Hockey like other professional sports is always a challenge to figure out. Although the Blackhawks have been without Toews, Steve Montador, Duncan Keith and other significant players they have held serve, actually that would be an understatement. Despite being shorthanded, the Hawks have played their best hockey of the season.

So how did the Hawks improve their game without Toews and others?

The most important change for the Hawks over the last six weeks was their mindset.

The players have finally accepted the messages that head coach Joel Quenneville has seemingly preached all season. Maybe it was the stark reality of failure during the nine game losing streak. For the first four months of the season this club seemed to get by, but didn’t necessarily play the correct way. The Hawks would give up bad goals but still be able to outscore opponents.

The emphasis by players was to look for more goals as that’s the solution they knew to get out of trouble. Lessons are often more difficult to learn without failure. Human nature leads us to rely on what has worked in the past and often that is the easiest path to take as well. Staying on the same course, especially considering all the injuries and the suspension to Keith, would have spelled real trouble for the Blackhawks.

There appears to have been a collective realization by the players that unless defensive coverage was made a priority they could miss the playoffs. The Hawks have finally found how to become a team which is hard to play against. When they have the puck they are holding onto it longer by simplifying their game and are more aware in all three zones. The club has become more physical by working harder along the boards. The Hawks for the most part haven’t stayed out on the perimeter. They have battled for pucks and have consistently gone to scoring areas.

No doubt the addition at the trade deadline of defenseman Johnny Oduya by GM Stan Bowman was important. Oduya hasn’t been perfect but considering how much he has been relied on, his performances have been very good. Oduya has expanded his role to helping on special teams and the smooth skating defender has fit in well.

Bowman’s best trade deadline move may have been by subtraction, not addition.

Finally, Bowman and others in management came to the realization having John Scott on the roster was a mistake. The inept Scott wasn’t an effective hockey player but more of a team mascot or security blanket.

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Next article will be out Friday morning.

Lost in all the rough stuff was the outstanding play of both goaltenders. Roberto Luongo kept his team in the hunt as he made a number of huge stops in the opening forty minutes. Luongo made some very difficult saves but was also helped by the Hawks firing a number of shots square into his stomach.

As the game unfolded, after allowing a questionable goal in the opening seconds, the night belonged to Corey Crawford. He wasn’t tested as often as Luongo, but in the third period with the game on the line Crawford was brilliant. Crawford had a sequence of about six great stops that may have been his best string of saves all season. No doubt Crawford’s 12 saves in the final 20 minutes, and the one in overtime, was some of his finest hockey in a very long time.

Besides a dreadful power play, the Hawks did well and deserved the victory. The Hawks’ best players were the top performers in the game. Patrick Sharp was all over the ice and had seven shots. Marian Hossa was a beast with the puck and could have scored a few times. Once again, Patrick Kane was working hard at both ends of the ice and was a difference maker.

Brent Seabrook in particular was very good, but all of the Hawks defenders deserve some praise. Recent addition Johnny Oduya had a shaky start but got better as the game went on. Now Oduya knows what it is like to be part of a Hawks-Canuck clash and his aggressive play led to the winning goal.

The Hawks checking line was doing top work along the boards and helped to limit the scoring opportunities for the Canucks. Andrew Shaw got another big goal by good fortune, but his reward came from going hard to the net. Shaw led all players with five hits. Dave Bolland recorded an assist as he along with Bryan Bickell is playing some of the best hockey of the season.

Two wrongs don’t make a right, but retaliation is part of hockey.

Duncan Keith delivered an elbow to Daniel Sedin’s head after the Canuck forward came in high with a shoulder to Keith’s cranium. Sedin wasn’t called for a penalty but later Keith received a two minute minor for elbowing when he probably sought revenge. Sedin was helped off the ice at 13:36 of the opening period and did not return.

From the beginning of the second period on, it was as if the Canucks were hell-bent on retaliating and targeting Keith as the game got very chippy.

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If not for Ray Emery, the Hawks could have been trailing by a few goals instead of only one after the opening 20 minutes. The Kings’ Jonathan Quick has owned the Blackhawks this season. Quick had shutout Chicago in his two previous starts against them, but on Sunday Emery proved to be his equal until the shootout.

The contests began with the Kings scoring almost immediately after the opening puck drop. Nick Leddy turned the puck over and Emery had to stand tall or the Kings would have scored in the opening seconds. Emery could only delay the inevitable by about one minute. After a huge save on Dave Bolland, Duncan Keith made a careless cross ice pass and the Kings came in on a four-on-one and scored. Los Angeles took the lead at the 1:17 mark and dominated almost the entire opening frame.

Blackhawks fans can be happy their team doesn’t fold on most occasions. They should also be elated goals were scored the hard way on Sunday, by crashing the net. Finally the skill players like Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp were able to cause damage by driving hard to the net. That’s the way games will have to be won from here on out.

Losing in a shootout after such a sluggish start isn’t good, but it’s not so bad. At least the Hawks captured one point, but to squander an opportunity on home ice is not good. The Hawks are now only six points ahead of Los Angeles and remain in sixth place in the Western Conference.

Losing in a shootout shouldn’t come as big surprise, considering Jonathan Toews was out of action. With Toews out the Hawks don’t have a player who can score in close to half of his shootout attempts. Losing in the sixth round of a shootout is an awful way to decide an important game.

The shootout itself shouldn’t be used to determine a winner any more than NBA players should shoot from half court to decide a contest. When it comes down to the sixth shooter finally scoring, it is almost like watching a bunch of 10 year olds playing miniature golf, the winner being the kid who is able to putt through a spinning windmill. Okay, it isn’t that bad, but it’s close.

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Next article will be out on Wednesday.

On Friday, the Panthers and the Hawks squared off in a contest that at times looked as if it was being played in about six inches of snow. After the NHL lockout games are played in less time than before. It is uncommon to see many play stoppages and there is less time between whistles and faceoffs. That’s a good thing in general as the game keeps moving.

Maybe it was the fact both teams had some difficulty getting to the United Center because of the snow. Possibly the start time being delayed 30 minutes caused an issue for both clubs. Whatever the reason, this was a difficult game to watch as there were a ton of stoppages and close to 60 faceoffs, which is an unreal amount. There were so many unnecessary icings it almost became comical.

The end result was Florida continuing their road losing streak and the Hawks playing well enough to skate away with a 3-1 victory. Of the former Chicago players on the Panthers only Kris Versteeg stood out a little, but he didn’t really accomplish anything on the ice.

What could be most important from Friday’s contest happened during the second period. Panthers’ defender Eric Gudbranson slashed Jonathan Toews on what appeared to be his left hand. Toews left the ice but returned a short time later and played in the final period.

On Saturday, Toews played until the final seven minutes of the middle frame and missed the entire third period. It is unclear whether Toews reinjured his left hand. In any case, Quenneville commented after the game they would know more about Toews’ injury in the next few days. Currently his injury status is listed as day to day.

That doesn’t sound good, especially considering before the Preds game both Toews and Quenneville downplayed the injury from Friday night. Maybe a new issue developed on Saturday or Toews is still dealing with a sore hand. It’s only a guess for now but it is unlikely Toews would miss the last period against Nashville if the injury wasn’t somewhat serious.

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Viktor Stalberg has owned Columbus this season, and his good fortune continued against them on Tuesday night. Stalberg recorded his first NHL hat trick and Marian Hossa got back on track with a solid plus three performance.

Stalberg is starting to have a nose for the puck and a scoring touch. Offensively, he is going to the correct spots and working hard. On the defensive side of the puck, Stalberg still has lessons to learn. If he can keep his focus in all three zones, Stalberg could have a nice career.

Forward Ben Smith was called up and played well as he recorded his second tally of the season. His buddies from the Rockford Ice Hogs, Kevin Hayes and Andrew Shaw, each had slightly over 18 minutes of ice time. Joel Quenneville has shown a lot of confidence in Shaw and he used him on the penalty kill against the Jackets. Both Hayes and Shaw continue to fit in nicely.

Steve Montador took 19 minutes in penalties during the first period. Montador got an instigator penalty, two extra minutes for fighting with a visor, a five minute fighting major and a 10 minute misconduct.

That meant the Blackhawks had to kill off some penalties, which led to a lot of ice time for Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. To the Hawks credit, although outshot 11-5 in the first frame, the Blue Jackets were held scoreless. The Hawks then scored twice in the middle period and never relinquished the lead.

The Blue Jackets peppered Corey Crawford with 34 shots and he came up with some big saves. Crawford gave the Hawks a chance to win, but he didn’t look too comfortable doing so. Crawford is still having trouble absorbing shots. He is struggling with rebounds but hasn’t received the best support from his defenders.

Nick Leddy looks shaky in his own zone and has been caught off guard by opposing players near the net. Leddy’s playing time was down Tuesday night to only 15:02. He finished a minus two on the game and is a cumulative minus nine over his last four outings.

The stress of playing big minutes appears to have caught up with Leddy.

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Next article will be on Friday.

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The Blackhawks did do a fine job of silencing the best players on San Jose. Once again Sunday night’s match wasn’t an illustration of a consistent effort from the Hawks. As has been the case most of the time, the Blackhawks don’t need to be dialed in every period to win.

Are the Blackhawks dancing with danger? Maybe, but for now, embrace the fact they have enough talent to win without playing a complete game.

