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The Blackhawks squandered two points in a relatively big game last night, blowing a third period lead and losing in regulation at the Staples Center in LA.
This was a big game because it was the first of a long road trip, against the defending Stanley Cup Champs (who knocked the Hawks out of the WCF last Spring). It was a chance to continue to build on two victories prior to the All-Star Game that seemed to be a turning point from a very bad month of hockey. And to make a statement that would continue the Kings slide to mediocrity and out of the playoffs.
Because, no, the Kings are still not a team the Hawks want to see in the postseason. And we saw that again last night.
Jeff Carter, the guy who a lot of Hawk fans proclaimed “finished… a few years ago, proved otherwise at the direct expense of the Hawks yet again, with 2 goals and an assist.
Brandon Saad, who’s had a very good season to this point, had a very bad third period last night, all because of one play. A weak, half-hearted clearing attempt, blown up by a forechecking Tyler Toffoli, after which, Saad just meandered off the boards watching the play—and a Kings goal—develop. In practice, you can get away with that. In a game against a team like the Kings, not so much.
So while some Hawk fans will continue to repeat the mantra that “all is well,… the Hawks themselves owe everyone some proof.
You can rationalize that this is an elite team and every announcer and scribe in North America has anointed them the odds-on Cup favorites. But they don’t appear to be living up to it. For going on a month and a half now.
And now the rest of this road trip becomes even more important, not just for points that are becoming increasingly more important for the Hawks’ eventual playoff seeding and home ice, but getting their “mojo… back.
Because, hey, guess who’s up next? Another big, physical and very good Western Conference playoff club in the Anaheim Ducks, tomorrow night at the Honda Center. I’ll have a preview tomorrow.
JJ