ROUND ONE : C1 Chicago v WC2 Nashville

[Kerfuffle]

It wasn't incidental contact though - Crawford was spun around a bit. Incidental is usually if your jerseys touch - this wasn't close. I believe the goal stuck only because crawford was out of the paint. They should update the rule to make that clear. I still think overall there's too much ambiguity for any call when it goes to Toronto for review.

[ComradeT]

I was shocked that goal was allowed to stand.
Here's a quote from an article on http://www.secondcityhockey.com/2017/4/ ... xplanation. Bolding is mine.

Goals should be disallowed only if: (1) an attacking player, either by his positioning or by contact, impairs the goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within his crease or defend his goal; or (2) an attacking player initiates intentional or deliberate contact with a goalkeeper, inside or outside of his goal crease. Incidental contact with a goalkeeper will be permitted, and resulting goals allowed, when such contact is initiated outside of the goal crease, provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such contact. The rule will be enforced exclusively in accordance with the on-ice judgement of the Referee(s), but may be subject to a Coach’s Challenge (see Rule 78)

IMHO, Arvidsson is clearly going for Crawford's stick, so there's no way he's trying to avoid contact. He is not tackling Crawford but he's actively challenging him on the play, and whatever contact is made is part of that challenge, and therefore is intentional. That was a real back breaker for the Hawks.

Overall so far officiating has been horrendous in games that I have seen (Blues games included, home bias fully disclosed).

[Portland Blues]

Chicago scores an own-goal to make it 2-0 Nashville in the 3rd.

[glen a richter]

If we get out of our current series, Nashville definitely won't be an easy opponent.

[gaijin]

No offense to Kerfuffle, but Bye Felicia.

Now to the next question we'll be discussing for days- how the hell did the Blackhawks- the best in the West- get swept by an 8th seed?

[cardsfan04]

This is one of the most shocking playoff outcomes I can think of. 2000 Sharks over Blues was surprising, but that was in 7 games and against a team without 3 cups in the last 7 years. Habs over both Capitals and Penguins in 2010 maybe? I didn't give the Predators much of a chance to win the series at all, but a sweep? That's just nuts.

While I think this is a good thing for us, I sure as hell hope the team isn't thinking like that. We already are having trouble scoring. Pekka Rinne (123 saves on 126 shots), isn't a cure for that. First gotta close this one out though.

[Kerfuffle]

No offense to Kerfuffle, but Bye Felicia.

Now to the next question we'll be discussing for days- how the hell did the Blackhawks- the best in the West- get swept by an 8th seed?

Be careful what you wish for. If the Preds are for real the Blues will have a tough road ahead in round 2.

[Toasted Oates]

No offense to Kerfuffle, but Bye Felicia.

Now to the next question we'll be discussing for days- how the hell did the Blackhawks- the best in the West- get swept by an 8th seed?

Be careful what you wish for. If the Preds are for real the Blues will have a tough road ahead in round 2.

Every "road" the St. Louis Blues organization has traveled on has been "tough." So joke's on you, sir.

In all seriousness, I thought it'd be an interesting series. A sweep? Hell no, but no one is kidding themselves and believing Nashville to be an easier opponent.

Besides, the Blues/Wild series is far from a foregone conclusion.

[gaijin]

No offense to Kerfuffle, but Bye Felicia.

Now to the next question we'll be discussing for days- how the hell did the Blackhawks- the best in the West- get swept by an 8th seed?

Be careful what you wish for. If the Preds are for real the Blues will have a tough road ahead in round 2.

You misunderstand. Just like when Detroit missed the playoffs this year, there is a high level of schadenfreude among us Blues fans when Chicago gets eliminated, much less being swept in the first round after finishing 1st in the Western Conference. It's shocking to me (and probably most people).

I would have rather faced the Hawks in the 2nd round- I love watching the rivalry. Also, the way Nashville has played, I'm afraid our offense will have the same troubles against them that we have had against Minnesota.

[glen a richter]

It's very dangerous to assume the Blues win this series. I think we lose 5, win 6 but who knows. Nashville will be tough for either us or the Wild.

[theohall]

Experienced depth was what the Hawks were missing. Everyone talks about how important it is to have playoff experience and depth. The Hawks 4th line was so ineffective they started rolling only 3 forward lines during the last 2 games. You can't ride 3/4ths of your forwards with the way intensity ramps up in the playoffs. Did I expect Chicago to lose or get swept? No to both. The swept part is shocking. The losing part, no so much when one looks at all factors. Nashville rolled their 4 lines pretty much evenly. It matters. It's easier to see in hindsight.

[sseagle]

No way Chicago is getting swept, nor does Q allow them to continue getting shut out. This one is still going 6 probably. Not that Nashville will necessarily lose the next four games, I think they're firmly in the driver seat right now. They're in Chicago's heads as much as Allen is in Minnesota's heads. But the Hawks are flush with offensive talent enough that they have to break through soon.

It's a weird situation - never seen this before with our team. That's the thing with sports though - always unpredictable. One thing I give credit to Nashville for though is hunger - they are playing with it and we have none. Don't let the story line about Rinne scare anyone for round 2 - we just suck right now and couldn't score on anyone. Lots of strange things happening around the league. Toronto is hanging in there with the Caps. And you guys are actually better without Shatty - who would have predicted that? Not me. The West is wide open this year - should be interesting to see who comes out of it.

