My Baby's on The Level: Hawks 4, Children of The Corn 2

Back to .500 is what that title refers to, I think. Anyway, a solid if not spectatcular effort from the Hawks last night. After the 10-minute mark in the first, after they had shaken out the legs from playing the night before, the Hawks were pretty much the better team from there on out, scoring 4 straight goals before one half of the corn twins netted for the final score of 4-2.

Game started out as they usually do versus the Canucks-who-now-resemble-the-Whalers, with Vancouver pretty much pushing the smaller Hawks all around the ice, not creating many chances themseleves, and whatever shots the Hawks do get are easily snuffed out by Captain Marvelous in net. Game was actually quite chippy throughout, many board meetings after whistles and a couple fights, where Burish and Eager got the worst of it, and that's being kind. Though Burish seems to enjoy getting punched in the face. Like it gives him power or something. Like Albert Pujols eating mentally-challenged kids for baseball power. Oh, he says he cares for them, but do you ever seem them again? No, you don't.

Hey, look, a power play! Two goals? You're allowed to do that? It has to be said that one came right after a Hawks penalty ended causing a brief man-advantage, but that's just efficient I suppose. Coach Q is obviously trying to figure out what works and who goes where, as both units were constantly in flux. Sometimes Sharp at the point on Unit 1, sometimes Buff, Bolland got a look there on the second unit, Ladd was on it once, then wasn't. Also, as some have pointed out, Captain Fantastic Toews isn't killing penalties at the moment. We'll see how long that lasts.

Not easy to score twice in a game when you don't provide the final touch on either goal, but Patrick Sharp turned that trick, once netting from a charitable Mattais Ohlund stick and another from a swinging Luongo skate to tap in a post-rebounding shot. It's almost laughable people are criticizing Sharp at center. Yes, he's better on the wing, but he hasn't let anyone down in the middle, in fact, name a better Hawks player over the whole of this season. Don't worry, we'll wait.

If you said Patrick Kane, we'd accept that, too. Another multi-point night for the boy who provides us with Scorpions songs, and how can you not love that? His pass to Sharp for the 4th was fit through an area so tight he could have been charged for statutory rape. Nice to see him carrying the load while Toews struggles, though pretty soon he's going to have a highlight goal to match the one from last year, as he's attempted about 3 or 4 this season that have only been lacking a finish. Soon enough.

Solid. And solid, for now, we'll do.