The NHL season is underway, and the Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks have gotten off to a sluggish start. The currently stand 1-1-1 after three games, which isn't awful, considering how poorly some of their best players have played in those games.
Easily the worst of the three games was the opener, on the road against the Colorado Avalanche. Bryan Bickell scored the first goal of the game on the powerplay, and after that, it was all Avs in the first two periods. Colorado put up 41 shots against the Hawks, which is way more than they allowed in any game last season. The Hawks did manage to tie the game on goals from Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp, and had chances to win the game in overtime before Marty Turco let in a soft goal to give the Avs a 4-3 victory. The worst part of this game was the play of the Hawks' two best defensemen, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. They turned the puck over all night, usually in their own end. The were slow to loose pucks, got outskated and outmuscled, and looked unmotivated to step up their play even when giving up three straight goals. Equally disappointing was the play of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane in game 1. Each went scoreless and had minus ratings.
Game 2 was the home opener against a rejuvenated, dangerous Detroit Red Wings team. The Wings are loaded with scoring talent (they have possibly the best depth of scoring on their top three lines of any team in the league). With Franzen, Holmstrom, Cleary, Datsyuk, Hudler, Modano, and several other skilled forwards, they can put the puck in the net with the best teams. The Hawks played alot better defensively in this game, but were lazy when getting the puck out of their end. They also were just brutal on the powerplay in the third period. Add to that the fact that Marty Turco again let in 2 soft goals in a one goal loss, and the Hawks could again be looking at goaltending issues to begin this season.
Last night's game against the Buffalo Sabres (in Buffalo) got off to a horrendous start. The Sabres put a goal on the board just 14 seconds into the game, and then scored a second goal just 2:35 seconds later. Corey Crawford got the start in goal for the Hawks, who allowed 2 goals on the first three shots of the game. To the Hawks credit, they rebounded strongly. Patrick Kane scored a goal on the powerplay late in the first period to bring the Hawks within one goal. Nick Leddy scored his first career NHL goal on a wrist shot from the blue-line that missed by a wide margin, bounced off a Sabre skate, and ended up in the net. Marian Hossa scored 2 goals on breakaways (hi-light reel type goals, too...fun to watch!) to give the Hawks a 4-2 lead midway through the third. The Sabres did score once more to make it 4-3, but Crawford and the Hawks' penalty kill were strong down the stretch, and delivered the Hawks their first win on the new season.
There have been some bright spots in the first three games. Marian Hossa has been a beast. He has 3 goals and 2 assists (5 points) in the first three games, which is great production. Corey Crawford stepped up in a big way after the Hawks were down 2-0 in yesterday's game. He ended up making 32 saves on 35 shots, which is pretty good for a goalie only making his 10th career NHL start. Bryan Bickell and Patrick Sharp have each started well (3 points apiece in the first three games). Patrick Kane has a goal and an assist in his last two games, and seems to be putting the puck on net with more consistency at the start of the season. The fourth line (Stalberg, Skille, Dowell) have been fantastic. They haven't scored any goals yet, but they are fast, play with the puck, aren't afraid to be physical, generate scoring chances, and have posted the Hawks' only scrap of the year (Jake Dowell fought yesterday against some jobber from Buffalo. Dowell got the better of him, eventually). I really like what the fourth line has done, and I see them breaking out offensively very soon.
Through the first three games there are lots of things the Hawks need to work on. The biggest concern to me has been their defense. Last year they gave up a league low 25 shots per game. Alot of that was because they played puck possession, and kept the puck out of their end for the majority of the game. The first two games of the season they were dominated in the puck possession category, and it showed up on the scoreboard. The Hawks need to be better at gaining possession of the puck in their own end, and getting it out quickly. They also need to sacrifice, and block more shots, although they were much better in front of Crawford in the game last night. Hopefully that continues.
The powerplay also needs some work. They have scored a powerplay goal in every game, which is a good start, but they need to generate more quality chances than they've been getting on their powerplay. Several times against Detroit they couldn't even get set up. Not only that, but they've been shorthanded way too many times. The penatly killing unit has been strong, so they haven't been hurt too bad playing shorthanded, but you are asking for trouble when you take penalties.
Several players need to step it up, mainly veteran players who they are counting on for production. Jonathan Toews hasn't posted a point in three games. He's playing with Marian Hossa, who is strong with the puck, and is a terrific passer, as well as a great two-way player (defense into offense). Toews should benefit from that, and put up points in bunches. So far it hasn't happened. I don't worry too much about Toews though, he'll get his. Keith and Seabrook have gotten off to slow starts. Seabrook looks like he forgot the fundamentals at times (losing the puck in front of his own net, not putting his stick on the ice in high traffic areas, etc.). Keith has been better the last two games, and very nearly scored last night (he did post an assist on the Kane goal). John Scott, a newly acquired defenseman in the off-season, has not looked good. He falls down way too much, and is not confident with the puck. Several times in each game he has had the puck in his own end, with time to clear, and has held the puck for so long that he forces himself into in-zone turnovers. That can't happen. Couple that with Brian Campbell's injury and Niklas Hjalmarsson's two game suspension for a violent hit from behind in the Buffalo game last night, and clearly the Hawks have issues on the blue-line.
Marty Turco needs to be better than he's been as well. He's let in three soft goals that have cost the Hawks 2 games, and 3 points in the standings (I know it's early, but still...). He'll get better though. The Hawks have gotten off to slow starts the last two years before figuring it out. They can't afford to start slowly in games though. Teams are going to jump out on them early, and bring intensity every night to try to topple the defending champs. Hopefully the Hawks realized last night just how hard they will have to work to win games this year. I wouldn't count on as many easy victories as last year.
The Hawks have a tough slate of games coming up. They play an upstart Nashville Predators team at home tomorrow night, and have games against Columbus, Buffalo, St. Louis, and Vancouver over the next week and a half. All of those teams are improved, and will be gunning for the Hawks. Let's hope the Hawks get rolling early tomorrow night, and start building up a win streak here in the early going this season.
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