2013 Stanley Cup Finals - Boston Bruins vs. Chicago Blackhawks

[xtrememachine1 795]

I think at this point, unless Boston quits playing or suffers an injury to a star player, there's no way they can lose this. Chicago was having trouble just getting shots on goal and when they did it was just one shot and no rebound. Rask will stop those all day. If it wasn't for that cheap third goal, off the skate, in Game 1, this series could be 3-0 right now.

On a side note, does anyone else think this is Jagr's best playoffs post-1996. The numbers aren't there and he doesn't have a goal in the playoffs, but he looks like a very well rounded player. He's making some nice plays defensively, setting up offense. He's contributing in big ways that don't show up on stat sheet.

[Vladifan 680]

I think at this point, unless Boston quits playing or suffers an injury to a star player, there's no way they can lose this. Chicago was having trouble just getting shots on goal and when they did it was just one shot and no rebound. Rask will stop those all day. If it wasn't for that cheap third goal, off the skate, in Game 1, this series could be 3-0 right now.

On a side note, does anyone else think this is Jagr's best playoffs post-1996. The numbers aren't there and he doesn't have a goal in the playoffs, but he looks like a very well rounded player. He's making some nice plays defensively, setting up offense. He's contributing in big ways that don't show up on stat sheet.

Rask is impossibly impassable. He appears to be very calm and focused out there. Love watching him now. Not so sure about next year.

I love Jagr and I'm glad he's still playing. Somebody said Millbury put him down on the air. Envy, anyone? I hope he scores a goal before it's all over.

Shaw I love you

Interesting. I can't even stand looking at him. He looks like a really ugly, loose-cannonball Mandy Patimkin (sp).

[rick zombo 3,739]

Rask is impossibly impassable. He appears to be very calm and focused out there. Love watching him now. Not so sure about next year.

I love Jagr and I'm glad he's still playing. Somebody said Millbury put him down on the air. Envy, anyone? I hope he scores a goal before it's all over.

Interesting. I can't even stand looking at him. He looks like a really ugly, loose-cannonball Mandy Patimkin (sp).

Agreed. He looks like a terrier that was hit in the face by a shovel.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

The c0re can't sc0re

but... but... intangibles!!

Captain Intangibles continues his postseason dominance this year with 0 goals and 0 assists against the Bruins so far, bringing him to 1 goal (which was on the PP) and 8 assists in 20 games.

I didn't realize it but the year the Hawks won the Cup and he won the Conn Smythe, 5 of his 7 goals were on the PP as were 10 of his 22 assists.

[esteef 2,679]

Total hearsay and speculation but thought I'd pass it along anyway:

"Hossa not expected to play in game 4. Jaw wired shut. Likely out for remainder but not ruled out for games 6 or 7." - some hawks fan.

esteef

[rick zombo 3,739]

but... but... intangibles!!

Captain Intangibles continues his postseason dominance this year with 0 goals and 0 assists against the Bruins so far, bringing him to 1 goal (which was on the PP) and 8 assists in 20 games.

I didn't realize it but the year the Hawks won the Cup and he won the Conn Smythe, 5 of his 7 goals were on the PP as were 10 of his 22 assists.

Hey. You don't earn the name Captain Intangibles by doing things that are, you know, tangible.

Hawks! Go die now please and forever. K thx.

[Nightfall 871]

but... but... intangibles!!

Captain Intangibles continues his postseason dominance this year with 0 goals and 0 assists against the Bruins so far, bringing him to 1 goal (which was on the PP) and 8 assists in 20 games.

I didn't realize it but the year the Hawks won the Cup and he won the Conn Smythe, 5 of his 7 goals were on the PP as were 10 of his 22 assists.

Speaking of the Conn Smythe.....

I can look on the Bruins and see that Rask is probably the front runner for the award. Then you have Krejci and Horton and Bergeron. Who do you award it to on the Blackhawks if they won? Crawford maybe? He did bail out the Hawks defensive blunders last night. Bickell and Sharp I suppose, but they aren't lighting it up.

[beachwing 426]

Just saw this....love social media!!

@danthestatman

"But Chara has been overlooked for Norris & Conn Smythe -He IS in Lidstrom class with far less press.."