Style points don’t matter, only points in the Western Conference standings do. In the end, the Sharks probably felt the same way the Blackhawks did after losing the first meeting of the season. San Jose probably deserved a better fate, but give the Hawks credit as they find ways to win. They also showed they can score dirty goals, as none of the tallies from either team were pretty plays.

The Hawks surged in the final period to force overtime. Then, new father Patrick Sharp became the hero once again. Sharp scored the winning marker in overtime for the second consecutive game. Sharp and linemate Marian Hossa are developing some nice chemistry.

Former Blackhawk goal tender Antti Niemi always seems to play well against his old team. Niemi was the main reason the Sharks won the first meeting in San Jose a few weeks ago. Sunday night, Niemi was very good but his performance would take a back seat to the Hawks’ Ray Emery.

To secure the victory, Sharp won a battle with Shark defenseman Brent Burns and trickled in the game winner behind Niemi. Burns didn’t have his best game and was caught playing on the wrong side of a determined Sharp. As a result, the Hawks recorded another home ice victory and the Sharks skated away stunned.

Emery kept his club in the game during the opening 40 minutes as the Sharks held a 2-1 lead. The Hawks couldn’t get anything to click. They appeared a step slower than the Sharks and were losing puck battles. The Hawks couldn’t play at quick pace nor sustain an attack.

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Next article will be posted on Thursday.

That’s a fine accomplishment as no other club has more wins than the Blackhawks. Maybe in time bad habits and sporadic efforts will catch up with them. But for now, the Hawks have enough talent and a high enough compete level to get by in most games.

With victories over the Islanders and Blues this weekend, Blackhawk fans learned two things. The Hawks can play down to the level of competition and still win, although not look good doing so. Also, when their best players show up and they get good goal keeping the Hawks are difficult to beat.

On Friday night the New York Islanders must have felt like they were in a playoff game. The Islanders probably won’t play in front of another crowd this season of over 21,000 and they made the most of the opportunity. In fact the Islanders outplayed the Blackhawks for the majority of the game. They almost picked up their third road win of the season in Chicago but did so the following night in Dallas.

After 27 games played the Blackhawks have accumulated 35 points. That’s one fewer then than the league leading Pittsburgh Penguins. The Hawks don’t always look good winning. They often can get by without putting forth a complete effort. But no matter how they are viewed the Hawks have won 16 games in regulation.

That’s a fine accomplishment as no other club has more wins than the Blackhawks. Maybe in time bad habits and sporadic efforts will catch up with them. But for now, the Hawks have enough talent and a high enough compete level to get by in most games.

With victories over the Islanders and Blues this weekend, Blackhawk fans learned two things. The Hawks can play down to the level of competition and still win, although not look good doing so. Also, when their best players show up and they get good goal keeping the Hawks are difficult to beat.

On Friday night the New York Islanders must have felt like they were in a playoff game. The Islanders probably won’t play in front of another crowd this season of over 21,000 and they made the most of the opportunity. In fact the Islanders outplayed the Blackhawks for the majority of the game. They almost picked up their third road win of the season in Chicago but did so the following night in Dallas.

The Hawks were accommodating hosts as their only strong effort came in the second frame when they outshot the Isles 15-2. Chicago dominated New York after falling behind in the first period 2-1, after another slow start.

The Hawks tallied two goals and scored late in the second stanza to take a 3-2 lead. Most in the building thought the Hawks would seize further control in the third period and skate away with an easy win. What followed was one the poorest periods of Blackhawk hockey at the United Center in a very long time.

The islanders scored twice to even the score after regulation. In the third period, the Hawks were outshot at one point 23-3, the frame ended with the Islanders holding a 23-7 shot advantage. Sometimes shots on goal can be a misleading stat but in this case the Islanders were the superior club.

With the game tied the Islanders dominated the overtime period but Corey Crawford stemmed the tide. Crawford also was a perfect 3-3 in saves for the shootout. That enabled the Hawks to come away with an ugly 5-4 shootout victory.

he Hawks were accommodating hosts as their only strong effort came in the second frame when they outshot the Isles 15-2. Chicago dominated New York after falling behind in the first period 2-1, after another slow start.

The Hawks tallied two goals and scored late in the second stanza to take a 3-2 lead. Most in the building thought the Hawks would seize further control in the third period and skate away with an easy win. What followed was one the poorest periods of Blackhawk hockey at the United Center in a very long time.

The islanders scored twice to even the score after regulation. In the third period, the Hawks were outshot at one point 23-3, the frame ended with the Islanders holding a 23-7 shot advantage. Sometimes shots on goal can be a misleading stat but in this case the Islanders were the superior club.

With the game tied the Islanders dominated the overtime period but Corey Crawford stemmed the tide. Crawford also was a perfect 3-3 in saves for the shootout. That enabled the Hawks to come away with an ugly 5-4 shootout victory.

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Next article will be out Tuesday morning.

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The islanders scored twice to even the score after regulation. In the third period, the Hawks were outshot at one point 23-3, the frame ended with the Islanders holding a 23-7 shot advantage. Sometimes shots on goal can be a misleading stat but in this case the Islanders were the superior club.

With the game tied the Islanders dominated the overtime period but Corey Crawford stemmed the tide. Crawford also was a perfect 3-3 in saves for the shootout. That enabled the Hawks to come away with an ugly 5-4 shootout victory.

Considering the Blackhawks followed one shaky outing with an even more dreadful performance, there is cause for concern. To string such sorry efforts together is something to not ignore.

There are two factors which contributed to the losses. One issue has to do with coaching and the other with personnel.

After the game on Friday night, Joel Quenneville was adamant about all of the preventable goals given up in Calgary. He commented before the Oiler game about tightening up the defensive coverage and not just looking to outscore the opponent.

In essence, Quenneville wanted a tighter checking game as better defense would lead to more offense. Quenneville mentioned in a pre-game interview on Saturday he was looking for a low scoring game. Quenneville got his low score but it was from the wrong club. Basically what occurred was the exact opposite of what Quenneville preached.

That is disturbing.

Is Quenneville being tuned out? Is the message not clear because this team still hasn’t figured out what style of play will work best for them? The answer is probably a little of both and that is a reason why the last two losses are cause for worry.

Quenneville deserves the benefit of the doubt. It will become obvious soon enough if his message is falling on deaf ears. What should be understood is the same faster than fast style that led the Hawks to the Cup is probably not possible now.

This is a different bunch and their playing style hasn’t been fully defined. Also the passing efficiency has not been good enough to lead to a consistent transition game.

The Oilers are faster and more skillful than the Flames. They created more scoring chances and capitalized. But in both losses the same problems existed for the Blackhawks.

Individual board battles were lost. The forwards were guilty of poor passing and turnovers. They were caught deep in the offensive zone and opponents had control of the neutral zone. The Hawks could not slow down the Oiler attack. In both contests the goal tending wasn’t special.

The Blackhawk defensemen were caught out of position. To say Hawk defenders weren’t aggressive would be an understatement. To make matters worse, a quick team like the Oilers can really exploit an unsure defense.

In a matter of a few days, Duncan Keith went from all world versus the Canucks to way below average. Keith doesn’t soar like an eagle. He flies like a humming bird as his engine is always in overdrive.

Fatigue, both physically and mentally appears to happen more often to Keith these days. He is not only losing foot races but is also making mental errors. Keith is also put into a position to make the most mistakes.

No matter how poorly his night is going Keith is on the ice for around 25 minutes and often more. He doesn’t get many easy shifts. Keith also plays on the penalty kill. So when frequent careless infractions are committed it helps to wear him down. When Keith is off his game, it really shows.

Part of Keith’s inconsistency has to do with his teammates. He plays the best with Brent Seabrook who is out injured. But the other Hawk defenders are not pulling their weight. When that happens, Keith tries to do more than he should. That leads to erratic performances.

The Hawks are a more mature group than last season. Players should know their roles. But sometimes that doesn’t appear to be the case. Maybe it is a combination of things. The Blackhawks not understanding what style they are trying to achieve and there are some square pegs in round holes.

Let’s take a look at personnel issues, which is the responsibility of general manager Stan Bowman. The free agent signings over the summer also have an influence on what style of game the Hawks are able to play. Hindsight is 20/20 but some of the new additions have not contributed very much.

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The Canucks gave the Blackhawks two power play opportunities early in the middle frame. Until then, the Canucks were dominating second period action and had taken a 1-0 lead. Things were looking up for Vancouver until Ryan Kesler took a careless tripping penalty.

Unnecessary penalties would cost the Canucks. On the resulting power play, the Hawks second unit converted. A little more than five minutes later, Patrick Kane scored again while on a power play and the Hawks never looked back.

When Vancouver pounded Chicago back on Nov. 6, Duncan Keith was injured and out of the lineup. The Canucks swarmed Corey Crawford and had the Hawks back on their heels. Wednesday night, Keith had a dominating performance and Crawford had his best outing in awhile to help lead the Hawks.

The Blackhawks got better as the game went on, and this time it was the Canucks who skated off the ice looking bewildered.

Another difference Wednesday night was the way Joel Quenneville had his team prepared. The Hawks were not perfect, but they were dialed in and made the most of their opportunities. Quenneville’s game management was top notch and his players followed his script to a tee.

