Apr 13, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; A view of empty seats at RFK stadium where D.C. United is hosting the New York Red Bulls. Mandatory Credit: Paul Frederiksen-USA TODAY Sports

The fourth installment of Morning Skate Live will be shown this morning at 10:30am. Normally, practice is pretty boring stuff with just a bunch of whistles and skating but today is a different day. Not only is it the morning before the series opener with the Detroit Red Wings, but since there has been so much practice time before the series it will be the morning of Viktor Stalberg.

The question when the cameras turn on will be is Stalberg wearing a white jersey oris he back in his normal spot on the third line with Andrew Shaw and Bryan Bickell.  The other questions to answer is whether Michael Handzus is at practice and which line is Dave Bolland centering.  There is a ton of questions that Coach Q has asked since Saturday and the Morning Skate Live will be there to help answer.

If you haven’t watched Morning Skate Live it is hosted by the Hawks radio team of  Troy Murray and John Wiedeman. It can be seen on Comcast Sportsnet Chicago or streamed live on Chicagoblackhawks.com

Practice is just practice unless there is some controversy. Great timing Morning Skate Live!!

For more Blackhawks updates and conversation follow us on Twitter @Blackhawk_Up or Like us on our new Facebook page Blackhawkup.

May 9, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks left wing Viktor Stalberg (25) skates with the puck against the Minnesota Wild during the first period in game five of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

What happens when there is a shortened season with limited practices and the team succeeds more than anyone could have possibly expected. Then the team clinches in five games and actually has time to have practice with every reporter on duty reporting and this little thing we call Twitter?  A total blow up over nothing.

Have I coached teams? yes. Have I won a Stanley Cup? No Have I played sports most of my life? yes Have I ever been to a practice? Of course Do all coaches have whipping boys? Pretty much.

The Blackhawks great run has been without very many practices so what Twitter and Facebook and other sites missed is the whipping boy at practice.  Saturday was message day with Brandon Saad and Viktor Stalberg being moved from their normal lines.  Today, Saad was back with Jonathan Toews on the top line but Stalberg was still stuck in limbo land at practice.  Welcome to the whipping boy or the real example.

Was  Stalberg tearing up the stat sheet in the first round? No Was he a member of the third line that was very disruptive and productive against the Wild? yes  So, one reason Joel Quenneville should be considered for coach of the year is he’s not afraid to make a point.  After Brent Seabrook played a bad period earlier in the year, he sat him the entire 2nd period before letting him back on the ice in the third period.  Now Stalberg took a really bad penalty and wasn’t using his speed to help the Hawks team take advantage of the Wild so here comes Q and the message with practice time.  Two straight practices in the doghouse for Stalberg.

Whipping boys and dog houses are a staple at any practice at any level, but the only reason anyone is talking about it is because all eyes are on one of the few practices of the season.  Every paper in Chicago has a writer following the Blackhawks and with a few strokes on a laptop or smartphone they create a huge stir in the Blackhawks  fanbase.  Normally, we would all be talking like Allan Iverson, Practice..We are talking about Practice, not even a game, we are talking about practice! We aren’t going Iverson because it’s the playoffs and almost every Hawks fans is living and dying with this 2013 unit.

Game #1 is Wednesday night and more than likely Stalberg will be back with his line mates because no matter how much a coach likes a whipping boy they like even less to mess with chemistry which is what Stalberg, Andrew Shaw, and Bryan Bickell have this season.

It’s just practice where points are made for the final goal which is ONE GOAL!!

What do you think? Is there more to this than a whipping boy at practice? Do you think Stalberg will be a healthy scratch Game 1?

For more Blackhawks updates and conversation follow us on Twitter @Blackhawk_Up or Like us on Facebook at Blackhawkup.

In the first period, the Hawks were possessing the puck throughout the frame, as Elliot stopped their several quality chances.  However, it was the Blues’ Adam Cracknell, who took advantage of a Duncan Keith blowout, and found the back of the net first, with his first goal of the season on a slapshot to give the Blues a 1-0 lead at the end of the first period.  