[frankgrimes 1,836]

As much negative attention Toews is getting, I'd still take captain serious over any player not named Crosby or Stamkos. The guy just screams Yzerman 2.0

[BottleOfSmoke 5,965]

The guy just screams Yzerman 2.0

After the poopy diaper display he showed during the series with the Wings, this makes me want to projectile vomit and set things on fire.

[Rhah 195]

As much negative attention Toews is getting, I'd still take captain serious over any player not named Crosby or Stamkos. The guy just screams Yzerman 2.0

I used to respect him until this postseason. I am sorry but his whining and mouthing WHAT THE F*** while caught on camera to refs about every call has just made me lose what respect I had for him. He will never be the next Stevie Y. I don't know but the class that the Wings exude must just make me spoiled on how I expect hockey players to act. He is basically just another Cindy to me now. Honestly, living in Illinois, I was thinking with Wings in East maybe I could try to cheer a bit for Hawks in West unless of course a Cup matchup, but after this year the way these dirtbags are playing (Shaw, Bickell, Seabrooke, Keith, Toews) not really sure I can ever root for this current team.

Also, Bergeron must have been pissed that Toews won the Selke (over him and Pasha) and had to show the Hawks how a real Selke player plays last night.

I'll leave this here, an oldie but goodie:

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Hey. You don't earn the name Captain Intangibles by doing things that are, you know, tangible.

Hawks! Go die now please and forever. K thx.

It's hilarious to me that Hawks fans and even broadcasters try to use intangibles to justify why any particular player is better than another.

Especially if you're a sports writer, you should be able to explain it because while it may not be as simple as scoring goals, positive attributes are still tangible. Clutch goals, backchecking, hitting, being a pest. They're tangible.

To me whenever I hear anyone talk about a players "intangibles" I just hear "I have no idea why I just like them."

As much negative attention Toews is getting, I'd still take captain serious over any player not named Crosby or Stamkos. The guy just screams Yzerman 2.0

Honestly early on I thought that. He was probably my favorite player on the Hawks if I had to pick one. Turns out Kane is a total d-bag off the ice but more of a solid player on it. He wasn't scoring and called himself out on it. Captain Intangibles on the other hand whined about officiating off the ice. Whined to refs on the ice. Dove. Took terrible penalties because Zetterberg wasn't playing nice.

He did all the things Crosby gets so much grief for.

[Guest Crymson]

but... but... intangibles!!

Captain Intangibles continues his postseason dominance this year with 0 goals and 0 assists against the Bruins so far, bringing him to 1 goal (which was on the PP) and 8 assists in 20 games.

I didn't realize it but the year the Hawks won the Cup and he won the Conn Smythe, 5 of his 7 goals were on the PP as were 10 of his 22 assists.

He now has four goals in his past 40 playoff games. This places him beneath just about every non-rookie forward on the Wings' roster.

As much negative attention Toews is getting, I'd still take captain serious over any player not named Crosby or Stamkos. The guy just screams Yzerman 2.0

......

I don't have the words to respond.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

From The Score dot clam, here is an info-graphic on who has spent what, focusing on the where and the why.

[Rhah 195]

From The Score dot clam, here is an info-graphic on who has spent what, focusing on the where and the why.

That article from the score is pretty good example of their style of radio, we have lots of charts and stats and numbers but don't have the intelligence to interpret them.

I didn't actually glean anything from that article.

[Guest Crymson]

Rask is going to glean a king's ransom in the offseason.

[wingslogo19 281]

Bruins put on a clinic last night!

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

The one thing that really annoys me about the Toews talk, is everyone talking about "hard minutes" and "great defensive plays" Sure. But this is a Canadian golden boy, who gets talked about like he ALWAYS rises to the occasion when the pressures on. Oh yeah? That's why he was pretty much the 4th line center for the Hawks last night.

I did some digging into Toews splits from 2010, when according to the "brilliant" minds in the hockey world, he became a big game player. Well I describe big games as Stanley Cup Final games. So, including the 3 he's already played in this year and the 6 in 2010, lets see what we get.

2010: 6gp 0 Even Strength Goals, 1 Even Strength Assists. 0 PP or SH goals, 2 PP assists. 18 shots, and had an average TOI of 21:24. 2013: 3gp 0 Even Strength Goals, 0 Even Strength Assists. 0 PP or SH goals, 0 PP or SH assists. 12 shots and has an average of 27:02. Big game player? Not a chance. Datsyuk played hard minutes for years but was called a playoff choker for years because he didn't put up the numbers, and because he was Russian. Toews because of his passport gets a free pass. It's crap, and the hockey media should be ashamed. Call this guy "The Tent" when it comes to important games, because all he does is fold up and crumble.