Even though the Blackhawks didn’t have the last line change, they seemed to get the match ups Quenneville desired. The Hawks made good crisp line changes and stayed discipline throughout the contest. To not allow the Canucks a single power play was impressive.

When it comes to impressive, Keith stood out.

Not only was Keith responsible for breaking up two, if not three, Vancouver goals, his effort was tireless. During the opening 40 minutes of play, Keith was on the ice for an incredible 21:33. It seemed as if Keith was on the ice every other shift.

With Brent Seabrook out of the lineup, Keith was heavily relied on and he didn’t disappoint. Keith had 29:54 of total ice time, blocked three shots, was credited with one assist and finished a plus one on the evening.

This was a big Blackhawk victory for a number of reasons. To continue reading click here.

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Next article will be out Saturday.

As far as the Blackhawks are concerned, they need to define a system of play. Copying another successful power play might not be a bad idea. Even when the Hawks won the Stanley Cup, their power play was only ranked mid-pack in the league.

I still maintain this Hawks’ team, as currently constructed, can’t play as quickly as in the previous two seasons.

It almost seems like the Hawks can go in spurts, but they struggle to maintain puck possession. There are different ways to win consistently in the NHL; the key is to pick a style that fits the personnel and then play that system to a tee.

Big news out of Monday’s Hawks practice is that changes appear to be on the way, plus Duncan Keith could be back in action Tuesday night.

One of the moves I have been advocating is reuniting Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. If Keith’s left hand doesn’t cause him any additional problems, it appears he will play against the Blues with his old partner.

Young Nick Leddy has been struggling, and Tuesday he will try a new partner. If Leddy and Niklas Hjalmarsson click, maybe the Hawks can play at a higher tempo. Leddy can skate and has good vision, so he could be a nice compliment to Keith as another puck-moving defenseman.

The defensive unit won’t be the only thing to change.

Nothing is etched in stone, but normally the way line combinations are skated during practice indicates the lineup for the next game, especially after a bad loss.

Here is the way the Hawks skated at practice on Monday as reported by Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun Times.

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On Thursday night, the Blackhawks defeated the Florida Panthers 3-2 in a shootout. The game marked the fifth time out of 12 games the Hawks went to overtime or a shootout to decide a contest.

Does this indicate a strong club which finds a way to win when not at their best? Or are the Hawks a team which is unable to play consistent, effective hockey? For now the answer to both questions is yes.

If not for the stellar play of Corey Crawford, the Panthers would have defeated the Hawks. Crawford was coming off his softest performance of the season against Nashville. Thursday night in Florida, Crawford was the best player on the ice. No matter how many turnovers, missed passes or errors in judgment the Hawks committed, Crawford kept his team a float.

Usually it is an ominous sign when an opponent is allowed to score a goal late in a period. Often that is an indication of a lack of concentration and those goals provide a boost for the opposition going forward. The Panthers scored at 18:19 of the middle frame and then tied the score to force overtime with a goal at 17:56 of the third period. Not once, but twice the Panthers came back with a late period tally, but the Blackhawks still came away with a victory.

The Hawks allowed the less-talented Panthers to hang around. Fortunately, Crawford stood tall in overtime and was perfect in the shootout. As Joel Quenneville commented following the game, this was a goalie victory. Crawford has had a great start to the season.

There were reasons to be distracted last night. To continue reading click here.

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In the opening frame, it looked as if Colorado would handle the class hike and build upon their five-game winning streak, but the Blackhawks’ experience and know-how won out in the end.

Shortly after Joe Sacco was appointed the Colorado Avalanche head coach in 2009, he professed his admiration for the Blackhawks. The observant Sacco was ahead of the curve and saw the Hawks were a team gearing up for a Stanley Cup run. Joel Quenneville had a young, talented, fast club, and Sacco wanted his team to play like the Hawks.

In the opening 30 minutes, it looked like the Avalanche were the 2009-2010 Blackhawks. They played at high tempo, the defensemen were involved in the offense and they were getting top goal tending. The Avalanche pushed the pace and had the Blackhawks chasing them, even though Jonathan Toews swarmed the Avs net and provided his team a one-goal lead heading into the second frame.

Sacco had his charges pick up where they left off as the second period progressed. If not for the strong performance by Corey Crawford, the Hawks could have been down by a couple of goals. Crawford isn’t the highlight reel goal tender some prefer, but he has been rock solid and once again gave the Hawks the opportunity to win.

No substitute for experience and confidence

Around the 10 minute mark of the middle period, the Hawks shook off the remaining dust of the Arizona desert and went to work. The Hawks showed the will of a past Cup winner and controlled play. The Avs were tough, but the Hawks were the best team and prevailed. They pressed on and found a way to beat a very good Semyon Varlamov.

The Blackhawks kept their one goal advantage until 15:27 of the second period, when a fluke goal evaded Crawford. Somehow the puck fluttered and found its way to the shaft of Colorado defenseman Ryan O’Byrne stick and deflected past Crawford. It was a lucky goal, and in the later stages of the final period the Hawks benefitted from some good fortune too.

With less than nine minutes remaining, defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson was the last man back and lost an edge and fell. He had the puck and was in a vulnerable position, so he gloved it and threw it out of the Hawks’ zone. Hammer should have been whistled for closing his hand on the puck, but the hockey gods evened things up and the Hawks avoided a third period penalty.

Hawks take charge

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Losing 3-2 to the Boston Bruins in a shootout isn’t anything to be embarrassed about, but the Blackhawks fell into a familiar, ominous pattern.

As was often the case last season, when the going was the toughest, the Hawks came up short. For whatever reason, the Hawks didn’t appear as comfortable as the Bruins, who controlled play in the final frame. The Hawks didn’t respond well in the late going and left a point on the table.
During the third period of games in the 2010-2011 campaign, the Blackhawks had 89 goals scored against them. That was the fourth highest total in the entire NHL. Only three franchises, who were all non-playoff teams, had more goals allowed in the final frame. Those clubs were Colorado (103), Atlanta (98) and Ottawa (93).

Teams that give it up in the third period are normally on the golf course in early April, so the Blackhawks were in dangerous territory. To make matters worse, Chicago was also in the bottom half of the league in goals scored in the final 20 minutes.

Although it is much too early to conclude third period difficulties will continue, there is reason for caution. Like last season, there has been a big turnover in personnel. Hopefully since the new acquisitions have more experience they will not fold when the pressure is the greatest.

In hockey the best results happen when everyone meshes. The Bruins exhibited a more complete effort when the game was on the line. The Hawks couldn’t sustain their opening period energy.

The Bruins scored both goals on mistakes. That isn’t a shock as both squads were evenly matched. What is somewhat surprising is how some of the Hawks’ top players were victimized.

Boston’s Chris Kelly scored because of a weird bounce off the glass that led to shorthanded goal. I could write that off as bad luck, although there could have been a better effort by Hawk forwards to skate back after the turnover.

The second Bruin tally was the bigger issue. The Toews line was on the ice and inexperience can’t be used as an excuse. They can all share the blame, but Patrick Sharp got caught watching the puck instead of his man. In total the Bruins deserved the win as they were sharper than the Hawks.

Speaking of having to be sharper… It’s time to reunite Keith and Seabrook. Not to single out one player, but so far this season Duncan Keith has yet to play to his skill level.

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Al’s Shots

Doing a podcast tonight with Chris Block from The Third Man In.com . The show will  begin at 8:00 PM CST.

We will discuss the start for the Blackhawks and what we believe will happen in the coming weeks.

Plus Chris will have the real scoop on the nice start for some of the Rockford Ice Hogs.

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Also please spread the word on my Blackhawk page on My Fox Chicago.com

Thanks…

blackhawkswin@comast.net

Quenneville is known for almost constant line juggling, but he also opened this season with a couple of new roster wrinkles. For the most part, Patrick Kane stayed playing at center, but Quenneville was unrelenting in changing line combinations. Quenneville also put new twist on things by skating seven defensemen in both games as well as quickly calling up Marcus Kruger from Rockford.

For those like myself who thought Kruger would get time to settle in with the Ice Hogs, it might be time to rethink. Then again, there were injuries and a suspension for Coach Q. to deal with. In any event, Quenneville knows all too well points in October can’t be squandered, especially at home.

A First-Game Loss: What Went Wrong

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Al’s Shots

Please continue reading on My Fox Chicago.com….

It’s early but I have seen enough of John Scott.

blackhawkswin@comcast.net

It was refreshing to listen to Mike as he gave straight forward, no fluff opinions on many Hawk prospects. We discussed Kyle Beach and Igor Makarov plus some players which have flown under the radar.

Mike was very high on a defenseman Ryan Stanton who was undrafted and signed as a free agent in March of 2010. In Mike’s opinion Stanton is closer to becoming a NHL regular than any Ice Hog defenseman. Often the most interesting prospects are not low round draft picks which are highly touted.

Mike and Chris pointed out Rob Klinkhammer failed to score on about 20 breakaways throughout the campaign and still recorded 17 goals. Klinkhammer was awarded a whopping total of three penalty shots last season. They both believe Klinkhammer might not be too far away from a NHL career. Mike explains what Klinkhammer needs to improve on to take the next step to become a big league grinder and penalty killer.

I learned a lot listening to Mike and Chris I think you will too.

Chris and I chatted a little about the Canuck series and then discussed last season.

