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Somehow, Hawks must not look at titantic task at hand

Editor’s note: Troy Murray, now in his 11th season as a member of the Blackhawks’ broadcast team, will again provide pregame analysis for the Daily Herald throughout the Blackhawks’ playoff run. The Selke Award winner was a five-time 20-goal scorer and a veteran of 15 years in the NHL, playing in 915 career games.

Q. How much should the Blackhawks use that hit on Brent Seabrook by Raffi Torres as motivation for Game 4?

A. I think the only motivation that they have right now is one hockey game. I don’t think they can look at the hit by Raffi Torres as something to motivate them. What they have to do is within this room. If they’re focused on the hit by Torres, they’re focusing in the wrong direction.

Use any cliché you want — one game at a time, one shift at a time — that’s the approach they have to have.

Q. How do these guys mentally not think, ‘Man, now we have to win four straight?’

A. That’s the hard part — looking at the small picture, not the big picture. Vancouver hasn’t lost four in a row all season long. So the Blackhawks have to look at the small picture and the small picture is the first period, the second period and the third period.

I expect the Blackhawks to bring everything they have and if that’s not good enough, then you tip your hat to the Canucks.

Q. Let’s just say the Hawks fall tonight. How then would you sum up their season?

A. Obviously, I think it’s disappointing. I don’t think anyone in the organization would be happy with losing in the first round, regardless of whether it’s four straight or in seven games.

As always, the entire organization will come under review. Each player will be looked at — their strengths and weaknesses. And there would be some deep thought, if they do lose, of why did they lose and what needs to improve? How do we get back to the level we were?

Q. Are they far away from returning to the level they were at last year?

A. You take the core group of players in here and any team in the NHL would like to have that group. That is something where you say, ‘OK, we have that. Now, what do we have around that which made our top players better or didn’t support them in the right way?’

There are always changes.