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Jet Blue
November 6, 2021, 3:05 AM ET [239 Comments]
Theo Fox
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • RSS • Archive • CONTACT

Serious business?

This Blackhawks team is hard to take seriously with their horrible starts, wavering compete level, lack of structure, poor leadership, and idiotic coaching. Just to point out a few glaring weaknesses displayed in last night's 5-1 drubbing at the hands of the Jets:

* Committing terrible zone exits including passes at teammates' feet or to no one in particular.

* Giving up too easily on opponents breaking out with speed which was evident in 4 of the 5 goals by Winnipeg.

* Getting hemmed in their own end for entire shifts which is partially due to desperate yet feeble clearing attempts.

* Not generating any offensive zone pressure of their own besides one-and-dones and perimeter passing that's neither dangerous nor productive.

This is already sounding like a tired record but something has to give. Swapping players between the starting lineup and the press box doesn't do much and neither does using the Rockford shuttle. Barring a major trade, the biggest jolt would be firing head coach Jeremy Colliton.

Maybe it's time. Or to be more frank, it is time.

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Game Summary

Starting Lineup

Kubalik - Dach - Kane
DeBrincat - Kurashev - Hardman
Hagel - Toews - Carpenter
Strome - Entwistle - Gaudette

de Haan - S Jones
McCabe - Murphy
Gustafsson - Beaudin

Fleury
Lankinen

Scratches:
Borgstrom, Khaira, Stillman

Scoring Recap

1st Goal (0-1): Stastny (Copp, Ehlers)
2nd Goal (0-2): Pionk (Connor, Copp) PP
3rd Goal (0-3): Toninato (Copp)
4th Goal (0-4): Connor (Schmidt, Svechnikov)
5th Goal (1-4): Entwistle (S Jones, Dach) SH
6th Goal (1-5): Ehlers (unassisted)

SOG For/Against: 18/33
PP: 0-for-2
PK: 2-for-3
Faceoffs Won: 47%

Thoughts & Notes

* Marc-Andre Fleury needs to make saves and help his team out as there's only so much the skaters can be blamed for as the goalie is still the last line of defense.

* After a few egregious defensive miscues early in the 1st period, Seth Jones settled down and played a fairly steady game defensively by protecting the net, clearing the crease, maintaining tight gaps, and getting inside positioning.

* In his season debut, Nicolas Beaudin actually was arguably on par with Jones as the team's best defender on the night by keeping it simple, maintaining tight gaps, making smart reads, pinching wisely, and retreating quickly.

* Many wondered if Dylan Strome would have limited ice time (15:57) but he played more than Brandon Hagel (15:41) and Kirby Dach (14:43) yet still got less TOI by a hair than Ryan Carpenter (15:58).

Highlights

Goal by MacKenzie Entwistle

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Kirby Dach

When does it get to the point where it may be better for Dach's long-term growth to send him to the AHL for more seasoning. It could do him a world of good to help boost his confidence, refine his skills, and let him dominate at a pro level that's a notch below the NHL.

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Jake Wise

If there's a prospect who is similar to Philipp Kurashev as a potential middle 6 center and who is reliable in all zones as well as possesses offensive talent to be a secondary scorer in the pros, it's Jake Wise.

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IceHogs Updates

The IceHogs home opener is tonight at 6:00pm CDT as they host the Grand Rapids Griffins (Red Wings AHL affiliate).

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See you on the boards!

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