The Hawk inconsistencies and spotty efforts were also talked about with a look towards the future. In particular we chatted about Duncan Keiths’ up and down season and possible changes for the Hawks’ blueline.

We discussed Marty Turco, Alexander Salak plus other additions and deletions to the rosters.

Here is the link for the website which contains the blog talk radio link for the interview…..

http://thethirdmanin.com/

With a couple of new young faces, the adrenaline rush after the Raffi Torres head shot and the return of Dave Bolland the Hawks have recaptured their focus and confidence. The passing has improved, the defensemen* are playing well and they are adding to the offense. *(Excluding John Scott)

It helps to play with a lead and the Hawks are different team to deal with when they can roll three scoring lines. But this series could be more about what the Vancouver Canucks have turned into rather than what the Hawks have become. At last report the boys from BC appear a bewildered bunch which can’t sustain an effective effort.

Before the series began I commented on XM radio about would likely happen if the Canucks failed to move past round one. Because of the injuries and the fact half of the Chicago team was different from last spring the Canucks shouldn’t have an excuse for not winning this series. My last comment on the topic was that if defeated Mike Gillis wouldn’t clean house this summer, he would blow the house up.

My guess is head coach Alain Vigneault would become collateral damage. Much in the same way as Mike Keenan was terminated in 2009 after the Hawks eliminated the Flames. Maybe Gillis would have to answer for the Canuck failures as well.

The odds are still stacked against the Hawks. Unfortunately because of a poor start they are only a bad bounce, or bad call away from the end of their season.

There is no doubt the Hawks are in a vulnerable position. But by winning two in a row the Hawks have done their best to put some vulnerability into the psyche of the Canucks.

Game 6 represents another big challenge. Although it looks like Brent Seabrook will return the Hawks have to remember how they won Games 4 and 5.

The following must be present for another victory.

Hard work, clean exits from their own zone, traffic in front of Luongo, no bad penalties plus a north-south attack.

Marian Hossa answered the bell last game and provided a scoring punch. The defense and forwards have been playing well without the puck. Duncan Keith is playing his best hockey. Corey Crawford has been sharp and the rookies haven’t been looking so young.

Hawk fans are emotionally fully invested and long for a Game 7.

The Canucks need to flip the switch and hope they can reignite their Stanley Cup run. As it is, the Hawks may have already put a dent into that dream.

The Cup winning club is often the team which plays the least amount of games while accumulating 16 wins.

Last year the Philadelphia Flyers played in only 17 games before reaching the Finals. The Hawks had a four game sweep on their way to toasting from Lord Stanley.

The Canucks missed on a great opportunity for a short series and all that remains is whether they will regain stride or get blown up.

Al’s Shots

Like most head coaches Quenneville doesn’t like to a change a winning lineup but if Seabrook returns he has no choice.

If Scott could catch someone to check then he probably should start at wing. But the immobile Scott has received more punishing checks than he has dished out.

Lapierre, Glass and Torres won’t fight Scott but they don’t hesitate to paste him every chance they get. In some ways those checks seem to rev up the Canucks.

The Hawks could use more physicality but Scott only provides fighting not big hits.

I would sit Scott and dress Marcus Kruger. Actually my choice for the fourth line would be Rob Klinkhammer but he doesn’t appear to be on Q’s radar.

Teams scoring first are 31-6 in the 2011 playoffs.

Let’s hope for a game which the players decide the outcome not the officials. The refs haven’t done a very good job thus far.

Lastly, for all those celebrating….

Happy Easter and Happy Passover!

Ben Smith will be a good Blackhawk poster boy for future hopes. Smith appears to be intelligent and gives a good interview. Smith picked up two goals versus the Canucks in a losing effort. Unfortunately he was also on the ice for the three Vancouver scores. 

Smith isn’t the only one to be blamed for some defensive miscues. There were about four Hawks mesmerized by the puck on the Canucks first score. 

The good news is Smith looks like a NHL player. He knows enough to go to the net and keep his stick on the ice. Its nice Smith also buries his chances. Smith keeps it simple and isn’t afraid to get his nose dirty. 

Joel Quenneville doesn’t stop surprising as Jake Dowell was a healthy scratch. 

Back in mid December I thought Dowell should get an audition as a second line center. That was a bit wishful but at the time there weren’t many better choices.  In the last couple of months Dowell’s play has dropped off. 

Ryan Johnson was my choice to be the third line center during the playoffs but maybe he plays too small. Johnson played less than nine minutes and only took two faceoffs but the Hawk still won 60% of the draws…Hmm. Maybe Johnson will be around next season only because he wins faceoffs. But Johnson isn’t getting much ice time even though he is a veteran. 

Coach Q. pulled Marcus Krugers’ name out of the hat on Friday and he played 11:47. To my disbelief Kruger and Smith saw a lot of playing time together. Kruger was a perfect 4-0 at the dot. Evidently Quenneville isn’t afraid to load up the same line with players with hardly any NHL experience. 

Michael Frolik doesn’t win many faceoffs and seems out of place at times but he tries. I don’t know if Frolik fits into the Hawks plans as a winger. 

Viktor Stalberg might have been the most noticeable player on the ice the other night. 

I’m thinking Stalberg will be in Chicago come October as well as Smith. 

I’m not surprised at anything at this point unless the Hawks come back and win the series. 

But I would be shocked if this summer Stan Bowman doesn’t sign a couple of veteran role players which could provide some leadership. The Hawks won the Cup and then got younger and less experienced. Management shouldn’t want to repeat the same show next season.  

There could be about nine new faces in the 2011-2012 team picture compared to this season. So Hawk fans should be prepared for another period of adjustment. 

We can boil the current Blackhawk situation down to an “either-or”… 

Either the skill level of the top players left from the Cup run has suddenly dropped off dramatically. 

Or their gas tank is just about empty. 

My hope and vote goes for the latter. 

I won’t believe Brian Campbell, Duncan Keith and Niklas Hjalmarsson could have gone from stellar performers to less than average this quickly. 

The top end players have played heavy minutes the past three seasons and in this campaign they were more overworked than in the past. 

If the Blackhawks want to play a fast paced puck possession game they have to do one thing more than anything else. They need to pass the puck accurately. 

A team trying to play skilful hockey which can’t connect on passes is like trying to play basketball without being able to catch. 

There are three factors which lead to poor passing….A lack of skill, not playing as a cohesive unit and fatigue. 

Unfortunately the Blackhawks hit the trifecta. 

Lacking skill is probably the least contributing factor to their current problem, although some players are still over their skis. The bottom of half of the roster isn’t overly talented. 

Not playing as cohesive unit should be of no surprise as that has been a bad trait all season. 

The fatigue factor is now the biggest concern. 

The defensemen are getting pressured and pounded. The result is bad passes and weak clearing attempts. Campbell and Keith are playing poorly. Hammer is not much better.

The Blackhawk offense is supposed to start with the defense but when passes don’t click everything slows down and scoring opportunities are limited.  

Having defenders join the rush should happen at the appropriate time to generate more scoring chances. But the only time the Hawks generate scoring chances shouldn’t be when their dmen skate into the offensive zone below the faceoff circles.

The Hawks top forwards have been silenced. 

Jonathan Toews had his poorest performance of the season in Game 2.. No one misses Dave Bolland more than Toews. 

Ryan Kesler has controlled Toews and Quenneville has no answers. Maybe Q. will finally put Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane together but not with Toews. That way on home ice Quenneville might be able to free up Toews from Kesler. 

On Friday night Sharp reminded me a bit of Alex Burrows or Shane O’Brien from previous post seasons. 

Sharp took a bad penalty after a whistle the same way some of the Cauncks were guilty in the past. Unfortunately the Canucks responded with a power play goal as they made the most of Sharp’s brain cramp.

The Hawks could never draw even with the Canucks. Playing from behind saps more energy.

Kane hasn’t been able to ignite the offense but he hasn’t had much help. Many of the passes directed at Kane have been at his feet or beyond his reach.

Fatigue has probably set in for Kane too. While Kane was reaching for a puck along the boards Alexander Edler stepped up and crunched him. Usually Kane wouldn’t let a player get a free shot at him but his reactions could be a bit slower at this point. 

Marian Hossa is invisible much of the time even though he was playing on the top line. Hossa has no points in the playoffs and also is an ugly -3. That is the poorest plus minus of any Hawk forward.

Hossa could be tired but he played in only 65 games during the regular season. Unfortunately Hossa is on the wrong side of thirty. His tank will empty quicker than many of the younger players.

In Friday’s blog I pointed out the Hawks needed secondary scoring to have a chance to win Game 2. What wasn’t on my play sheet was that secondary scoring would account for every goal and the Hawk power play would remain ice cold. 

If the Hawks are going to make another flight to Vancouver they need to stop playing from behind and start connecting on the power play.  

On Sunday night the United Center crowd could become impatient, especially if the Blackhawk power play doesn’t convert. If the Canucks get a lead the home ice advantage will be neutralized and boos and cat calls will likely fill the air. 

The UC could become an unfriendly place for the home team.  A good start in Game 3 is more important than ever. 

Al’s Shots 

Being called up for the playoffs as a Black Ace is more of an honor than anything else for a minor league player. Usually the Aces never get to play. But it is a learning experience for the young guys, besides being a reward for a job well done.

They get to travel, skate with the big club and hang out. It probably is a cool experience and a nice perk. 