Everyone watching hockey before 2009 has...

[theohall]

No way Chicago is getting swept, nor does Q allow them to continue getting shut out. This one is still going 6 probably. Not that Nashville will necessarily lose the next four games, I think they're firmly in the driver seat right now. They're in Chicago's heads as much as Allen is in Minnesota's heads. But the Hawks are flush with offensive talent enough that they have to break through soon.

It's a weird situation - never seen this before with our team. That's the thing with sports though - always unpredictable. One thing I give credit to Nashville for though is hunger - they are playing with it and we have none. Don't let the story line about Rinne scare anyone for round 2 - we just suck right now and couldn't score on anyone. Lots of strange things happening around the league. Toronto is hanging in there with the Caps. And you guys are actually better without Shatty - who would have predicted that? Not me. The West is wide open this year - should be interesting to see who comes out of it.

Everyone watching hockey before 2009 has...

[theohall]

Only 3 times in history to have the best record in their conference and be swept in the first round. So glad it happened to the Blackhawks twice. Blues did it to them in 1993.

[gaijin]

Blackhawks fire assistant coach Mike Kitchen.

Interesting. I can't say I recall seeing an assistant coach fired while the head coach keeps his job. Is Kitchen really that culpable for the Blackhawks' loss?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/blackhawks ... --nhl.html

CHICAGO (AP) -- The Chicago Blackhawks have fired assistant coach Mike Kitchen.

Kitchen joined coach Joel Quenneville's staff in July 2010. He helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 2013 and 2015.

The team announced the move on Monday. General manager Stan Bowman says in a release they ''believe this decision is best for our organization moving forward.''

The Blackhawks won the Central Division this season with a 50-23-9 record, finishing with the most points in the Western Conference. But they were swept by Nashville in the first round of the playoffs, managing just three goals in the series.

[theohall]

Blackhawks fire assistant coach Mike Kitchen.

Interesting. I can't say I recall seeing an assistant coach fired while the head coach keeps his job. Is Kitchen really that culpable for the Blackhawks' loss?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/blackhawks ... --nhl.html

CHICAGO (AP) -- The Chicago Blackhawks have fired assistant coach Mike Kitchen.

Kitchen joined coach Joel Quenneville's staff in July 2010. He helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 2013 and 2015.

The team announced the move on Monday. General manager Stan Bowman says in a release they ''believe this decision is best for our organization moving forward.''

The Blackhawks won the Central Division this season with a 50-23-9 record, finishing with the most points in the Western Conference. But they were swept by Nashville in the first round of the playoffs, managing just three goals in the series.

Scapegoat. This reeks of an owner demanding a GM do something because the team lost when it shouldn't have lost. It's not like Kitchen was there for 2 of their 3 Stanley Cups or anything. Bowman got handicapped by the cap and couldn't provide enough forward depth, otherwise there is no way Jordin Tootoo would have been on the ice at all in the playoffs.

[Kerfuffle]

Blackhawks fire assistant coach Mike Kitchen.

Interesting. I can't say I recall seeing an assistant coach fired while the head coach keeps his job. Is Kitchen really that culpable for the Blackhawks' loss?

He's not - and Kitchen and Q are very close friends too. This is McDonough making this call to shaken things up. Heads have to roll, it's not gonna be Q so you fire one of his assistants. The lost money on playoff games will never sit well with the front office.

[Toasted Oates]

Is this supposed to be a warning shot in Q's direction? I'm sure this'll end well.

[WaukeeBlues]

I really wonder if Kane and Toews haven't handcuffed this team from winning another cup.

More power to them for wanting to get paid. But they are two of the top cap hits in the entire league and they're on the same team. The pipeline of cheap young prospects has got to dry up at some point (right?) and the Hawks will be in even bigger trouble.

They have $28 million tied up in three guys. The cap hasn't gone up nearly as much as Kane/Toews probably argued that it would either. I don't know how this team is going to stay competitive. I said it in 2010 and was proven wrong but I think time is finally eating away at this thing. As Blues fans we can hope anyway.

[theohall]

I really wonder if Kane and Toews haven't handcuffed this team from winning another cup.

More power to them for wanting to get paid. But they are two of the top cap hits in the entire league and they're on the same team. The pipeline of cheap young prospects has got to dry up at some point (right?) and the Hawks will be in even bigger trouble.

They have $28 million tied up in three guys. The cap hasn't gone up nearly as much as Kane/Toews probably argued that it would either. I don't know how this team is going to stay competitive. I said it in 2010 and was proven wrong but I think time is finally eating away at this thing. As Blues fans we can hope anyway.

Odds are players don't vote for the proposed cap increase this season specifically because of the addition of Vegas. That same cap issue is what led to the disaster of a 4th line for the Hawks in the playoffs. They had to fill out the roster with somebody, though. It gets worse next season when Panarin's contract extension kicks in at 6M per. This is how bad it is for 2017-18: 64M in cap space taken up by 10 players. 6F, 3D and Crawford. Which leaves them in the same boat they faced this season when trying to pay their 3rd/4th line forwards and their bottom 3 D. This doesn't include paying RFA Richard Panik more than the .875 he made this season.

For comparison sake, the Blues have 12 players at 61.25M of cap space next season - it will likely be 13 at ~64-65 after Parayko gets paid.