The first 4 games of the season 11'-12'

Hello Blackhawks fan....been a long off-season!  The Hawks have played four games so far and they are 2-1-1.  A couple of guys were missing from the line-up due to injuries but looks like all of them are back. Sharp played the first game of the season.  Stalberg came back last game and Benny got sent down to Rockford.  Do not worry.....Benny will be back!  Hossa (upper body) is the only one who is questionable for the next game but he did make the trip so he's going to play either against the Yotes and/or the Avs. 


Top Leader is each category
Goals- 3 Bolland
Assists-4 Kane
Points- 6 Kane
+/-  +3 Hossa, Montador, and Kane -3 Brunette
Takeaways- 8 Kane
Hits-15 Bickell
PIM-16 Sharp
FO%- 56.5 Kane (won 26 out of 46)
TOI- 25:50 Keith
Blocked shots 9 Seabrook & Hjalmarsson
Giveaways- 4 O'Donnell
PPG- 2 Brunette


Overall as a team
Power play- Hawks have only scored 2 goals out of 17 chances......YIKES!  They are 11.8% on their power play. 

Penalty Kill- Hawks penalty kill is  91.7%.  They have only given up 1 goal while being short-handed 12 times.  Pretty good!

Goaltending- In the four games the Hawks have played... Crawford has been good in 3 games with a 1.98 GAA and .934 SV% while Emery played one...he is 3.00 GAA and .900 SV%.  Emery needs some work and hopefully he will improve but don't have any complaints towards Crawford.

Offense- In the last four games,  the Hawks have averaged out 3.0 goals per game.

Defense-In the last four games, Hawks goals against is averaged of letting in 2.25 goals per game.


The good-PK, scoring, and goaltending
The bad-Power play and defense


Who's Hot
Patrick Kane-leads with points, assists, takeaways, and fairly well on the dot.
3rd line-Frolik, Bolland, and Bickell- great chemistry especially Bickell using the body

Who's Not
Patrick Sharp- I know you were hurt and was out for pre-season but you seem a step behind... What's up with the 16 penalty minutes already?!????
Jonathan Toews- well doesn't surprise me cause every season you start out slow


Game recaps
Hawks vs. Stars (10/7/11)
Stars win 2-1
There was no score after the 1st.  Goligoski opened the scoring at 59 seconds of the second period on a one-timer from the high slot.  Benn scored 3:58 left in the 2nd off a rebound.  The Hawks outshot the Stars 22-12 in the second period with 3 power plays but were not able to cash in on any.  Nick Leddy score the lone goal for the Hawks 13.6 seconds left in the game with six attackers but that was not enough to win the game.
-Hawks were outhit 37-19
-Hawks were -3 while Dall was +4 overall as a team
-Kane, Mayers, and Sharp were above 65% at the dot

Hawks vs. Stars (10/8/11)
Hawks win 5-2
Brunette scored the 1st Hawks goal on a rebound during a power play in the 1st period.  In the second,  Bolland scored a goal after he took a shot and got hit.  Toews who just came out of the box, had a breakaway, and scored to make it 3-0.  A little after a minute Fiddler scored a goal for the Stars with a very sharp angle lifting it over Crawford's shoulder.  Then in the 3rd, Sharp scored on a 2-on-1 breakaway during a delayed penalty.  Ott scored  a power-play goal midway through the third that cut it to 4-2 when Sheldon Souray's shot deflected in off him. Bolland had a empty-net goal to seal the win for the Hawks.
-Stars were 1 for 5 on their power play while Hawks were 1 for 7
-Sharp had 2 minor and 1 game misconduct giving him 14 penalty mintues
-Hawks were outhit again with 32-17
-Hawks were +15 overall and Stars were -16 overall
-Hawks won at the dot 58 to 42
-Former Hawks Jake Dowell and Jamal Mayers had a fight

Hawks vs. Jets (10/13/11)
Hawks win 4-3
Emery got the start for the Hawks.  Slater scored two goals early in the 1st to give the Jets a 2-0 lead.  Both goals were deflected and switched directions mid-air.  Brunette scored a power play goal off a rebound.  Then Kane scored on a one-timer from the right circle with a nice pass from Hossa.  In the second, Hossa scored 33 seconds into the period and Bolland tallied too.  Wellwood made up for his mis-hap on his breakaway by scoring 6 in a half let in the second.  The Hawks were able to hold off the Jets in the third and win the game. 
-Jets were 0 for 2 and Hawks were 1 for 3 on their power play
-Kane had a good game with 1G, 2A, 1 hit, 3 Tk, +2, and was 71% at the dot
-Hossa 1G, 1A, +2
-Carcillo first game since he was suspended from last season 1A, +2, 4 hits, 1 BS, and won his faceoff.
-At the dot Hawks were 59%
-Jets outhit the Hawks 34 to 20


Hawks vs Bruins (10/15/11)
Bruins win 3-2 SO
Bickell scored an unassisted goal late in the 1st.  The Bruins scored a short-handed goal just 1:33 in the second by Kelly.  Just 27 seconds after Horton's penalty expired, Kane scored a wrister past Thomas at 2:51 of the second.  In the third, Horton scored to tie up the game.  The game went into overtime and neither team score.  In the shootout, Toews, Kane, and Sharp did not score on Thomas but Seguin beat Crawford thru the five-hole. 
-Campbell and Mayers fought.
-Carcillo with the highest number of hits for the game at 8
-Thomas faced 37 SOG while Crawford faced 29 SOG
-Hjalmarsson had 4 blocked shots
-Both teams were 0 for 3 on their PP



Conclusion
The Hawks are okay.  They def need to work on some stuff.  Emery was shakey at times vs. Jets but he did his job and won the game.  Hopefully the power play can improve.... the Hawks need to cash in those opportunities more often.   Just wanting certain players to step it up cause you can tell by their game....they need to do something.  Coach Q needs to find some lines that will work cause the only one I've seen that has worked well together is the 3rd line besides Kane and Hossa.  The top two pairs on D need to be fixed.  Im not digging the defense showing up here and there and letting your goalie bail you out.  Time to play the full 60 and take advantage of the special teams. 

Can't wait for next game.  GO HAWKS!

Here's a video I took last season at Johnny's.

Toews with Mikey Haviland

LOVE IT!!