Jonathan Toews: Jonny on the Spot

To me, 8-to-4 sounds like a work shift for some outside sales rep navigating his way through corporate America in a double-windsored necktie that he bought at TJ Maxx.

For Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, 8-to-4 is the jump he has propelled the Hawks to in the Western Conference standings, thanks to their current six-game winning streak.

Over the course of that streak, Jonathan has totaled six helpers and six goals, including the game-winners against Minnesota and the rival St. Louis Blues. Earlier in the year, the Hawks' play fluctuated more than the vocals on a Van Morrison track, but they seemed to have since reached homeostasis heading into the home stretch.

Ever since the Hawks topped the Penguins in that shootout at the UC last Sunday (a game to which I was offered a ticket but regrettably declined), the former Stanley Cup champions haven't cooled off.

At about the same time Kane was busy sipping on Calpurnia's lemonade while on sick leave, Toews was compiling a campaign for the league's first star of the month award, which he won for February. During those 28 days, the Hawks captain earned his "C" by leading the league with 21 points during a desperate stretch to maintain playoff position.

Toews has always been the consummate captain for the Hawks—boring interviews, stoic personality, tranquil presence—he's got all the personality traits that the job requires, and he maintains his popularity with the fans through his self-reliant accountability for his squad.

Still, this year, Captain Serious' presence on the ice has been more paramount than ever. For instance, in the Blackhawks' 34 wins this season, Toews has tallied 18 goals and 22 assists (an even 40 for all of you non-math majors) while he has only managed to register fiv goals and 16 assists in the Hawks' 27 losses. Not to mention, his plus-minus differential diminishes by 40 (plus-30 to minus-10) when his squad comes out on the short end of the stick (no pun intended).

Those stats are rather telling.

A month ago, nobody expected the Hawks to repeat as kings of the Western Conference; and even now, smart hockey people still don't. But if the youngest captain in the NHL continues to play well, a repeat seems to be a more fathomable possibility in Chicago.

"All's well that ends well," wrote William Shakespeare.

As for Pick of the Day, as expected, the Wizards lost in their home building to the Warriors which gave the Pulse Man his second straight victory. For tonight, the Pulse Man likes the UNDER in the Indiana-Wisconsin Big 10 tilt in Bloomington, which is set at 126.5.

Pick of the Day: Wisconsin at Indiana, total points 126.5-UNDER

Record: (60-43-0)

Now I'm done. Rack me.

Frost