8 Game Winning Streak!!!

I know that I havent posted in a very long time...but Ive been really busy applying to colleges!! Im starting to write more again! I hope you can forgive me!! Enjoy!!

Can we just talk about the Blackhawks for a few minutes here? They have been playing fantastic. Like Stanley Cup fantastic. They just came back from a 6 game circus road trip, kick starting in Calgary against the Flames. They then played the Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks, and wrapped up the road trip in Los Angeles, facing off against the Kings. The trip started off well, winning their first two games 4-3, and 7-1. Vancouver gave us a tough game, as the Hawks lost 4-1. They went on to win the rest of their games on the road trip, 3-2, 4-1, 4-1. They came home bursting with confidence and went on to win their next 3 games, extending their winning streak to 6 games. The games that they have won have been among the few Stanley Cup contenders in the NHL, the Avalanche, Kings, Ducks, Blues, Canadians, Predators, and the Flames. Each of these teams make up some of the spots of the top 10 teams in the league. If we keep this up, I see a Stanley Cup in our near future. The past 3 games the Hawks have played have been without our starting goalie, Corey Crawford. He injured his foot and is out 2-3 weeks. He didn't give out any details on how sever the injury is, but he did explain how it happened. He was at a Rise Against concert and misstepped as he was going up stairs to leave the concert and injured his foot. He explained to the media, "I was at a concert the other day and was on the way out and I missed a step. I didn't think it was that bad. I got up the next day and it was worse than I thought. I am very embarrassed by the injury.” If they choose to, the Rocky Wirtz and John McDonaugh could suspend his pay while he is healing from the injury. They can do this because he did not injure himself on the ice, during practice, or during a game. He injured himself in his personal life, not his hockey life. This is what happened to Wild goalie, Josh Harding earlier this season, in September. According to NBCSports.com, “Josh Harding, arguably the Wild’s No. 1 goaltender heading into Thursday’s training camp, broke his right foot while kicking a wall after an off-ice altercation with a teammate and is expected to miss at least two or three months.” Thus, resulting in a suspended pay and his contract will not count against Minnesota’s salary cap. They claim they will not be paying him because it was a “non-hockey related” injury. There is no word on whether Crawford’s pay will be suspended, but as of right now he is still getting paid and most likely will continue to be paid throughout his injury. But, thank God we have amazing back up goalies (if you're reading this you should probably knock on wood), Antti Raanta and Scott Darling. To make it even cooler a hometown boy is playing on our team, Darling is from Lemont, Illinois…about 40 miles away from here. Although the goalies are playing great, let’s hope for a speedy recovery from Crawford and an extension of the winning streak they are on. Go Hawks! 

The Olympics!

The Winter Olympic Games. I know it sounds quite cliché, but it is where dreams come true. Athletes from all around the world come together to compete for their country. Most have been practicing their sport since they have been toddlers. Take Gracie Gold for example. She has been figure skating since she was able to walk and is already a gold medal contender at the age of 18. Polina Edmunds, a 15 year old described by her teammates as "dynamite"', has also been praised, "despite the pressure of being at the Olympics, she is completely unfazed, with iron in her bones". Bode Miller, a veteran to the Olympics, just received his sixth Olympic medal in the Men's Super G. In an interview after his run, he was asked about his eventful past year, and things began to get emotional. His brother, Chelone, Chilly called by his friends, and who was an Olympic hopeful for snowboarding, had experienced a traumatic brain injury in a dirt bike accident a few years prior. Bode and Chilly became even closer when Bode realized that he could lose his brother at any given moment. That dreaded moment came in April of 2013, when Chilly was found in his van unresponsive. He died that day of an apparent seizure due to his epilepsy, a lasting effect from the accident that he was in. Although in different sports, Bode and his brother were planning on competing in the Olympics together. During the interview, he began to break down as the interviewer asked him about his brother. He claimed his brother not being there was his motivation to do better, hoping to make him proud. Sure enough he did, tying for bronze in the Men's Super G. The Team USA two-man bobsled, including Steve Holcomb and Steve Langton received a bronze medal, the first bobsled medal for Team USA since 1956. In the men's freestyle skiing, the Americans swept the medal stand, earning the gold, silver, and bronze medals. Team skate, new to the Olympics this year, resulted in the US taking the bronze medal. In the ice dancing part of the competition, a pair of skaters became the best in the world. Meryl Davis and Charlie White conquered the medal stand by taking home the gold and a new world record. In the women's luge, American Erin Hamlin took home the bronze. In snowboarding, the US has taken four medals, three gold and one silver. The most known snowboarding medal is Sage Kotsenburg, who had received the gold by less than a point. In skeleton, Noelle Pikus-Pace took home silver and Matt Antoine got bronze. The US women's hockey team has only lost one close game against Canada. The other games they played have been complete domination. Their first game against Finland was a three to one win. Their second game, versus Switzerland, was a shutout and a nine goal win. Their next game, against Canada, they lost with a score of 3-2. The gold medal qualifying game was against Sweden, and the US crushed them in a 6-1 victory. The US and Canada are expected to face off for an epic gold medal game on February 20th. The US men's hockey team has not lost a game yet this tournament. Since there are 12 teams in the tournament, there are three different groups of teams, Group A, B, and C. Through the preliminary rounds, USA is the leader of group A, Canada is the leader of group B, and Sweden is the leader of group C. All teams have their own special advantages. USA and Sweden are bulked up with stars from the NHL.  The Canadian team has 8 captains playing on their team, three of which are the co-leaders of Canada, the Captain Sidney Crosby and alternates Jonathan Toews and Shea Weber. But hockey is only one sport. The Winter Olympics is something that happens once every four years and showcases some of the best athletes from all around the world.