# Just a quick hockey question **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 21, 2002, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351 "2002-03-21T15:20:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/1 "2002-03-21T15:20:44Z")
Will…somebody please tell me, in a calm and reserved manner what…the fuck…is going on…with the BLACKHAWKS? How do you go from pretty to really good before the olympics to… THE CRAPPIEST TEAM IN THE WORLD afterwards? What the hell? Sports suck. That is all. jarbaby ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/2 "2002-03-21T15:47:39Z")
When you sell your soul to Satan, you’ve gotta pay the price eventually. Chicago’s mistake was not requesting that they be made the best team for an entire SEASON. Ol’ Scratch’s trick was to make them the best team up to the Olympics, and then make them plummet. Much like the Twins up to the All-Star break, and then back to the cellar. I think that our children need to learn of the legalities of infernal and diabolical contracts, and how best to twist the language to suit yourself. Won’t somebody PLEASE think of the children? ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/3 "2002-03-21T15:49:11Z")
Satan is dumb ---
**Author:** ![poohpah\_chalupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@poohpah\_chalupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poohpah_chalupa)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/4 "2002-03-21T16:03:34Z")
Let’s not forget, **jarb** , how crappy the 'hawks were _before_ this season. And at least they still have Tony. OTOH, you could have the consistency of my Ducks. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/5 "2002-03-21T16:22:02Z")
Face it. The Hawks were playing way over their heads for most of the season. They sucked for the last few years and made no significant changes for this season. The same thing happened to the Flames, they just came back to earth sooner. At least the Hawks are going to make the playoffs due to the strength of their performance in the first part of the season. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/6 "2002-03-21T16:29:19Z")
I think they made a very significant change…they got a good coach. Jocelyn Thibeault is a GREAT goalie, and for the most part, they’re a good hockey team. And regardless of whether they were ‘in over their heads’ in the beginning of the season what made them crash so spectacularly? A Zhamnov injury? Doubt it. And let me guess, Adam…Red Wings fan? j ---
**Author:** ![Chekmate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@Chekmate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chekmate)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/7 "2002-03-21T16:45:32Z")
cough **Blackhawks suck** cough ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/8 "2002-03-21T16:46:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > \*\*And let me guess, Adam…Red Wings fan? > > j \*\* You dare to insult me thusly? Again, the Flames are going through the same thing but worse. ---
**Author:** ![Asylum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@Asylum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asylum)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/9 "2002-03-21T19:20:55Z")
Could be worse. You could be a Capitals fan. They have one of the best lineups in years and yet they’re still second in the Welfare Division and are like three games out of the playoffs. Buncha fuckin’ underacheivers. ---
**Author:** ![Milossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Milossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milossarian)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/10 "2002-03-21T20:09:48Z")
I’m sorry. I can’t relate to what your saying. \ Where can I buy enough octopi to last through the Stanley Cup Finals? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Skydive101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@Skydive101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skydive101)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/11 "2002-03-21T20:38:01Z")
I thought they filled the Blackhawks stadium up with concrete and sold the team for a pack of Stripes gum. Oh wait, that was just a dream I had… 🙂 Go Wings! ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/12 "2002-03-22T13:51:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Milossarian \* > Where can I buy enough octopi to last through the Stanley Cup Finals? 😃 Your local supermarket should have octopi, and your local supermarket should also be able to supply you with the coals, lighter fluid and matches for the fire sale:D ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/13 "2002-03-22T16:46:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > \*\*I think they made a very significant change…they got a good coach. Jocelyn Thibeault is a GREAT goalie, and for the most part, they’re a good hockey team. > > And regardless of whether they were ‘in over their heads’ in the beginning of the season what made them crash so spectacularly? A Zhamnov injury? Doubt it.\*\* They haven’t “Crashed.” They just aren’t getting as lucky as they were before the Olympics. If you look at the standings, the Hawks’ record (35-23-13) is out of proportion to their goals scored and allowed (191 to 182.) They have won more games than you’d expect from a team that only scores a few morethan they allow. They were a little flukey - not much, but a bit. In their last 10 or 11 games their luck has shifted a bit. They haven’t been THAT bad, though. There’s no real collapse here. I don’t agree that Thibault is a great goalie. Chicago allows more goals than any other team in the top 8 in the West and more than some not in the top 8. Thibault isn’t among the league leaders in save % or goals against. His statistics are simply not good. He’s being outplayed by Patrick Lalime and Roman Turek, for God’s sake. The Hawks win in spite of Thibault, not because of him. **Note:** Throwing octopi on the ice is a horrible, cruel thing to do that frankly should carry a jail sentence. Octopi are not mindless creatures; they have functioning brains and are as conscious of their surroundings as, say, rodents (or so they think, testing octopus intelligence is not something the scientific community has quite mastered.) Anyone who would throw one onto the ice is a pig who probably kicks dogs for fun. ---
**Author:** ![Tretiak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Tretiak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tretiak)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/14 "2002-03-22T17:26:30Z")
Just wanted to give a shout out to the best team in hockey at the moment… Go Kings!! (who happen to be tied with Chicago at the moment but really have the San Jose Sharks in their crosshairs. Dare I say even the Avalanche are looking over their colectives shoulders at the LA Kings?) ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/15 "2002-03-22T17:30:07Z")
I still say that in comparison to our recent goalies and most importantly PASSMORE…Thibault is doing a good job. I’m excited for the St.Louis game on Sunday, not only because I get to see Doug Weight, but it should be a hard fought game. It’s been a long time since anything the Hawks did in March mattered. And I should have known that Red Wings fans would behave just like Packer fans. Kick a fan when she’s down. good work ☹ jar ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/16 "2002-03-22T23:14:44Z")
Well, yeah, Thibault is better than the clowns who have disgraced the Blackhawk net in the past few years, for sure. Just don’t think there isn’t room for improvement. Don’t curtisjosephize the guy. (Curtisjosephizing is the propensity of hockey fans to worship a goalie for his greatness even though the goalie isn’t actually all that great. You can curtisjosephize an athlete in any sport, actually, but it is most pronounced with goalies, catchers, and shortstops. Your new shortstop, Alex Gonzalez, was heavily curtisjosephized here in Toronto.) ---
**Author:** ![tradesilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tradesilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tradesilicon)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/17 "2002-03-22T23:48:39Z")
The way you talk, you’d think there was no Hokey being played west of Iowa! This just might be the year for the Sharks!! They have been #1 most of the season, a little slow down as of late, but still strong. GO SHARKS! ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/18 "2002-03-22T23:54:32Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by tradesilicon \* > The way you talk, you’d think there was no_\* Hokey\*\* being played west of Iowa! Damn, and me w/o my pokey tickets! ---
**Author:** ![Tretiak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Tretiak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tretiak)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/19 "2002-03-22T23:57:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tradesilicon \* > \*\*The way you talk, you’d think there was no Hokey being played west of Iowa! > > This just might be the year for the Sharks!! They have been #1 most of the season, a little slow down as of late, but still strong. > > GO SHARKS! \*\* Yes, but that will all be over tomorrow (Sharks/Kings, 1 p.m. check your local listings). And I will be there. I expect a playoff atmosphere and STAPLES Center wil be rocking! ---
**Author:** ![Minor\_Irritant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Minor\_Irritant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minor_Irritant)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2002, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351/20 "2002-03-23T00:01:48Z")
Mua-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha… The Leafs are doing better than your 'Hawks…with their backup goalie, and half of the lineup of the St. John’s Maple Leafs! It’s a good time to be a Toronto fan…unless you like basketball, baseball, or football. Good thing I like lacrosse. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-a-quick-hockey-question/99351.md?page=2)