Roundhouse Report
By Rich Green,
IV Leader Sports Editor, May 7, 2009
You couldn’t keep me down forever Gary Bettman. I am back. Your strikes and lockouts couldn’t keep me away any longer. Not since my man Peter Bondra was relevant have I been this excited.
The Blackhawks are for real kiddies. Are you paying attention? If not you should be. This could possibly be Chicago’s only run at some sort of championship.
These are not your elder’s Blackhawks. Park the Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita stories Pat Foley. This is a young and hungry group of pure skaters ready to make a run.
Yeah, I could sit here and wax about the young guns Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane but then you would be missing what really makes this team tick.
Collectively the Blackhawk defenseman may not be the best defensive minded in the league but when Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith are on the ice together, it’s tough to find a better pair around the league.
The way they kill penalties is an art form. They take pride in being dirty and doing whatever it takes to not let a puck get near the net. Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith will be ushers at my wedding someday.
Giving the net to Nikolai Khabibulin and his playoff experience has payed off thus far. The “Bulin Wall” made 43 huge saves in the series-clinching win at Calgary.
Nobody seems to be paying much attention to Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year) finalist Kris Versteeg. Versteeg is leading the Hawks in scoring this postseason with seven points including two goals.
Let’s not forget about the other guys who are paying dividends.
Its Brian Eager fist fighting every Calgary Flame who gets in his way. It’s Patrick Sharp skating feisty even though he has been battling injuries. It’s Dustin freaking Byfuglien playing like he has never played before.
Before the Calgary series he was, according to this columnist, the worst hockey player in the league. It’s Cam Barker, Marty Havlat and Brian Campbell. It’s so good to see “Soupy” get a goal after 50 plus games of not having one
So now, it’s on to Vancouver. The Canucks dumped all over St. Louis with Roberto Luongo’s silly 1.16 GAA in their four game sweep.
The big question remains whether or not the young Hawks are ready for the big time. Can they skate with the Sedin twins Daniel and Henrik?
Regardless what happens this season the Blackhawks will be poised to make a Stanley Cup run for years to come.
Here’s to hearing Chelsea Dagger by the Fratelli’s a bunch more times this playoff when the Hawks light up the lamp.