Patrick Sharp, looking defeated after the Hawks' 4-2 loss Against the Columbus Blue Jackets
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Blackhawks lose back-to-back games against the Columbus Blue Jackets, losing 4-2 in the United Center tonight. With Niemi back in net, I think we can all agree that we had higher hopes for him, as well as the entire team, after the disastrous performance by Huet and the rest of the Hawks in the prior CBJ game earlier in the week. And the fact that Niemi had two shut outs in his previous 3 games.
However, after letting up four goals and making only 16 saves on the night, we are right back where we started with our goaltender instability.
I will say this though, I cannot sit here and put all of the blame on Niemi, much like I do when Huet is in net (A little one-sided, maybe). I will point my finger at each and every player on that active roster. For the first game in a while, Kane hasn't gotten at least one point, and was also on the ice for three of the 4 Blue Jackets goals. He couldn't even get a decent pass off throughout all three periods of play, which says a lot coming from one of their top playmakers.
Hawks almost double CBJs in shots (Hawks with 35, Blue Jackets with 20), but still cannot put the puck in the net, which seems to be a re-occuring theme. Prior to this game, the Hawks have out-shot their opponents 60 times. This game just made it 61. They even had assistance in scoring their first goal, in which the Blue Jacket's Antoine Vermette ever so gracefully put the puck in the back of the net after Dave Bolland tried tapping it in and hit the post. A big thank-you from all of us Hawks fans.
The Hawks' special teams did their job correctly by holding the Blue Jackets throughout all four penalties. The Blue Jackets went on a nail-biting 5 on 3 power play after a Toews penalty and a subsequent one by Versteeg. Q-Stache went with Bolland and then Madden as the only forwards, both of which did a tremendous job killing the two penalties. Both players had extremely active sticks and applied pressure when the Hawks were feeling it the most.
The tides appeared to turn late in the game with 3 minutes left in the third. With a nearly perfect pass up the middle of the ice from Brent Seabrook, Patrick Sharp scored the only goal that I will give the Hawks credit for, which was shorthanded none-the-less, making it his 23rd goal of the season. It appeared the Hawks had the momentum going for them after that goal. After pulling Niemi to get the 6th attacker, the intensity level reached the ultimate high for the first time all night. But after a missed shot attempt by Byfuglien, the Blue Jackets led a 2 on 1 into their offensive zone, and scored an empty netter, making it 4-2 with eight seconds left in the game.
It seems like the Hawks do not have a lot to say about their poor play post-Olympic break (the team is 5-6-2 since then), not even from team leaders Toews and Kane. Versteeg tried to offer his input saying that the team as a whole is "giving the game everything they have to give." I'm not sure which game he was watching, as the team looked flat and deflated. There was no fire, no spark to ignite the lifeless team. Maybe Steve Konroyd is right, maybe the post-olympic toll is more mental than it is physical. But with eight games left before the playoffs, and five of them being on the road,this team better find their rhythm before they are extinguished for good.
5 Keys to the Game:
1.) Take Quicker shots boys. Also, TAKE THE SHOT. And try to make them slightly more accurate.
2.) Hold teams. Especially while leading. Teams have been scoring late, very late in periods. Does the end of the second period ring a bell?
3.) Catch the passes. But the passes must first be catch-able.
4.) Enough with the turnovers. They are just getting out of hand.
5.) We need a dependable goalie. With this comes dependable defense.
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