Apr 4, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) makes a save against St. Louis Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91) during the shootout at the United Center. The Blues beat the Blackhawks 4-3 in the shootout. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

Although it was the Blues who had the lead on the scoreboard, it was the Blackhawks, who were playing visibly better on the ice, and that continued into the 2nd period.  The Blues scoring chances from their top two lines were few and far between, thanks to the Hawks bottom two line, and their stellar play.  That stellar play continued on the Penalty Kill, as they shut down the Blues’ Power Play, which with momentum on their side, lead to the Jonathan Toews equalizer.  With the game tied, and the momentum at a game high, for the Hawks, they quickly took a 2-1 lead off a beautiful pass from Toews to Brandon Saad, snuck the puck into the net to give the Hawks a 2-1 lead.

In the closing minute of the 2nd period, the Blackhawks/Blues rivalry was felt all around the United Center, as Viktor Stalberg landed a hit on Blues’ defenseman, Barret Jackman, and as essentially jumped by Jackman’s defensive partner Roman Polak.  With tensions at a game high, Jackman, with unusualy hockey etiquette  started arguing with playes on the Blackhawks bench, most notably backup goaltender, Ray Emery, but ultimately nothing more came of it during the game, as the Hawks took a 2-1 lead into the 3rd period.

Early in the 3rd, Michal Rozsival turned the puck over to the Blues, which lead to an Adam Cracknell breakaway and he buried his 2nd goal of the night, and the season, tying the game at 2 goals apiece.  Much like the Hawks in the 2nd period, the Blues rode the new found wave of momentum in the 3rd period, as minutes later, David Backes beat Corey Crawford to give the Blues a 3-2 lead.  The Blues carried the lead until less than 5 minutes remaining in the game when Viktor Stalberg ended his 14 game goal drought to tie the game at 3.  The tie would run through the end of regulation, and both teams were rewarded one point in the Western Conference standings.

The 5-minute overtime came and went, as the Hawks failed to capitalize on a 3 on one rush, and the game was headed to the shootout.

Up first in the shootout was Jonathan Toews, who found a way to beat Brian Elliot, however Chris Stewart answered with a goal of his own.

Next up was Patrick Kane, who found the back of the net, and once again, the Blues answered, this time on Andy McDonald‘s goal.

Andrew Shaw earned the dubious honor of being the fist player not to score for the Hawks, as did David Perron for the Blues.

In his return to the ice after missing time with an injury, Marian Hossa scored for the Hawks, and Alexander Steen also scored for the Blues.

Brandon Saad was next for the Hawks, but was denied by Brian Elliot.  Rookie Vladimir Tarasenko also failed to score for the Blues.

Michal Handzus failed to score for the Hawks, as Kevin Shattenkirk found a way to score, giving the Blues a 4-3 victory over the Blackhawks.

Notes-

Corey Crawford had an up and down game.  He made some nice saves on the night, but gave up some juicy rebounds and some soft goals.  Especially in the shootout.

Brian Elliot certainly played beyond what the statistics say about him this season, as he got the Blues through several flurries of Blackhawk scoring chances.

Michal Handzus, making his second Blackhawks debut of his career had an excellent game.  He ended the night a +1 and won 10 out fo 14 faceoffs on the night.

Jonathan Toews certainly played as if he was aware it was his own bobble head night, as he scored a goal and added an assist as well as a shootout goal.

Next up for the Blackhawks, is matinee on Saturday, as they take on the Nashville Predators.  Puck drop is set for 2:00 PM Central Time.

