Deprecated: Automatic conversion of false to array is deprecated in /var/www/hockeybuzz.com/classes/clsBlog.php on line 243 HockeyBuzz.com - Zach Jarom - Game Day: Hawks vs Avalanche
After a long month of home cooking, the Hawks are back on the road, kicking off a three-game swing as they make a stop in Denver to take on the Avalanche for the last time this season. In three games this season, the Hawks are 1-2 against the Avalanche and have been outscored 11-3, including the 5-0 shutout last Thursday. An interesting storyline to watch for in this one is whether there will be retaliation on Josh Manson for the behind-the-scenes slash on Connor Bedard. Now there have been mixed feelings about this, and it really depends on what kind of hockey fan you are. On one hand, this was seen as an old-school hockey play. It’s an older player doing little moves to get under the skin of the younger player and get him off his game. On the other hand, this play happened nowhere near the play and puts one of the brightest players at risk for injury. Personally, while I didn’t like the play, my issue with this situation was with the Hawks. There is no reason why you do not step up and stand up for Bedard. Do you think stuff like that would happen if the Hawks had Trouba on the team? Not a chance. The game is changing, and goons are turning into a dying breed, but the game of hockey is policed by the players, and if you aren’t going to make guys answer the bell, moves like this aren’t going to stop. Lucky for Mason, there aren’t too many guys on this roster that are going to have him keep his head on a swivel, and if something happens, it won’t last long.
Coloarado has only played once since the 5-0 beatdown they put on the Hawks, and it was a 5-1 loss against the surging Nashville Predators. They are starting to lose ground in the battle for the Central Division title, so tonight is going to be a big game for this team. They are going to need to figure things out fast and take advantage of this terrible Hawks team to try and get within 2 points of the Jets and Stars. They will be turning to Justus Annunen in net tonight for what will be just his sixth start of the season. He has a 2-2-1 record with a.913 save percentage, and he was in net for the 24-save shutout last week at the United Center. As I touched on last week, this team goes through their top players and will go as far as they take them. MacKinnon passed the 100-point mark against the Hawks last week, and just knowing his Crosby-like mindset, he's going to do everything he can to lead this team to a victory tonight.
The Hawks go back to Mrazek in net for this one, and he will be looking for a better performance than the last game that saw him give up five goals on 33 shots. Mrazek has been carrying this team on his back and keeping them from getting completely embarrassed night in and night out, so I think it was safe to say he was due for a tough outing. It’s just unfortunate that this bad game came on national TV and added more fuel to the Mrazek's bad narrative. There are just 21 games left in the season for the Hawks, and it's been a rough season to get through. They are losers in 29 of their last 35 games and have lost 21 straight road games. Despite this, I am still very optimistic about what I am seeing, especially from the younger players and even Coach Richardson. Bedard is as advertised, and the only thing I would change from his season is to see what he could have done in 82 games as an 18-year-old. Alex Vlasic has established himself in the top pairing as the shutdown defender and has seen his ice time hit over 20 minutes per game. While he might have wanted a better rookie year, Kevin Korchinski has proven he will be a major part of this future core, and even though he has struggled at times, it is only going to make him a better defender down the line when it is really going to matter. As for Coach Richardson, I have said it before, and I will say it again: he is the right man for this rebuild. He has shown great mentorship for this team and knows when he needs to be supportive and when he needs to drop the gloves and put these guys in their place. The end of this season is going to drag, but with each game, it gets a little bit easier knowing the foundation is being set for the future, and with each passing game, we are one baby step closer to the end of the rebuild.
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