Delicious Cake
-2nd line. Kane, Anisimov, and Panarin are responsible for 22 of the 41 goals scored by the Hawks so far. That's 53% of the team's goals. That percentage would be great if other Hawks were scoring, too. But they're not. The Hawks are currently scoring 2.56 goals per game, 18th in the league. That's not enough to win games.
So-So Soup
-3rd line. I realize that the 3rd line is a couple of rookies that haven't found their NHL groove yet, plus Teravainen, but something's gotta give.
Expired Tuna Salad
-4th line. They're not expected to score because no one on that line besides Shaw is capable of scoring anything other than a garbage goal, a rebound, or a stuff-in. Why not put a scorer on that line? Put Dano or Kero in there for a few games. Or hell, put Teravainen in there. And for more than just a game, Q. Desjardins and Kruger are capable of occupying the offensive zone just fine, and if they had someone with an accurate wrister to pass to, the 4th line would be more of a threat. As of now, the 4th line is about as threatening as a pillowcase full of marshmallows.
-1st line. So that leaves a huge fucking question mark with the 1st line. What the fuck? Q is shoving guys into the Hossa-Toews line for a game or two and then blowing it up. Not every line is going to show instant chemistry. Sometimes you have to leave something alone for a while in order for chemistry to grow. That's how penicillin was discovered. I've been pushing for Teravainen to have an extended look, but that might not be the best fit. The 1st line needs 2013 Bryan Bickell. Since time travel isn't widely available, they need the equivalent of that. The 1st line needs a big body to screen the goalie and create space for Toews and Hossa to do their thing. That's what Anisimov does for the 2nd line, and those guys are on fire. The problem is that no one on the roster fits that ideal. Viktor Tikhonov has size but he blows. Brandon Mashinter... no. I'd say Marko Dano deserves a shot, but truthfully, the Hawks might have to make a trade to get a forward with size who isn't afraid of standing in front of the net. Jesus, who would've thought that a line with Toews and Hossa would be such a clusterfuck?
Noticeably Unnoticed Award for Excellence in Impalpable Impact
-Andrew Desjardins. Played some on the penalty kill, but not a solid game overall.
Final Thoughts:
Supposedly, both Duncan Keith and Michal Rozsival are playing on Saturday vs. the Blues. This is both good news and bad news. It's good news because the defense gets bolstered by the irreplaceable Keith and we get to see just what Rozi is capable of in his advanced age. The bad news is the worrying that comes with watching either of them play.
Last year, when Kane came back from his collarbone injury to play in the 1st game of the Nashville series, I remember cringing whenever he got touched. I didn't know if the injury had entirely healed, or if he was rushed back just because it was the playoffs. I could only hope that he was safe to play in a heavy hitting series.
Now I'm paranoid for Keith because St. Louis is a physical team that often veers into the dirty. I can see a Ryan Reaves, David Backes, or Steve Ott purposely try to test Keith's recovered knee. There is always a push to shorten the return date for an athlete, and hopefully Keith is fully healed. My unsubstantiated worry is that he's being rushed back because the Hawks are a mediocre to sub-par team that is at risk to miss the playoffs, and his knee is still vulnerable. I worry because I love.
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