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

It's hilarious to me that Hawks fans and even broadcasters try to use intangibles to justify why any particular player is better than another.

Especially if you're a sports writer, you should be able to explain it because while it may not be as simple as scoring goals, positive attributes are still tangible. Clutch goals, backchecking, hitting, being a pest. They're tangible.

To me whenever I hear anyone talk about a players "intangibles" I just hear "I have no idea why I just like them."

Honestly early on I thought that. He was probably my favorite player on the Hawks if I had to pick one. Turns out Kane is a total d-bag off the ice but more of a solid player on it. He wasn't scoring and called himself out on it. Captain Intangibles on the other hand whined about officiating off the ice. Whined to refs on the ice. Dove. Took terrible penalties because Zetterberg wasn't playing nice.

He did all the things Crosby gets so much grief for.

When I think of the word "intangibles" all I can hear is Mr Ray from Finding Nemo

"Okay, class. Optical orbits up front, and remember, we keep our subesophageal ganglion to ourselves. That means you, Jimmy"

[rrasco 1,312]

WTF? Was the Bickell gif a coincidence?

Bickell has been shut out through three games in the Stanley Cup Final.

He has been gracious enough to agree to keep a player blog that will appear on NHL.com throughout the series against the Boston Bruins.

In his fifth entry, Bickell writes about the Blackhawks tradition of playing Mario Kart on the road. He goes over the history and even ranks some of the players:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=674439

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

As much negative attention Toews is getting, I'd still take captain serious over any player not named Crosby or Stamkos. The guy just screams Yzerman 2.0

Yzerman was never a whiner.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Is Toews having trouble to score? For sure but keep in mind he is up against a tower named Zdeno Chara and a great goaltender in Tuuka Rask. Sure he acted like an idiot against the Wings but nowhere near as whiny and bitchy as Cindy. The Penguins especially Malkin and Crosby are so used to getting their way, they just can't handle it if these are pushing back or are simple...just better...it was evident against the Isles, Flyers and the Bruins I don't think Toews should be named in the same sentence just because of one idiotic performance.

People are quick to forget, that Yzerman had his special events with the referees too, it is just part of being a captain.

Just having hard time with the "what have you done for me lately" mentality. Sure elite players are judged by stats but there is so much more than just looking at a stats sheet.

Edited June 19, 2013 by frankgrimes

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Is Toews having trouble to score? For sure but keep in mind he is up against a tower named Zdeno Chara and a great goaltender in Tuuka Rask. Sure he acted like an idiot against the Wings but nowhere near as whiny and bitchy as Cindy. The Penguins especially Malkin and Crosby are so used to getting their way, they just can't handle it if these are pushing back or are simple...just better...it was evident against the Isles, Flyers and the Bruins I don't think Toews should be named in the same sentence just because of one idiotic performance.

People are quick to forget, that Yzerman had his special events with the referees too, it is just part of being a captain.

Just having hard time with the "what have you done for me lately" mentality. Sure elite players are judged by stats but there is so much more than just looking at a stats sheet.

Toews has one goal this entire playoffs (scored on the PP). Yes he does other things but there's plenty of role players who do those same things. Star players are expected to play against other star players, and do well.

And he was exactly as whiny as Crosby against the Wings. Honestly he was worse. Crosby hasn't been as bad as he was in the Cup Finals against the Wings. It's the only reason Toews belongs in the same sentence as Crosby because while he didn't score against Boston either, Cindy was still a PPG player this postseason.

It's not "what have you done for me lately?" It's what have you done for me in the last 3 playoffs? Not much. And as I pointed out a lot of his 2010 points were on the PP. Like I said, Toews used to be one of my favorite players on Chicago, but the kid is as big of a whiner as Crosby when things aren't going his way. And he's slightly overrated by people on his playoff performances.

Yzerman certainly complained to refs as he got older. But that's a seasoned vet who's earned a place in the league over a long career. Toews was flopping and whining and pouting.

[esteef 2,679]

Finish checks on Hossa boys! All night long!!!

esteef

[OctopiDetroit 5]

Is this the game the Hawks PP shows up? The Bruins don't need Chicago to tie one hand behind its back... but with a lame power play that's kind of what they're doing.

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