Imrem: Suddenly, Hawks can't stop anybody either

The epidemic has spread from Soldier Field to the United Center.

Now, the Madhouse on Madison has become downright maddening.

The problem circulating throughout the town's sports arteries is leaky defense … something new for local sports fans to be concerned about.

Remember when the Bears played defense if nothing else? When Tom Thibodeau had the Bulls hold opponents to a low shooting percentage? When the Blackhawks played both ends of the ice?

Well, that was then and now nobody around here can stop anybody.

The Blackhawks lapsed into a speedskating, puck-shooting, goal-scoring contest Sunday night and wound up losing 6-3 before 22,135 gasping fans in the UC.

The Hawks came out smoking, launching seven shots before Dallas took one. The Stars couldn't even get the puck out of their zone.

The action was entertaining. Offense always is ... but only if you win.

"We've gotta be more competitive than we saw," Hawks' coach Joel Quenneville said.

The Hawks continued attacking and finished with 41 shots on goal. But too often Dallas flipped the ice and created odd-man rushes that the Hawks didn't catch up to.

As a result the Stars scored the first 2 goals in the first period, the only 3 in the third period and prevailed much too routinely.

"We're not going to overreact and panic," captain Jonathan Toews said.

It's too soon for that, for sure. But how much longer will the Hawks be able to maintain the distinction, at least statistically, as one of the NHL's stingiest teams?

Counting the loss to Dallas, the Hawks have yielded 38 goals in their past 11 games. No wonder they are 5-6 over that span.

Now for the worst insult that can be given to any sports team: The Hawks' defense is beginning to look like the Bears' defense.

Meanwhile, the Bulls' defense has started looking like the Hawks' defense, and so the problem goes round and round around town.

The Hawks surrendered 4 goals or more in six of their last 11 games, which certainly qualifies as a slump for a team considered a favorite to win the Stanley Cup.

No, the Hawks shouldn't overreact and panic. The regular season is barely half over and they aren't going to miss the playoffs.

In the meantime, however, the Hawks will have to determine whether the problems on defense are due to the goaltending, the defensemen or the forwards not helping them.

Or, perish the thought, all of the above.

Give the Hawks credit for making these January games more meaningful than anyone expected them to be.

The Hawks were supposed to be coasting by now, atop the Central Division and either first or second in the Western Conference.

Instead the Hawks are third in the division and fourth in the conference with Winnipeg closing in fast.

Somebody better tell the Hawks soon that it's all right if they want to play wide-open hockey as long as they win. But they have lost by scores of 5-1, 5-2 and now 6-3 during the past month.

Quenneville said, "We're not happy."

No coach or manager in Chicago ever is happy with shoddy defense, so Joe Maddon and Robin Ventura better beware.

If this epidemic spreads to the ballparks in the summer, the Cubs and White Sox are going to play and probably lose a lot of 7-5 and 11-8 games.