal. He just made every save he should have. The Hawks, for whatever reason, weren't elevating the puck, and when they did they missed the net.

 

Crawford, however, was brutal.

He actually wasn't too unreal. He just made every save he should have. The Hawks, for whatever reason, weren't elevating the puck, and when they did they missed the net.

 

Crawford, however, was brutal.

 

 

If stopping all 39 shots on the road from a really good offensive team in game 6 of the playoffs isn't unreal. Then what is?

He actually wasn't too unreal. He just made every save he should have. The Hawks, for whatever reason, weren't elevating the puck, and when they did they missed the net.

 

Crawford, however, was brutal.

 

He was ridiculous in that first period last night.

Yeah, f*** him, I'm just bitter as all hell.

I get the anger with Crawford. It's really frustrating when the Blackhawks have like 25 shots and 0 goals, while the Coyotes have 7 shots and 2 goals.

 

I get the anger with Crawford. It's really frustrating when the Blackhawks have like 25 shots and 0 goals, while the Coyotes have 7 shots and 2 goals.

 

Last night's game is not the one that will upset me with Crawford as much as the awful soft goals in OT in games 3 & 4.

 

With him & Emery signed for next year already, I don't know if the goalie situation will change it all. He was solid in 2010-11, so not ready to give up on him yet. Less defensive breakdowns in front of him would also help, as that was a major issue this year.

Last night's game is not the one that will upset me with Crawford as much as the awful soft goals in OT in games 3 & 4.

 

With him & Emery signed for next year already, I don't know if the goalie situation will change it all. He was solid in 2010-11, so not ready to give up on him yet. Less defensive breakdowns in front of him would also help, as that was a major issue this year.

 

More than that, they don't have any cap space again. That is the big problem with being star heavy in this day and age.

More than that, they don't have any cap space again. That is the big problem with being star heavy in this day and age.

 

Cap Geek has them at $6.85 million, but that's with only 12 F & 6 D, and the two goalies. Even counting cheap rookies like Bollig/Saad/Smith, that gives you very little options to give a FA a good contract. That doesn't even count the $3.4 million they are paying Olesz yearly to play in Rockford til 2014.

Remember Mike Smith? The guy who just stood on his head and had a Vezina-like season? At one time...he sucked. So, maybe Crawford needs a different goalie coach...or just needs to find that one thing...or not. But it's too early to give up on him.

Remember Mike Smith? The guy who just stood on his head and had a Vezina-like season? At one time...he sucked. So, maybe Crawford needs a different goalie coach...or just needs to find that one thing...or not. But it's too early to give up on him.

Do you know anything about Corey Crawford? He's been "Blackhawks property" for NINE F*CKING YEARS NOW. I think it's absolutely fine to give up on the dude after nearly a f***ing decade.

Remember Mike Smith? The guy who just stood on his head and had a Vezina-like season? At one time...he sucked. So, maybe Crawford needs a different goalie coach...or just needs to find that one thing...or not. But it's too early to give up on him.

If the Hawks do hang on to Crawford, our only real hope is that he pulls a Jimmy Howard. Really good rookie season, sophomore slump, then ascends into a top goalie in his 3rd full year in net. It's not likely, but that's what we need. It's not like Crawford hasn't shown flashes. He's 9 months younger than Howard too.

 

Crawford yr 1: 2.30, .917, 4 SO

Howard yr 1: 2.26, .924, 3 SO

 

Crawford yr 2: 2.72, .903, 0 SO

Howard yr 2: 2.79, .908, 2 SO