Mar 16, 2013; Dallas, TX, USA; Chicago Blackhawks left wing Viktor Stalberg (25) shoots the puck on the Dallas Stars goal during the third period at the American Airlines Center. The Blackhawks defeated the Stars 8-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Bryan Bickell on the second line experiment  lasted two regulation losses and two games.  I called for Jeremy Morin to replace Patrick Sharp, Stan Bowman only read part of my post and called up Jimmy Hayes to replace Patrick Sharp. The two games that Bickell played with Patrick Kane and Dave Bolland not only did Bickell seem lost but all the lines were shuffled and all nine in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th lines seemed out of sorts which is why something needed to happen. The secret of the Blackhawks success (movie not starring Michael J Fox) is that each player has a role and goes out and works their butts off in that role, and Coach Joel Quenneville has played all four lines at any time in any circumstance.

To say the call up of Jimmy Hayes has been a perfect fit is almost an understatement. Yes when the team puts up 13 goals in 2 games its easy and fun to make stats work for you, but the stat I want to pull out for you is the 3rd line.  This line was the real reason for the Hayes call up because it broke up one of the most effective lines the Hawks have with people on Twitter saying that they are better than a lot of teams 2nd lines. In the last two games Viktor Stalberg and Bryan Bickell have paired up on four assists on the same goals.  Andrew Shaw wasn’t left out of the party collecting a goal (the 2nd of the game) after Bickell absorbed a check that broke out Stalberg who fed Shaw for the goal.  This is the kind of play that doesn’t happen if the lines were jumbled and Shaw and Stalberg are playing with say Michael Frolik.  Yes things are going well when the third line being in tact create points and chances. Last two games

Andrew Shaw- 1 Goal

Bryan Bickell- 4 assists

Viktor Stalberg-4 assists

The second line also has benefited from Hayes be inserted into the lineup with a young kid that can skate and knows where to go for goals and that is the front of the net and stay out of Kane’s way.  Kane is a master with the puck so Hayes was right where he was suppose to be for the opening goal in Colorado and that is right in front of the net to deposit a backhander into the net.

The Hawks with some rest and a perfect match are rolling again which is just another feather in Stan Bowman’s cap. Bowman little subtle moves instead of a big flashy splash has kept the core together and keeps adding pieces which is Bowman’s goal to build a lasting Championship organization and not a team to make one run at the Cup.

What do you think? Could the Hayes move worked any better?

For more Blackhawks talk follow us on Twitter @Blackhawk_Up or friend us on Facebook at Blackhawk Up.

Photo by Maggie Avila

Game #8-  Chicago Blackhawks (6-0-1)  at Vancouver Canucks (3-2-2) 

Game Time- 9:00 pm Central

TV-CSN Chicago or TSN, RDS2 Vancouver  Radio -  WGN 720 Chicago  or AM1040 Vancouver

In a week that could easily have been called rivalry week the Blackhawks prepare to take on the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena. The Blackhawks started the week on Sunday facing long time divisional rival Detroit Red Wings. Then mid week they faced what could be a new rival in Minnesota especially if the league realigns and finds the Wild in the same division as the Hawks. The Hawks find if not the best, certainly the most heated rivalry has been saved for last.

While the Red Wings are a respected rival and the Wild are a new foe the Canucks are definitely the most vilified rival and with just reasons for every Blackhawks fan. There are so many villains on this team to choose from.

There’s hair pulling, groin kicking, finger biting forward Alex Burrows. Who can forget his hair pulling escapades with Duncan Keith and then he went for round two last year in a regular season game and decided to kick Duncs in his privates while he was down no less. Oh Alex you nasty, nasty boy.

You also don’t have to look to far either to find Zach Kassian who also has done his fair share of thuggish behavior. All the Hawks that played in the AHL on the Rockford IceHogs should be sick of Kassian since he played on the Chicago Wolves and we could see carry over scores that need to be settled. The Hawks also need to be aware of Kassian. He is the second leading point getter of Canucks forwards only trailing Daniel Sedin.