Two of the most heavily touted Hawk prospects of the past few years did not get an invite to be a Black Ace. 

Kyle Beach and Igor Makarov were conspicuously left off the Aces. 

Beach was called up two years ago as an Ace and was sent home along with Akim Aliu. Sources close to the situation told me they were disciplined for getting into a fight. Kind of a friendly dust up, if there is such a thing. But that was another of many questionable on and off ice incidents for Beach. 

I don’t know the exact reasoning for leaving Beach and Makarov off the Aces. But unless they were excused for personal reasons it is not a ringing endorsement from Hawk management to not be called up. 

Beach, a former first round draft choice should be embarrassed by not being included. Last year he was called up as a Black Ace.

One would think Makarov could have benefitted from the experience too. 

Makarov played his first full season in the AHL and had mixed reviews. Although he did come on in the last month. I always had my doubts on Makarov being a future NHL player and I don’t think differently now. 

Beach has the hands to be a NHL player but it could be awhile before he gets a chance.

The Hawks could look to move Beach this summer before other teams come to the opinion he is more hype than anything else. Probably some already feel that way.

If Beach could stay on course he could fill a need. The Hawks could use a big power forward in the worst way. 

But it is looking more likely Beach may never get a chance to play with the big club. 

Bryan Bickell appeared to suffer a nasty skate cut during Game 2.

The injuries keep mounting…

The Hawks might only be one more injury away from Rob Klinkhammer making his playoff debut.

As brought up in the past, this has been a crazy season. The best thing the Hawks had going for them is there are many other Western Conference teams which at any point could be less than average. So in that regard the Blackhawks were not alone. But make no mistake the Hawks could match any club when it comes to being inconsistent.

The third line du jour was eaten alive by the Red Wings but Joel Quenneville kept trotting the same matchups out all game. Not to place all the blame on Coach Q. because he is playing with a short stack.  With Dave Bolland and Troy Brouwer on the shelf, Quenneville is almost pulling names out of a hat.

Especially with the injuries no matter what Quenneville does he is groping to fill roles. The Hawks had nobody which could fill the void from losing Patrick Sharp or Bolland and the same can be said for Brouwer.

The poor play didn’t stop with the bottom six forwards. The turnovers and sloppy efforts came from some of the top unit players as well. Detroit was guilty of mental mistakes and turnovers on Friday night and on Sunday the Hawks took their turn.

Marian Hossa and Duncan Keith and others weren’t careful with the puck, they left the Red Wings many opportunities. Sound puck management was lacking which shouldn’t come as a shock.  The Red Wings were able to keep things simple and once again the Hawks couldn’t.

The Wings came out on top even though the Blackhawks received every officiating break.

Keith must have had multiple get out of jail cards. He slashed a players’ stick and it sailed into the crowd…No call.

Keith high sticked Tomas Holmstrom and drew blood….No call

The Hawks got the benefit of a bad icing call late in the game and also got the last power play opportunity of the day. But none of it mattered.

The Blackhawks finished the campaign with 127 man games lost which was 93 fewer than the previous season. The losses were felt more this time because there wasn’t the ability to absorb injuries. Really bad luck comes in with close to 300 man games lost, Colorado was victimized with close to 450 man games lost.

So excessive injuries weren’t really an issue in Chicago but rather the inability to play well when players were out of the lineup.

Unfortunately the table was set on Sunday for the Hawks to finish as high as fifth. Playing the Ducks wouldn’t have been an easy task. But now the Hawks will play the most consistent team in the Western Conference.

Anyone who believes the Canucks are fearful of playing the Blackhawks should reconsider.

Without Bolland and Brouwer this is a great matchup for Vancouver. Past history won’t put fear into the Canucks but rather will keep them respectful of the inconsistent Blackhawks.

Corey Crawford didn’t have a great game. He could have been better on couple of Red Wing goals.

For the Hawks to have any chance against the Canucks, Crawford will have to be all world. In addition Bolland and Brouwer need to be back in action soon.

Otherwise the Hawks are on borrowed time.

Last night’s OT win was exciting to watch but it wasn’t a flattering display of hockey by the Blackhawks or from the NHL. There were some visible warts all the way around. 

Starting with the Blackhawks’ performance… 

For those which want to still believe that in the opening 25 minutes the Hawks were losing by two goals to a team with little to play for, on home ice because they didn’t try hard enough….Go ahead, but you might want to skip the next few paragraphs. 

In the opening frame the Hawks played hockey as if they were playing golf. Like a bunch of individuals not as a team.  Hockey is the ultimate team sport game and when not enough players are on the same page at the same time the results aren’t pretty. Describing the Hawks play for about half of last night’s game as scattered would be kind. 

Maybe some nerves showed. Maybe because of the constant manipulation of lines. Maybe there are too many players who are unable to put forth the correct effort because they don’t know how.  Whatever the reason the Hawks too often play like a scattered bunch which can’t refine their game to being simple and effective. It’s not a lack of effort but rather not the correct effort.

That’s why when the puck gets into the offensive zone there aren’t enough quality scoring chances generated. That’s why when the Hawks frequently turn over the puck it turns into scoring chances for the opposition. 

When a team puts itself into a position to lose they will, unless the goal keeping is great or they catch some breaks. The Blackhawks are playing with fire and last night could have easily turned into an awful home ice loss.  

If the Blues would have scored once more in the opening period and gone up by three goals early in the second frame the Hawks probably wouldn’t have been able to turn the tide. Not even with a favorable video review call or with additional 5 on 3 opportunities. 

It’s a worn out expression but true, there is a fine line between wining and losing. For whatever reason you choose the Hawks continue to dance on that fine line in every game. 

Last night Corey Crawford didn’t have to be outstanding but the Hawks did catch some breaks. Maybe the biggest breaks were the Blues starting Ty Conklin instead of Jaroslav Halak and sitting Cam Janssen. 

Conklin wasn’t bad but Halak probably would have been better. Janssen usually dresses but was a healthy scratch. That made it easier for Joel Quenneville to back off the man love for John Scott and start Ben Smith. With the return of Patrick Sharp, sitting Marcus Kruger and inserting Smith into the lineup was a good move by Quenneville. 

As for as the officiating is concerned it was no better or worse than usual. In my view the referees showed no favoritism. 

The Marian Hossa goal, which did turn the game, illustrates a flawed video review system. The NHL is quick to remind the world they were the first major sport to use video review. But the process could be better. 

The Toronto War Room reviews questionable goals but their ruling doesn’t necessarily lead to the correct call. If the original call on the ice is wrong but the video review crew can’t determine conclusively that is incorrect…..The original on ice call stands. Using video review is better than not, but the process isn’t close to being perfect. 

Unfortunately not often enough does the referee realize he isn’t sure on a questionable goal situation. He then could blow the whistle to stop the play. In that way the review crew wouldn’t have to overrule anything. 

Last night it appeared Hossa kicked the puck but he could have touched it afterward with his stick. The referee was on the goal line by the post where the puck travelled. Maybe the kick was missed by the on ice referee but he appeared to have a clear view if the puck crossed the line. 

I have mentioned in the past it would be best if every arena was equipped with the same technology. That issue has improved in the last five years. Plus the technology in the War Room has also improved a great deal. 

The process will never be perfect but it would be better if the on ice official didn’t feel a compulsion to make a decision. Sometimes they don’t but more often than not they do make a ruling even when they are blocked or just out of position. 

Lastly the video review process would improve further if there were cameras inside the net for every game. Not for just some national TV games or certain playoff contests and the Stanley Cup Finals.  

I have been told by someone in that industry the reason net cameras are not used for every game is because of cost. Not really because of the cost of the camera but more so the fact a special technician would have to be present in every arena for every game. The cost would be significant, and up until now too much for the NHL to swallow. 

The review process is what it is until additional cameras are used and as long as the original call on the ice carries the most weight. 

Maybe over the weekend the Red Wings will look to circle the wagons, rest to get ready for the playoffs and not be overly concerned about beating the Blackhawks. 

That would be another break and this bunch could use the help. 

Al’s Shots

It’s interesting Coach Q. who has ridden his best players often and hard all season would change things up a bit last night.

In a crucial overtime stanza…

Leddy, Viktor Stalberg and Michael Frolik all saw playing time. Frolik was on the ice for 1:01 in OT, Leddy and Stalberg for 53 seconds each. I guess at this point nothing should come as a shock.

Smith played a nice game and had seven shifts in the third period for a total of 13:25 of ice time.

Obviously Keith is a shadow of the player he was last season. 

I blame the fact he has been overplayed for the entire campaign as much as anything else. 

I don’t want to keep pounding the same points but… 

Playing Nick Leddy with Keith only helps Leddy. 

Allowing the Chris Stewart goal was horrible. 

Keith didn’t have the strength to tie up Stuart. Leddy basically skated alongside Stuart and didn’t touch him. Not good at all and that goal could have been a killer.

It is past the time to give the dry board back to Mike Haviland. …The Hawk power play is stagnant. 

If the Hawks can’t score on the power play they will have little chance of lasting success if they get into the playoffs.

This has been a frustrating season for Blackhawk faithful. At this point it shouldn’t shock anyone if the Hawks lost their remaining four games. Then again winning out is also a possibility. Basically fans need to hang on tight, hope for the best and not be surprised by any outcome. 

