The Chicago Blackhawks have written their way into the NHL history books with a 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks by recording points in seventeen straight games to start the shortened 2013 season.

Four of the five teams on the points in consecutive games to start the season list have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. This Chicago team still has a number of players from their Cup winning squad of 2010 and the way they are performing it would be tough to bet against them.

The Blackhawks are a good team with strong players but they make winning look easy. They are without a doubt the NHL’s best hockey club and they are doing it by getting help from every man on the roster. They definitely look like a team on a mission with something to prove after their early exit from the playoffs last year.

The Sharks on the other hand look like a team that has lost their way with a confidence problem. The offense is nowhere to be found from the big guns and the depth players have been consistently vacant from the score sheet. The power play which has been the strength of this team in the past has lost its way and is having trouble finding its way back home. If not for the play of Antti Niemi and the penalty kill this team would be near the basement in the standings.

“We’ll look for positives but it’s still a loss at the end of the night” commented Coach Todd McLellan after the game.
“The fact that we were a little more competitive, and a little faster, and in the game a lot more than last time in here is great but it’s still a loss.
“It doesn’t matter when or who or where. The effort was much better. The battle was better. We still only scored one goal. We gave up the winner on the power play, so we should all be a little unhappy.”

Head Coach Todd McLellan looked frustrated in the interview and he has every right to be. You can lead your horses to water but you can’t make them drink and right now the guys on the ice aren’t drinking the water.

The Sharks are under achieving right now and when it has gone on for this long there are often changes made. The rumor that the Sharks are shopping for a top nine forward makes a lot of sense, but the other change that happens when the players won’t drink the water is coaching changes.

San Jose made changes at the assistant position in the off-season which leaves only one man standing. If these guys don’t turn things around real soon there may be a new bench boss in San Jose.

The power play has let this team down along with the fore check and right off the top there seems to be a lack of effort and puck support. There were plenty of loose pucks and rebounds available for the taking but the guys in white just didn’t want it bad enough.

Scoring details

1st period

SJ – 19:45 –EV – 12 P.Marleau(11) – assists – 19 J.Thornton(13), 8 J.Pavelski(9)

2nd period

CHI – 16:40 –EV – 25 V.Stalberg(4) – assists – 88 P.Kane(14), 27 J.Oduya(6)

3rd period

CHI – 2:24 –SH – 20 B.Saad(3) – assists – 32 M.Roozsival(5), 2 D.Keith(10)

Turning point

The turning point for me was the Blackhawks first goal. Chicago dominated the middle frame and scored on a lucky bounce but when you carry the play for that long something good is bound to happen. That goal seemed to give the Blackhawks a little more confidence which they carried into the third period and propelled their penalty kill.

Contenders & Pretenders

Contenders

Brandon Saad – scored the game winner for a team that has been on a historic run. It wasn’t a super star or a highly paid player who made the difference for Chi town it was a depth scorer who is always welcome to the contender’s list.

Chicago coaching staff – deserve to be on this list for motivating their team and finding a way to win. The Blackhawks set quite the record tonight and the glue of the operation should be recognized.

Pretenders

Ryane Clowe – can take one for his team tonight, but really it could be any number of the leaders on the Sharks. However, Clowe still hasn’t lit the lamp sixteen games in. They needed one more tonight, or something to change the momentum in the second period. If Clowe isn’t making a difference on the scoreboard he should have dropped the gloves to turn things around.

Todd McLellan – has been unable to motivate his team lately and for that he has found his way onto the pretender’s list.

The Sharks move onto Dallas tomorrow for the final game of a disastrous road trip. They dominated the Stars last season which may be what they need to get back on track, a team they have confidence playing against.

Keep your sticks on the ice,
Cam Gore

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