Truth is Vancouver has not hit their stride yet and has pedestrian numbers so far while the Blackhawks have been blazing hot out of the starting gates. The Canucks’ Achilles heel is one the Blackhawks are all too familiar with, namely special teams. Their penalty kill is currently ranked 22^nd in the league. If the Hawks are smart they will try to goad the Canucks into taking penalties and then cash in.

Vancouver is virtually the same team that the Blackhawks and their faithful have come to loath. Their lone pick up in the off season was D man Jason Garrison from the Florida Panthers. While they did not make many changes the addition of Garrison really strengthens the Canucks back end and also provides one killer slap shot from the point on power plays.

While the Canucks top four D men are solid what is surprising is that D men Alex Edler and Dan Hamhuis are also leading the team in assists along with Daniel Sedin. Watch for their defensemen to join the rush and beware the stretch pass as the Canucks have always had great team speed.

Ryan Kessler is out on IR so the forward position is definitely missing an all star but the Sedins are still there and are always a threat every time they are on the ice. It will also be interesting to see who coach Q puts out against the Sedins since Dave Bolland is now centering the second line. Can Andrew Shaw be as much of an irritator as Bolland while maintaining his own control? This could be very interesting to watch.

The big talk all off season and even currently is the Canucks trying to trade Roberto Luongo. The Canucks unable to trade Luongo now find themselves in a precarious position as he is currently in fourth place in the NHL in both GAA and SV%. Interestingly Corey Crawford is not too far behind him in eighth place in both as well. Where is Corey Schneider ranked 32^nd GAA and 29^th SV% which demonstrates why coach Alain Vigneault has been going with Luongo as of late.

Vancouver has already stated Loungo will be starting against the Blackhawks. You would have to think that Crawford will get the call but coach Q may through everyone a curve ball so we will see.

The Blackhawks need to keep firing a Luongo especially high blocker side and try to rattle him early. While the Canucks top four defenders are top drawer they’re third and fourth D pairings are a little suspect. If Shaw, Stalberg and Bickell  can pelt him with shots enough it might wear him down and Viktor Stalberg has the speed to beat their defensemen.

The Blackhawks are coming off their first defeat of the year in a shoot out loss to the Minnesota Wild while the Vancouver Canucks are coming off of 3-0 thrashing of the Colorado Avalanche. Both teams having played on Wednesday.

Last year the Hawks split their series with the Canucks 2-2. This year we will only face them three times, twice in Vancouver and once in Chicago unless they meet again in the playoffs down the road. This will be the first meeting this year between the clubs but I do not anticipate this rivalry and dislike between teams to be any different. That said buckle yourselves in for what should be a great game with a lot of speed,physicality and plain old dislike.

Prediction – In a close physical game the Blackhawks go to OT again but take this one 2-1.

For instant updates during the game follow us on Twitter @Blackhawk_Up, we are also on Facebook at Blackhawk UP.

November 10, 2011; Columbus, OH, USA; Chicago Blackhawks fans celebrate after the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Chicago defeated Columbus 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports

Game #5- Chicago Blackhawks (4-0-0) at Columbus Blue Jackets (1-2-1)

Game Time- 6:00 pm Central

TV-CSN Chicago or Fox Sports Ohio for Columbus

The Blackhawks face for the first time this year divisional foe Columbus Blue Jackets. While it is easy to chalk up another two points for the Hawks let us not forget these are not the same Columbus Blue Jackets.

Last year the Blackhawks swept all six of their contests with Columbus but this is a new year with many changes on the Columbus Blue Jackets. They have significant roster changes due to trades.

They now have Jack Johnson from the Jeff Carter trade to LA, on the blue line with James Wisniewski.  This makes a solid first line pairing.  They also shored up their D with the acquisition of Adrian Aucoin which will give veteran stability to  the youth on the backend.  Columbus will not be as easy to score on this year.

The Blue Jackets also obtained Sergei Bobrovsky from the Philadelphia Flyers in the offseason.  This move now relegates Steve Mason to back-up goaltending duties.

