Blackhawks finally enjoying the shootouts
Last season the subject of games that ended in shootouts was an out-and-out sore spot for the Blackhawks and their fans.
Coach Joel Quenneville's team took part in 14 in 2013-14, coming away victorious only six times.
Kind of amazing when you think about the skill set Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa and Corey Crawford bring to the table.
Well, what a difference a year makes.
The Blackhawks, thanks to shootout goals by Kane, Toews and Sharp, skated to a 2-1 victory Sunday at the United Center against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The win improved the Hawks to 7-2 in shootouts and 35-18-4 overall.
“We were talking about losing those extra points (last season); it cost us over the course of the year,” Quenneville said. “This year it's been on the plus side for us. I still like going to shootouts with that kind of weaponry.”
It's the same cast of characters, but they're getting vastly different results.
So what gives?
Sharp said in the postgame locker room that assistant coach Kevin Dineen has been working with the players much more during practices. It's certainly paying huge dividends for Kane, who has gone from a 9 percent success rate last season (1-for-11) to 67 percent this season (6-for-9).
“I kind of have a certain mentality I'm going down with right now that's been working this season,” Kane said.
The other variable has been the improvement in Crawford. After a .683 save percentage in 2013-14, the Hawks' goalie was at .900 entering Sunday's game before Pittsburgh's David Perron and Sidney Crosby converted. But then Crawford stoned Kris Letang, opening the door for Sharp to snap home the game-winner.
Sharp, 2-for-4 on shootout attempts, tried a move different from the one he used in last week's shootout loss to Arizona. “Mike Smith made a save on me the other night,” Sharp said. “It seemed like he knew something was coming, so it was time to switch it up.”
Then Sharp drew huge laughs with …
“Plus Kaner had just shot before me and stole my move. I had to come up with something different.”
The points the Hawks left on the table last season cost them a chance to pass St. Louis and San Jose in the standings. This year the points gained might be enough to get them past St. Louis and into a position for home ice for the first round of the playoffs.
After a dull, is-anybody-awake first period Sunday, the Hawks grabbed a 1-0 lead when Niklas Hjalmarsson ripped a shot from the point past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. It was just Hjalmarsson's second goal of the season, the other coming way back on Nov. 9.
“I just had an open lane there, so I was trying to get a shot on net,” Hjalmarsson said. “I was really glad to see it go in. It was a long time ago that I scored. It's always fun when I can chip in.”
The Penguins tied things up at 3:54 of the third period when Nick Spaling slammed a rebound past Crawford.
Then came the shootout in which the first four skaters scored, and Sharp secured 2 big points for the Hawks.
“I was excited. I was glad (Crawford) made the save on the third attempt,” Sharp said. “It gave me a chance to win it. I just wanted to stay calm, stay patient and make my shot.”
• Follow John's Hawks reports on Twitter @johndietzdh.