Michael Hutchinson made 45 saves for Winnipeg last night, and the Blackhawks weren't quite as stringent as they have been of late on defense and in net. And the result was a 3-1 win for the Jets, breaking the Hawks 4-game winning streak.
David Rundblad had a rough night for Chicago, and Corey Crawford was not quite at the tip of his game, and it was enough for a strong Jets team to capitalize.
The other problem for Chicago is a lack of 5-on-5 scoring. There's no question that some of the scoring problem is due to the loss of Duncan Keith, but it's also obvious the Hawks aren't getting production from their first line and their third line. Both lines get some pressure and some chances—but they aren't converting.
A struggling Teuvo Teravainen was benched in favor of the more physical Bryan Bickell. Bickell was a non-factor.
Mixed bag tonight: the Hawks get right back on the ice (good news), bad news it's against a talented, rested, revenge-minded Minnesota Wild, the team the Hawks swept out of the second round of the playoffs last season.
Chicago Blackhawks at Minnesota Wild 7PM Central FSN/CSN Chicago
I would look for Scott Darling in net tonight versus Devan Dubnyk. The Hawks sit at 6-4, the Wild are 6-2-1 on the season.
I'll have a recap tomorrow.