The biggest change on Columbus is obviously the departure of offensive star Rick Nash to the New York Rangers. The Blue Jackets did however get in return from New York forwards Nick Foligno, Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky. While they are not Nash, they do provide Columbus a more balanced attack.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are a work in progress but the Blackhawks need to guard against looking past them to Detroit. Look for Emery to get the nod in net for the Blackhawks with them playing Detroit tomorrow. Columbus is coming off of back to back losses to the Colorado Avalanche 0-4 and the Phoenix Coyotes 1-5 so they will be looking to rebound in front of their home fans.

It will be interesting as well to see if Viktor Stalberg continues where he left off last year with pummeling the Blue Jackets. Eight of his 22 goals were courtesy of Columbus. Lets see if Stalberg can continue this trend.

Prediction – Blackhawks take this one to a tune of 4-2 in regulation on goals from Sharp, Bolland, Saad and Stalberg.

For instant updates during the game follow us on Twitter @Blackhawk_Up, we are also on Facebook at Blackhawk UP.

Feb. 25 , 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) and Chicago Blackhawks left wing Bryan Bickell (29) and left wing Viktor Stalberg (25) battle as they skate down ice after the puck during the first period of the game at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

It doesn’t come as a surprise that coach Q recently when meeting the media revealed that the ailing power play will be changed in  several ways.

New assistant coach Jaime Kompon will be in charge of getting this headache back on track. Welcome to the Blackhawks. This is truly baptism under fire. For those that will recall last year everyone took a turn with this enigma and no one did quit figure it out.

The Blackhawks ranked 26^th in the NHL last year on the power play which they would agree is not acceptable if you want to become a championship team.  This makes it imperative that this year they get this right off the bat in a compressed season.

There is no secret to power plays. They can be summed up with one word. What was it that Master Yoda tried to drill into Luke Skywalker when training him to master the force? CONTROL! CONTROL! YOU MUST LEARN CONTROL! The same is true of power plays. You must maintain control in the opposition’s zone.  The Blackhawks last year had problems with sustained pressure in the offensive zone.

Patience is also a requirement for successful power plays. Crisp passing in the zone which the Hawks also struggled with due to trying to hurry plays is where they could exercise some patience and it would improve their precision.

Traffic in front of the goalies also was absent for the most part.  The other area they really struggled with was zone entry which can be remedied with great puck handling or speed into the zone.  Whew was it any surprise that they were as low as they were as the Blackhawks didn’t do much right.

Coach Joel Quenneville when addressing the media also said he would be giving Viktor Stalberg a look on the power play. Why not? Stalberg definitely has the speed and he has a deceptive shot. Also by using Stalberg it will give the Hawks a different look which keeps the opposition guessing.

He could be used in front of the goalie for greasy goals. Stalberg is a big body with his 6’3” frame he could make a nice screen with shots coming from the point or the half walls and provide deflections. Stalberg has offensive skills that we saw last year with his 22 goals  yes a lot came against the lowely Columbus Blue Jackets but he still should be given the opportunity it could not hurt the power play.

Stalberg has a pretty accurate shot which is necessary with everyone jammed in the offensive zone.  Stalberg actually had a higher shot percentage than Patrick Kane.

He also stated Andrew Shaw would be given an opportunity as well on the power play given his tenacity and good hand eye skills this is not surprising at all. Shaw we know doesn’t mind getting in the greasy areas and getting a little filthy which the Hawks power play could use.

I would also venture to bet that Dave Bolland, Jimmy Hayes, Brandon Saad and even Bryan Bickell might see turns on the power play. I’d give them a whirl for different reasons.

Dave Bolland has one of the most accurate shots. His shot percentage is very high and he does have very good instincts in the dirty areas.

Bickell, Hayes and Saad are big bodies, which like Stalberg could be used effectively on screens. We also have seen that Bickell has a deceptive snapshot and wristers. Saad has good hockey IQ and some soft hands as well.

