Brouwer won't deny it: He's off to a slow start

VANCOUVER, British Columbia Troy Brouwer is the first to admit he isn't off to a great start.

Brouwer's goal in the waning seconds of the Blackhawks' 7-2 loss at Calgary on Friday was just his second in 22 games and came after he spent much of the night on the bench following a turnover that led to an early Flames goal.

What players who are struggling to score must guard against is letting the frustration creep into other parts of their game.

“I think if you're not scoring and you want to be that guy, you've got to find a way to get something and contribute in a positive way,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said before Saturday's game against the Canucks. “He's got to be physical, he's got to be hard to play against, he's got to be annoying. Go to the hard areas and you get rewarded. I think that's where you've got to find your way.”

Even before Friday's game in Calgary, Brouwer told the Vancouver Sun how disappointed he was in his play.

“I'd hoped to be farther along in terms of getting better as a player,” Brouwer told the Sun. “Things just haven't been going my way. I'm getting reduced ice time as a result, which is nothing I can argue about. I haven't deserved it.”

Brouwer has had chances to play on the top two lines, but his inconsistency has knocked him back down the depth chart.

“My role is still the same, it's just the player that's not fulfilling the role,” Brouwer said. “Lying to myself isn't going to get me anywhere. I can't fool myself so why try to fool other people?”