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SCANLON… After Sunday’s NHL competition, the Chicago Blackhawks survived yet another challenge to their unbeaten in regulation games streak, running it up to a remarkable 22 games at 19-0-3. The Hawks were held at bay by the Detroit Red Wings until Patrick Kane tied the game at one with 2:02 left in the third. Now that’s living vicariously, but the Hawks appear to be enjoying the tight rope. Kane also got the only goal in the shootout, earning the Hawks the extra point.

I grew up in the sixties, prior to the 1967 NHL expansion that brought the NorthStars to the Twin Cities, and the “Original Six” was it. I had two teams I followed and loved: the high-flying Montreal Canadiens and the Blackhawks. With Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita on that team, you had to sit up and take notice. They were very good. The NorthStars had quite a rivalry with the Hawks at one time as well. Who could forget some of the eighties’ playoff series between the two teams?

One of my favorite moments from one of their series was when NorthStars rookie defenseman Dave Richter from the University of Michigan was getting tested by Hawks tough guy Al Secord. Somewhere along the line, Richter had enough and decided to drop the gloves and have a go with the Hawks bad man. Richter was a big boy, plenty tough himself. Apparently Secord hadn’t watched the films or read the “tale of the tape” on Richter, because the first thing Big Al did was to tie up Richter’s right arm. This was fine by Richter as he was a lefty and proceeded to pound the snuff out of Secord with his free left arm.

That was then, this is now. After that edition of the Hawks went through their cycle, the club went into the tank for many years before their current resurgence. So how does this record-setting Hawks team measure up? Should there be an asterisk next to this season’s record? I’m not sure, but here are some factors I have considered while mulling this over.
First off, due to the lockout we are in a substantially shortened season—48 games versus the normal 82. On top of that, all games are being confined to a team’s own conference. The Hawks are not having to deal with any East Coast travel or Flyers, Bruins, Pengwah or Canadiens.

The only Western club that seems to be close to the Hawks, if not equal, would be the Anaheim Ducks. The Hawks suffered an overtime loss to them in February. They have played everyone in the West at least once except Colorado. They will play them twice this week. The combined average records of their opposition thus far is 10-8-3 (23 pts.), which would put their opponents in a tie for 9th place and out of a playoff spot. Five of their 19 wins are against teams with losing records. They beat Los Angeles early when they were a woeful team and beat San Jose three times, two of which occurred after the Shark early hot streak came to a screeching halt.

On the positive side they are a stats behemoth. They have a 29-goal positive differential. They are 4th overall in goals scored, 6th in assists, 6th in goals per game average, and 6th in shots on goals. They have the lowest goals against average, 38 allowed, 1st, 1.68 avg., and are 2nd in save percentage (.937). Their power play is 12th at 17.9 percent and penalty kill is 3rd at 89.7 percent.

Most of all, last season’s depth challenges have been resolved, and they are getting strong offensive and defensive play from their entire roster. In my opinion, the 22 game unbeaten in regulation time streak has reasons for a couple of question marks, but they are not so serious as to take away from the accomplishment. Winning 22 in a row in any sport at the pro level is saying something, and what the Hawks have done thus far is remarkable. Too bad the Wild will be ending it Tuesday eve at the United Center….

THE BOYS STATE HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY tourney kicks off Wednesday and is full of promise once again. Like many a guy throughout the state, I have been poring over my brackets, looking at various team records and stats in my quest to come up with the perfect set of prognostications. So here is my offering for the 2013 state high school tourney, the best in the country, bar none.

In the Class A tourney starting Wednesday, I will take St. Thomas Academy over St. Cloud Apollo, East Grand Forks over Rochester Lourdes, Hermantown over Duluth Marshall, and Breck over Marshall. In the semis I’ll take STA over EGF and Hermantown over Breck. And in the final, this year Hermantown will rise up and knock
off STA for their 2nd state title.

In Class AA, beginning Thursday, give me Hill Murray over Eastview in the first tilt, Centennial over Wayzata, Edina over Lakeville North, and Duluth East over Moorhead. In the semis I’ll take Hill Murray over Centennial and Duluth East over Edina. In the Grand Master, High School Ice Hockey Supremacy Championship game of the big schools, I am going with the Greyhounds over Hill Murray. There will be joy in the Ports on Saturday evening. Well, at least in some neighborhoods.  

From this week forward through the conclusion of the Stanley Cup tourney in June, we are embarking on the best part of the entire hockey season! I am revved up! Enjoy…. PEACE

Marc Elliott is a freelance sports opinion writer who splits time between his hometown in Illinois and Minnesota. Elliott grew up in the Twin Cities with many of his childhood neighbors working or playing for the Vikings and Twins. He participated in baseball, football and hockey before settling on hockey as his own number one sport. Elliott wrote “The Masked Fan Speaks” column for the Lake County News Chronicle for ten years and was a prominent guest on the former “All Sports” WDSM 710AM in Duluth.