The Hawks will be practicing tomorrow on their power play and will have a scrimmage with the Rockford Icehogs. Not sure if this is open to the public or not.

Jaime Kompon has his plate full getting this power play right but he does have tools at his disposal. It will also be interesting to see if besides personnel changes a new strategy and schemes are employed. Creativity and ingenuity could be key.

What or who would you like to see the Blackhawks do to improve the power play?

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Mar 16, 2012; Dallas, TX, USA; Chicago Blackhawks left wing Viktor Stalberg (25) skates through the Dallas Stars zone during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Blackhawks defeated the Stars 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Viktor Stalberg  had a break out season last year and we graded him that way for his effort this past summer.  Stalberg did do his best disappearing act in the Phoenix Coyote series.  Will he be able to build on his regular season while being able to play in Europe during the lockout? Will this be the season when potential and ability meets productivity?

For the Blackhawks to have the season that we all want them to have, a Stalberg even bigger and better break out season needs to be in order.  Stalberg has incredible speed but really needs to finish more consistently to become a star instead of a player with all the tools without the statistics. With the shortened season this could be the turning the  corner in Stalberg’s career when he becomes the star that his ability says he should be.

The other area Stalberg needs to clean up is the silly penalty that he takes.  He needs to be on special teams not be the cause of special teams having to take the ice.

I believe of all the Hawks this upcoming shortened season, that it’s Stalberg that has the greatest opportunity to turn it up from good to great, and if he realizes his potential not only will be an outstanding season for Stalberg, but a great season to be a fan of the Chicago Blackhawks.

I’m going to predict his over/under at 25 goals and 26 assists.  What do you think Stalberg’s stats are going to be? The great thing is the season is less than a week away now!

Let’s Go Hawks!!

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Mar 29, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks left wing Viktor Stalberg (25) moves the puck past St. Louis Blues defenseman Barret Jackman (5) during the first period at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

On this date in Chicago Blackhawks history,

On January 10, 2011 in a sold out United Center, Viktor Stalberg scored three goals against the Columbus Blue Jackets for his first career hat trick.  To watch his hat trick from Chicago Blackhawks.com click here.

As stated here and almost anywhere, Stalberg owns the Columbus franchise, and he had to be the most upset player in the NHL when the lockout washed out opening night and one of his games against the Blue Jackets.

This of course is the last hat trick on record for the Chicago Blackhawks, but with the shortened season right around the corner hopefully one of our stars might be able to add to the Blackhawks hat trick history.

The season is right around the corner!!

LET’S GO BLACKHAWKS!!

Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE

I finally had enough free time the other day to download the demo of NHL 13 from EA Sports.  I have been playing this franchise since grade school on my Sega Genesis. Every year EA Sports says there are tons of changes to the game engine but they are usually very subtle.  This never stops me from running out and buying the new version every year on the day of its release.  After playing the demo, the changes they have made to the game has made the best sports game even better! This makes me very excited, mainly because it might be the only way the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks  show up on my TV this year.

The biggest change is the speed and skill of the players.  Speed kills in the NHL and it will on NHL 13 as well.  The faster guys on your team will make a big difference.  With this being said, I fully expect to have Viktor Stalberg win both the Hart and the Conn Smythe for me this year.  You also won’t be able to out skate or stick handle opponents with players like John Scott anymore.  The difference between the superstars and the 4th line players are very dramatic, so you will have to watch the matchups.  Also the goalies are much more realistic.  They will make the occasional fantastic save, but will allow the weak one in every once in awhile.  This will have to be something to watch out for when taking Corey Crawford into an overtime game.

I can not wait to buy the full version and check out all the changes to the game play.  The game feels more realistic than ever and should provide a fun challenge.  Hopefully this is not the only way to enjoy the greatest sport on the planet this fall.

Thank you for reading, be sure to follow me on Twitter @SAMotherPucker