As odd as it sounds the Blackhawks best chance at winning a playoff round may come from facing the Red Wings. The Hawks play well against the Wings as both teams play a similar styles. If the Hawks are healthy, it could boil down to goal keeping. If that were the case I’ll take Corey Crawford. 

For the playoffs, playing without Patrick Sharp and Dave Bolland would be huge because they can’t be replaced. If Bolland is unable to return the Hawks will likely not last very long. 

Without Sharp and Bolland the Hawks have become a one line team which will have to rely on the power play. There is a distinct probability referees will let the boys play come the playoffs, actually it is already happening. Allowing more interference hurts a finesse team’s offense and also means less power play opportunities. The Hawks will need to find a way to score at even strength. 

Jonathan Toews can’t play every shift although Joel Quenneville might see if it is possible, the same with Duncan Keith. In reality the Hawks lose any matchup advantage they might have had if Bolland is still on the shelf. 

Inconsistency is the motto here and is illustrated by the Hawks record in the last five games. 

Mike Smith will never be confused with a standout goal keeper but he was good enough on Sunday. The Hawks shouldn’t have been taken back by the defensive shell the Lightning stayed in for almost the entire game. But the Blackhawks still couldn’t penetrate or get traffic to the net. Getting a lot of shots on goal is fine, but the Hawks didn’t make it very hard for Smith. Also taking so many obvious penalties is not the best way to achieve success. 

Give the Bolts credit they came into the United Center with little rest and still stifled the Hawks’ attack. Head coach Guy Boucher will be a hero as long as the Bolts stay playoff bound. Winning sells more than anything but the Lightning has become a very boring team to watch.

Speaking of styles of play, the Blackhawk brain trust probably has figured out by now changes are needed, playoffs or not. The Hawks have to adjust their style of play, or the bottom of the roster has to be thoroughly remodeled. My thinking is both will happen.  

This team has too many round pegs in square holes and a head coach that piles on the minutes to the core group. Now Quenneville has little choice, but he has been overworking the same players for the entire season. 

On many nights the bottom six forwards don’t play very much and when they do their purpose is scattered. Utilizing only a handful of forwards and relying heavily on four defenders isn’t a recipe for lasting success. 

My suspicion is the Hawks may sneak into the playoffs with 96 points because they should have the tie breaker over the Dallas Stars. If they need 97 points they could be in deep trouble. 

Beating Detroit in both games over the weekend doesn’t seem likely and the Blues will be ready on Wednesday night. So getting at least one point versus the Canadiens will be very important. 

Tonight the excuse of playing a trap team or one with a big group of defenders doesn’t apply. If the Hawks are not able to snag at least one point in Montreal they may not have the confidence to achieve a winning record in the final three games. 

Half of this team is battle tested and many players are not, inconisitency should not come as a surprise. 

Here is the audio link for last night’s Sirius/ XM Ice Cap interview with Jamie Shalley. 

Hawk fans, it is what it is…

11-04-04 Uncle AL – ICE CAP

The die hard fan in me wants the Hawks to reach the playoff and win at least one round. After all they are the defending Champs and making the playoffs should be a given, regardless of the salary cap issues and the fact half the team was jettisoned. In my book, with the way the season has gone, anything more than winning one round is a significant achievement.

The realist in me says this is all going to end with a thud and maybe it is best not to qualify for the playoffs. If the Hawks aren’t fully healthy going into round one a quick exit would not be a surprise. Maybe it is best to fold the tent early and rest up for next season. In many ways this group has failed to get it all together and is still struggling to find the correct mix.

With an early finish management would realize it is a short hop from being a Cup Champion to playoff bubble team. Certainly there is a need for personnel changes and quite possibly the Hawks’ style of play has to be adjusted as well.

Maybe by falling short of the playoffs the desire will burn even hotter in October for players and those in the front office. With the correct additions the Hawks could make a serious Stanley Cup run next season.

If the Hawks don’t capture at least one point over the next two games there probably won’t be a reason to be conflicted any longer.

Regulation losses to the Red Wings and Bruins would mean the Hawks would need to capture nine points in the remaining six games to end the year with 97. But even a 97 point finish doesn’t guarantee a playoff slot.

It’s not impossible for the Hawks to achieve two upcoming road wins but complete efforts will be required.  Although the Wings and Bruins aren’t on fire the Hawks don’t have effective replacements for the injured Dave Bolland and Patrick Sharp.

Without earning at least one point by Tuesday night the will of the players may diminish. Down deep they will realize they are a big long shot to qualify for the post season.

Duncan Keith commented after the loss to the Ducks that they weren’t out of it yet….Funny after one loss he would mentioned any reference to being out of it. But the players know the schedule and the standings.

The next couple of lines are taken from an Adam Jahns Sun Times article from Sunday… This pretty much says it all about the loss to Anaheim.

Here is a Marian Hossa quote immediately following the game…“Sometimes we tried to be a little too cute. Against a good defensive team like this, that’s sometimes not going to work.”

Jahns adds…That’s a common refrain for the Hawks after losses, especially when they muster a few quality scoring chances and traffic is minimal.  I couldn’t agree more.

Versus the Coyotes Mr. Kane seemed to be stuck in second gear. His effort against the Panthers wasn’t great as he made a few poor decisions with the puck. But then Kane did what all great players often do…He came through.

Against the Panthers, Kane made a fantastic pass to Toews which changed the game. His turnovers and sloppy defensive efforts are forgiven because nothing looks as bad after a victory. But now there is no margin for error, especially when the Hawks don’t score a power play goal.

On Saturday night Kane was caught between a rock and hard place. Kane knows down deep the Hawk offense needs him more than ever. This puts Kane into a position to force things. When that happens mistakes take place.

I have mentioned on a number of occasions Kane is the best perimeter player in the league. Unfortunately at times Kane’s hockey IQ does not match his physical ability. He is still young, but old enough to know better.

When the same old song is sung by players about keeping things simple and getting dirty goals those comments are probably meant for Kane’s ears more than anyone else.  

In the third period Saturday it wasn’t exactly a pure turnover, but Kane forced a low opportunity shot at the wrong time and the Ducks tied the score. His careless play resulted in the Ducks having an easy breakout which left every Blackhawk forward behind. Not surprising because the Hawk forwards were all below the faceoff circle in the Ducks’ zone when Kane tried a bad angle, low reward shot.

Kane has to realize although goals are precious now they don’t always have to be created by him. Kind of a tough spot for Kane but many times simple is best.

After Kane’s shot didn’t get through to the net he should have had only one thought in mind. Kane needed to skate as fast as possible to get to the far post before Corey Perry….Strike two.

Kane started to race with his head down but he let up for a few strides inside the Hawks’ blueline. Perry and company don’t need a lot of space to score and Kane wasn’t close enough.

The winning tally was created because the Ducks won board battles and were more determined. One would have thought Anaheim would have been the tired, road weary club but in reality they controlled the final forty minutes. The Ducks knew the formula for beating the Hawks. They kept Kane and others on the perimeter and were physical.

Without Bolland and Sharp the Hawks’ lineup has big holes. The Ducks were able to play with a consistent effective effort, even if minutes were piled on their top line.

The Ducks top unit was hands down better than the Toews’ line. Actually the top six forwards for Anaheim were stronger. I can’t tell what the game plan is for the Chicago third and fourth line but it isn’t working.

Joel Quenneville put all his eggs into the Duncan Keith Keith – Brent Seabrook basket. The basket broke in the third period and now the Hawks will probably struggle mightily to finish eighth. 

Considering Sharp and Bolland won’t be back soon, maybe qualifying for the playoffs is a pipe dream. But the best chance to pick up any points in the next two games will probably be in Detroit. The Hawks are catching the Wings with some injuries. The Bruins will be more rested than the Hawks and they should pound away from the opening puck drop.

There were some curious decisions made by Quenneville concerning playing time.

There could be injuries involved in the decision process which we are unaware of but…

Niklas Hjalmarsson has been playing very good hockey but only saw the ice for a little less than 15 minutes.

That’s 14 minutes less than Keith, 13 minutes less than Seabrook and about four minutes less than Brian Campbell and new comer Chris Campoli.

Marcus Kruger played 11:30 at even strength. At even strength Ryan Johnson was on the ice for only 6:02.

Fernando Pisani did not play on special teams and had only 5:47 of playing time.

Bryan Bickell recorded only one hit against a very physical Ducks squad and played a total 13:54. A bad Bickell is still better than John Scott, but he hasn’t been bringing much to the party.

They say a head coach has the best feel for his team. On Saturday night Randy Carlyle was the better coach and the Ducks were the best team.

Al’s Shots 

Another Hawk loss when they were outscored in the third period…Evidently a hard pattern to break.

If possible go to the Blackhawks’ website and listen to a recent interview of Quenneville on NHL Live.

Interviewing Q. was Ken Daneyko, who was a former three time Stanley Cup winner with the NJ Devils. Daneyko was a bona fide tough guy and a good defender. Pay attention to the question from Daneyko about the thought process involved when adding John Scott to the roster.

Scott isn’t a newly drafted player…He is 28 years old. So it was amazing to hear Quenneville comment that Scotts’ play on the blueline has improved a lot since the beginning of the season.

Scott might not have many fans in Chicago but he has the head coach in his corner. 

