A 1-0 Overtime Classic!!!

“What a hockey game,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. “The pace was incredible, and both goalies were great. It was a fun game to watch and be a part of.”

“We played much better tonight than we did (in Nashville),” Hitchcock said. “We had a slow start, but we really picked it up, and it was a hell of a hockey game. Both teams went at it as hard as they could.”

What is interesting about these comments?...these are the two guys who know what kind of game that was being played out on the ice.  They are the key that starts the engines running for 60 minutes.  They are part of the heart that pumps the life into each player for them to execute accordingly for the full game-plus!!

What is my point?  After watching the 1-0 OT classic, I entered the elevator to proceed down to the post game show and a gentleman directed a question towards me, right out of left field.  He had his “right of passage” with me in the quiet confines of a 75 square foot moving cubicle. His statement “do you really think this team wants to win bad enough?"......wellllllllll……in the 15 second trip down, his comment brought me three floors up. It has been a while that my eyre had reached such proportions.  “Oh baby” was I fired up…but…I was so proud of my reaction….”excuse me?"...I looked at Tim the elevator operator.  He sensed the rising temperature and assisted in changing the uncomfortable tune…”main concourse Bill, have a great show”

We have a great fan base.  The core in the city is strong in the support for the team. The organization has the goal to provide a competitive squad that will find its way to the Promised Land....that is on the minds of everyone right now. ....but....opinions are like middle fingers, we all have one! …but sometimes these opinions are subject to debate.  Last night was not one to debate. 

This team played back to back contests and there certainly was reason for concern about how the first game was played in Nashville.  The result was disappointing....especially during the second half of that game. It lacked the needed competitiveness by not a couple of players, but a cast of others. The CBJ dominated the first 35 minutes, but really struggled to escape with a point.

Last night both teams can be complimented on hard work, discipline and dedication for their respective cause.  The “one” point was good, but disappointing the “second”  one was lost…but it was certainly not for the lack of trying!!

Off to Chicago and St. Louis for some Central cuisine!!  Points sit on the stove for the taking…it is time to wrap up this run for the first ever playoff berth.  Stay tuned!!