Time running out to catch Predators or Blues
There are 27 regular-season games left, but that might not be enough for the Blackhawks to catch the Nashville Predators in the race for the top spot in the Central Division of the Western Conference.
The Hawks have earned at least a point in four straight games, which is good, but losing the past two in overtime didn't help. Prior to Thursday's games, the third-place Blackhawks (33-18-4) were 4 points behind the runner-up St. Louis Blues and trailed Nashville by 8 points.
"Not a lot of hockey left," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said after an optional practice at Johnny's Ice House West. "It's a lot of points (difference) right now. You've got to look at the next team ahead of you before you think of (Nashville). We always think we'd love to be in first place in our division. A lot comes with that, but at the same time, you know, we've got to shoot for reality, and that'd be St. Louis. And we've got work to do."
It starts Friday night at United Center against the New Jersey Devils, who have lost two in a row. It will be the third of eight straight home games for the Blackhawks, who are 4-4-2 in their last eight games in Chicago and continue to struggle with inconsistency.
Since winning 16 of 20 games between Nov. 9 and Dec. 21, they've gone 10-9-2 in the past 21. More frustrating is a 4-5-1 mark since Jan. 1 against teams outside the playoff picture.
It's going to take an extended winning streak - or losing skids by the Predators and Blues - for the Hawks to catch either one. As of Thursday, Nashville was on pace to finish with 118 points and the Blues were on pace for 112. The Hawks, who finished third in the Central last year with 107, are on pace for 104.
Earning points in four straight games was a good start, but they still left points on the table.
"That's looking at it objectively and positively, and we like to look at things like that," Quenneville said. "At the same time, you can probably say those (last 2 OT losses) are 2 extra points on paper that we could've had. You can lose some ground in the standings. That's the negative part of it. There was some good in those games, but we need more."
Sharp seeks consistency:
Patrick Sharp, who had a tough game against Vancouver, was one of the seven skaters who participated in the optional practice. After Sharp finished with a minus-1 rating and was credited with two giveaways, Quenneville was asked if the Hawks are getting what they need from Sharp?
"Some games we do," Quenneville said. "I look (back) at the Anaheim game (Jan. 30), he was great. Other games, you know ... OK."
Hossa stays hot:
Scoring 6 goals in the past three games has boosted Marian Hossa's shooting percentage from 6.5 percent to 9.9 percent, which is impressive considering his 162 shots are second on the team.
Hossa also used an eye-opening speed burst up the left wing to score the game-tying goal with 55 seconds left in the third period against the Canucks. Teammate Kris Versteeg was asked Thursday how the 36-year old Hossa can still motor like that at his age.
"Have you seen him with his shirt off?" Versteeg asked. "He's like a Greek god. There's no slowing down in that frame."
Coming and going:
The Blackhawks recalled forward Ryan Hartman and defenseman Kyle Cumiskey and from Rockford and reassigned forward Teuvo Teravainen to the IceHogs.
Hartman, a 20-year-old West Dundee native who was the Blackhawks' first pick and 30th overall in the 2013 NHL draft, had 8 goals and 10 assists with the IceHogs in his professional debut. Cumiskey, 28, ranked third among IceHogs defensemen with 11 points in 38 games.
Teravainen, 20, had a pair of goals and 2 assists in 15 games with the Hawks, who picked him first in the 2012 draft and 18th overall. He had 6 goals and 17 assists in 33 games with the IceHogs earlier this season.