By the way…If there ever was a time the Hawks could have used a physical presence, which could play hockey, it would have been versus the Ducks.

Before anyone wonders why there wasn’t any post game quotes available from the likes of Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews….They didn’t stick around long enough to be questioned.

Evidently those two and others got out of Dodge quickly as only Keith and Hossa endured the post game media scrum.

…….“Yep, I meant to hurt him”.

2. Did Blackhawk fans believe it would be March 25, 2011 and two of four center positions would still be up for grabs?

3. Will the Coyotes or Thrashers survive two more seasons without being relocated north of the border?

4. Besides Madison Square Garden is there another cold weather arena with worse ice than the United Center?

5. Is there another stadium where the glass pops out as often as the UC?

6. Is there a better perimeter player than Patrick Kane? 

7. How long before the NHL realizes home teams should wear white for 20 games? 

8. Did anyone think Drew Doughty, Mike Green and Duncan Keith would have no chance of winning the Norris Trophy this season? 

9. Can anyone name two referees that do a consistently good job? 

10. Is Corey Perry the most underrated player in the league? 

11. How many more seasons will Chelsea Dagger be the goal song?  

12. Will the Blackhawks write an offer sheet this summer on RFA Andrew Ladd?

13. If the Hawks make the playoffs will Jonathan Toews be named league MVP? 

Al’s Shots 

Through March 23…Man Games Lost=100….Last season’s total=220

Marcus Kruger looked a lot like I thought he would…Like a young kid afraid to make a mistake. First bit of advice for Marcus….Shoot the puck when you are within 15 feet of the net. 

Call me silly but the Blackhawks played the opening period vs. the Panthers as if it were the first week of the season. New faces, different linemates and unfortunately they are still feeling each other out. 

Did Bryan Bickell and Troy Brouwer decide not to hit any Panthers? One hit each doesn’t cut it. 

If I were Stan Bowman …..I would be praying everyday Michael Frolik will be good enough to center for Marian Hossa next season. Right now Frolik is almost making me a believer. 

One of these days Corey Crawford is not going to bail out the dmen after a turnover. 

I’m not sure Viktor Stalberg will be good enough along the wall to keep playing with Toews and Kane. 

I can live with Kruger winning only 40% of his faceoffs in some games but not when Ryan Johnson wins only 44% of his draws. 

Saturday night’s game will be the fifth in eight days for the Ducks and the third in a row on the road…..No excuses allowed for the Hawks. 

More often than not professional athletes have a strong will to win. They may not to do what is necessary to be successful on a consistent basis but a lack of effort isn’t usually the problem. Playing with an effective effort can be an issue but once again that doesn’t mean players aren’t trying to win.  

As the Blackhawks scratch and claw for every point the same annoying thesis from some fans and those in the media keeps surfacing. After a Hawks’ loss the post game commentary and call in rants often spout in the same direction. Common opinion for some is when the Hawks lose it is because they don’t try hard enough or weren’t prepared to play. 

The reality is the main reason this club continues to be in the playoff hunt is because of a strong will to win. In many games the Blackhawks’ lineup isn’t better than opponents. This is especially true against the top tier playoff teams, like the Capitals and the Sharks.  

There were games this season the Hawks weren’t as prepared as they should have been and the result was a loss. The first period against the Florida Panthers was a poor start and created a hole which led to a costly defeat. But not being ready to play will happen to every team at some point throughout a long grueling campaign. 

What irritates me the most is after a loss when the finger is pointed at a lack of effort as the reason for failure. In essence some believe the Hawks are as complete a team as any in the league, and they have enough talent to defeat every opponent if the will to win surfaces. I don’t believe that opinion is close to being correct. 

When everything is working correctly the Hawks can beat anyone. They have enough high end talent to out skill opponents and when they play effective team hockey good things happen. But that type of performance hasn’t happened often enough to put this team into a secure playoff slot. The Hawks are not as consistent as last year because this team isn’t nearly as talented as the Cup winning squad. 

This group is still as good as or better than many teams but the Hawks don’t have enough talent to win when they don’t play an effective game. Every player has to be pulling on the rope in the correct way. For the most part the reason for losses has little to do with a lack of will to win.  

Another fallacy is the Hawks have struggled primarily due to an abundance of injuries. It is true the Hawks haven’t had a complete lineup available for many games, but let’s put things into context. 

Injuries are always a factor in the NHL. But compared to last year, the Hawks will finish this season with about half as many man games lost due to injury. Sure the injuries matter more for this campaign because the team isn’t as deep. But it is lame to blame the Hawks struggles on injuries. Comparatively speaking the injury bug hasn’t bitten very often in Chicago. 

Going into Saturday’s game the Colorado Avalanche had suffered 342 man games lost due to injury. That staggering total is the highest in the Western Conference and third highest in the NHL. I don’t have the current total for the Blackhawks but it is less than 100 man games lost. 

The problem here is the Hawks can’t cope with key injuries as well as other teams. The Penguins have been able to play great hockey without their two best players. Pittsburgh has been able to plug in AHL players and still be successful. The Penguins know their system and play it to a tee regardless of injuries. So far the same can’t be said for the Blackhawks.  

So if it isn’t necessarily injuries or a lack of effort….Why hasn’t the Hawks surged to the top of the Western Conference? 

One big reason is although the season is almost over this team is still searching for the correct mix. 

Marian Hossa and Dave Bolland became linemates some 50 games into the season…Maybe a little late to establish sufficient chemistry.  The third and fourth lines weren’t formed until recently and still aren’t etched in stone. The top four defensemen have been overplayed especially Duncan Keith and the pairings always seem to be changing. Overall there is some significant wear surfacing in most of the better players who have played the most minutes. 

The other day a friend mentioned an old saying which bears repeating. In hockey goal keeping is always 80% of the game until it goes bad then it is 100%. 

Corey Crawford has been great this season, allowing two goals or less in the majority of his starts. But the difference of allowing one more goal, three instead of two per game, is enough to significantly reduce the chances of a Blackhawk victory. 

For the Hawks to qualify for the post season Crawford needs to be very good every game. Anything less and this team isn’t going to be playing in the post season.  

The NHL season is a war of attrition and the tank is almost empty for some players.   

As people complain about the latest loss saying…Keith should have been able to clear the crease and not have allowed Caps forward Mike Knuble to put in the game winner….I say not so fast. 

The Hawks didn’t lose yesterday because of one play. Actually the Capitals were the better team for almost the entire game. 

On Sunday the Hawks were fortunate to come away with a point. Keith played 30 hard minutes once again. It took all the effort he could muster to get off the ice following the game. 

Realistically the Hawks didn’t have a good chance of winning versus the Capitals without Bolland and with a hampered Brian Campbell. Any fan who believes differently isn’t chugging Blackhawk Kool-Aid they are bathing in it. 

Tonight another top tier team skates into the United Center. 

The Sharks know what will be needed to defeat the Hawks. Their big forwards will pound Duncan Keith and company and look to strike when the opportunity arises. 

Crawford will have to be great and the Hawk’s power play will have to be effective to gain two points. Hopefully all the forwards will play well so Joel Quenneville can spread out the minutes. Having only one line rolling won’t cut it against strong opponents. Maybe Campbell will be able to play more than a handful of minutes, otherwise more pressure will be heaped onto rookie Nick Leddy.

If everything lines up tonight the Hawks could come away with a hard fought victory. But if the Hawks lose please don’t blame injuries or a lack of will to win. Currently the Sharks, like the Capitals have proven to be better teams. 

Strong effort only matters so much.

What also has to be considered is this is as good as it has been for Blackhawk fans since last spring. It’s probably best to not hesitate, just embrace the current winning streak and hold on tight. There are a few things which still appear iffy. Certainly there’s a risk the quest for a playoff berth could end with a thud, but for now it’s time to be optimistic. 

After the trade deadline acquisitions Stan Bowman leaves himself open for some criticism, but his real test will be this summer. The young GM’s time to shine could be at the NHL Entry Draft. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Bowman was very active and took big strides toward retooling his team then. 

The Hawks recent acquisitions were Michael Frolik and Chris Campoli.  Both players could be around in Chicago next October if all goes well.   

In some ways Bowman went out to improve his team today but also had an eye on the future. This is audition time for Frolik and Campoli. If both show well, the Hawks could gain a couple of reasonably priced players for next season. 

It’s a red flag when a player who is in the final year of his contract struggles to produce. Maybe Frolik is experiencing a sophomore slump a year late. At first blush Frolik appears to be a useful player for the Hawks’ attack but I’m not sure where he will fit in. It would be better if he could play center on a regular basis. 

My view on Campoli is basically the same as Frolik. He could be a good addition although I’m not sure what role he will play. 

Campoli appears to be somewhat like Niklas Hjalmarsson except he has more offense but maybe isn’t as good defensively. Unfortunately Campoli hasn’t been considered a crease clearer and evidently management doesn’t feel that area is as much of a concern as most fans. Both Hjalmarsson and Campoli could be on the roster in the fall, but that wouldn’t be my bet. 

Before I would give a second round draft pick for any defender they would have to be able to kill penalties. Maybe Campoli will fill that role otherwise all that was replaced is Jordan Hendry. Maybe Bowman had to wait until the last minute and by that time Campoli was the best option. Hopefully he will be able to share the load and help shore up the defense. 

The Hawks offense may still undergo some tweaking but their current defensive pairings make little sense. The only real reason to split up Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook is to allow them to save some energy. That strategy would make sense if their minutes were reduced. 

Playing Keith with Nick Leddy doesn’t help spread out the minutes or take the heat off of Keith. First off it isn’t Leddy who is turning and chasing every puck that gets chipped into the Hawks zone. Young Leddy is a talent and someday will be a solid defender. But at times he is physically overmatched and opponents will target him.

On Wednesday night the Flames exploited Leddy and made Keith work very hard. That’s the biggest issue, Keith doesn’t catch a break. 

Leddy appears to be a mentally tough kid. Hopefully his confidence doesn’t suffer because he was rushed to the NHL and hopefully Keith won’t become more worn out.

Jassen Cullimore is the only real option for the Hawk defense. Currently Cullimore is out of the Ice Hog lineup with an injury. For at least awhile Leddy will have to stand tall. Down the road Hendry’s loss could be a big issue. 

Keith may not be the ice time leader every game but if it isn’t him it is often Seabrook. So why not play them together always? Neither is getting much of a breather. 

It may be too late to keep the big horses fresh for the post season but it wouldn’t hurt to try. Campoli and Niklas Hjalmarsson should get more ice time than 15 or 16 minutes. Currently Hjalmarsson may be nursing an injury, and that doesn’t help. Leddy needs to be spotted, especially at home, and sometimes Brian Campbell should be the ice time leader. 

This season, probably more so than any other time,  Keith doesn’t need to be leading NHL defensemen in playing time. Leddy is showing some signs of wear. It’s only a question of when, not if the hard minutes catch up to the top four. 

The good news for Hawk loyalists is their favorite club is as good as or better than any team close to them in the standings. 

The bad news is the Balckhawks’ playoff destiny could be decided by the nine upcoming contests with Eastern Conference opponents. There is less familiarity with those foes and only three of the nine games will be held at the United Center. If the Hawks can win all of the home games they should be able to have a winning record against the East. 

At least the Blackhawks won’t have to worry about giving their opponents from the East a token point in a deadlocked contest. Wins are needed although a regulation victory isn’t necessarily required. But begining this year, total non shootout wins will be the first time breaker.  Once again there’s no need to worry.

Besides the Eastern Conference opponents the other foes will offer a stiff challenge. The Hawks still have to face the Red Wings three times and the Sharks once. It won’t be easy but nothing comes easy for this group. 

One could say being consistently outplayed in the third period will be the undoing of the Blackhawks.  But for now it’s more fun to hang on tight. 

There’s no need to worry….Because it’s too late anyway. 

Al’s Shots 

Tonight the Hawks face another desperate opponent.

The Hurricanes are coming off a hard fought victory over the Sabres. The Canes will be focused but the Hawks should have more energy to sustain a solid attack. This is another game the Hawks can not afford to lose. 

Now that Seabrook is locked up…Why not focus on future RFA Troy Brouwer? 

Brouwer is the Hawks only legit power forward, scoring 22 goals last season. Bryan Bickell doesn’t count yet. 

It seems Brouwer would be a better value now and it doesn’t make it sense to wait until the summer to re-sign him. If Brouwer gets hot he could score over 20 goals once again. 

The major trades near the deadline all involved young power forwards….Neal, Stewart and Penner. 

The Hawks could use another big goal scoring wing and they can’t afford to lose Brouwer. 

Sometimes it’s better to be lucky and Doug Wilson is benefitting from some good fortune. 

Signing Antti Niemi wasn’t on the Sharks radar this past summer. 

Even after Niemi was available, Wilson asked recently signed Antero Niittymaki if it was ok to bring Niemi on board. Niittymaki said yes because it would help the Sharks become a better team and so Niemi was signed. Wilson made those comments on XM Home Ice. 

Wilson backed into a great situation and now has locked up his goalie for the future. 

Recently Niemi signed a four year contract extension valued at $15.2 million. Niemi’s contract is slightly higher than Jarolsav Halak’s $15 million extension. 

My choice of the two would be Niemi. He is a bigger goal keeper and has already won a Stanley Cup. 

Niemi joins Kris Versteeg and Nick Boynton as ex-Hawks with a good chance at another Cup ring. 

On Monday night I took part in a podcast with Chris Block and Dieter Kurtenbach. We touched on a lot of topics. To listen go to http://thethirdmanin.com/.

Awhile ago a reader commented hockey is not really a complicated game to play. In some ways that is correct. But it is not easy for many players to stick to an effective game plan each period of every game throughout a long, grueling season. 

Certain teams can weather frequent injuries and still maintain a playoff pace. Other clubs can’t stay on track for very long. For some a new period can bring a whole different look and it isn’t a change for the better.  

On Sunday, the Penguin had their two best players out of the lineup and also another leading scorer, yet they still came in and battled hard for over sixty minutes. Pittsburgh is well coached and they have adjusted to make up for key injuries. The Penguins are doing so without the benefit of a Crosby, Malkin and Kunitz. 

Could the Blackhawks continue to win without Toews, Kane, and Sharp? 

The Blues may make the playoffs but they are slipping some. They have endured numerous, lengthy injuries and are still in the hunt. The Blues always try but consistent, effective efforts are sometimes an issue. 

In the second period on Monday the Blues reminded me how the Blackhawks have performed throughout this season.  

The Blues couldn’t stay on the same page. 

In the middle frame St. Louis got complacent, looked a little lazy, stopped hitting and started chasing the Hawks. Ben Bishop gave up a soft goal or two and looked rattled. Unfortunately for the Blues, Bishop took a page from Marty Turco and allowed a goal on a play which started near the goal line. The Blues let two big points slip away on home ice. As the game went on St. Louis could not sustain a top effort. 

St. Louis had a scheduling edge and couldn’t win although taking an early two goal lead. A day earlier, the Penguins had everything working against them and still came away with a point. Sometimes there is only a fine line between a true Stanley Cup challenger and a team which can’t find consistency. 

Many times the difference in know how has to do with experience. That’s why it’s not easy for many teams to stay on the same page. But a well coached group with the correct mix can still succeed with less experience in the lineup. 

If everyone has the same script memorized, youngsters and vets alike, it is much easier to capture points. When a solid team game is played winning can occur although key injuries have been sustained. 

The Penguins are further along on the learning curve than the Blues or the Blackhawks and that is reflected in the standings. The Pens can adjust their game plan and fight the fight for an entire contest. 

The Blackhawks have to rely on role players and young, unproven talent to win games and so does Pittsburgh. On Sunday afternoon the Pens had six players in their lineup which were earning $600,000 or less, the Hawks had four. 

Having an abundance of talent always matters. But teams which consistently execute the correct game plan can regularly win. Players have to understand their role and do their job. 

It’s as simple as that. 

Al’s Shots 

Does anyone else cringe when Bryan Bickell scores on a 30-35 foot wrist shot? 

The long range goals are nice but Bickell needs to get to the net. 

Being a threat to score from close in will make Bickell’s wrist shot more effective. Bickell shouldn’t be a perimeter player. 

It took over 50 games but Tomas Kopecky has found his way to the fourth line. Kopecky stands his ground in front of the net on the power play and contributes there. But the Hawks are a stronger team when he plays on the fourth line. 

Besides Nick Leddy not having to play with Jordan Hendry or Nick Boynton…What is the reason for the different defensive pairings? 

Duncan Keith hasn’t been very consistent this season. Brent Seabrook has looked shaky lately. 

Playing them apart isn’t helping either find their game. At this point it makes more sense to at least reunite Keith and Seabrook. 

It’s nice to see some good work from the fourth line. It’s also great to see Ryan Johnson winning faceoffs. 

Trade talk… 

Stan Bowman might have no choice but to wait until Monday to attempt another trade. Maybe something will open up at the eleventh hour and the Hawks can add a player or two. 

Bowman is in a difficult spot and every other GM knows the same. Although he probably wants to improve his playoff chances it might not come about. The sellers are in charge. 

These days young, dependable, affordable talent is highly guarded.

For example….Most likely Edmonton is being very protective of Theo Peckham. He is signed for $550,000 and will be a RFA this summer. 

Peckham would be the physical presence the Hawks need on the blueline. The Oilers probably will not let Peckham out of Edmonton. 

At this point, whomever Bowman can find will cost him. Maybe the standings will loosen up some by the weekend. But there is a growing possibility the Hawks may stay with the group they have. 

Two players which were a part of significant trades, James Neal and Chris Stewart, are big strong power forwards that can score. 

Players with that profile are needed in Chicago, but you have to give to get. 

For those thinking Brent Seabrook will be dealt by February 28…. 

I still say it is highly unlikely…Seabrook’s contract status will make him more difficult to trade….Even IF Bowman was considering it. 

This summer Bowman could look to deal Bolland or Hjalmarsson or Seabrook…If the Hawks are looking to do more than just a little tweaking.  

If Seabrook is still unsigned I think an offer sheet is likely. One way or the other Seabrook is going top earn at least $5 million per season. 

Last summer Dan Hamhuis, who is two years older than Seabrook, signed a hefty deal to play for the Canucks. 

UFA Hamhuis inked a six year $27,000,000 contract. 

If Seabrook were to sign in Chicago for six years….My view is he will receive a bigger contract than Hamhuis.  This summer there won’t be a strong goup of free agent defensemen.