Hawks' Toews: We're not going to panic
Remember the "panic button" question?
Coach Joel Quenneville was asked if he owned one the day after the Blackhawks dropped an ugly 6-2 decision to Boston on Feb. 23, extending their losing streak to three games.
The next day Patrick Kane broke his clavicle and panic sirens lit up Hawks nation.
Over the last week, some may wonder if the team is worried, concerned or … ahem, panicking … about its current three-game losing streak and that the Hawks failed to make a serious run at home ice for the first round of the playoffs.
Not a chance.
"We're not going to panic or overreact," said captain Jonathan Toews after a 2-1 loss at St. Louis. "We're doing a lot of good things. The energy and the motivation's going to be there at the right time."
Quenneville also isn't worried about starting the playoffs on the road, saying "you've just got be ready for Game 1."
After Tuesday's home loss to Minnesota, the coach noted that home-ice advantage isn't always what it's cracked up to be. He has a point when you consider that Minnesota, the Hawks and the Kings all got out of the first round last season despite starting on the road. The Kings then eliminate the Ducks and the Hawks without home-ice advantage en route to their Stanley Cup title.
So while fans may be roaring about a lack of goals lately (3 in three games) and/or the wretched power play (no goals in five games and 11 chances), let's look at a few reasons why Hawks fans should take a deep breath and relax with the playoffs on the horizon.
Kane's likely return:
Patrick Kane's injury was expected to keep him out for up to 12 weeks, but a return in the first round of the playoffs is looking more and more likely.
Kane has been skating for about two weeks and has begun working on slap shots and one-timers, an indication his shoulder is feeling better. Once he's cleared for contact - perhaps as early as next week - his return to game action should be imminent.
Minnesota's Jason Zucker also broke a clavicle Feb. 9 - two weeks before Kane - and just came back Tuesday and scored 3 goals in two games.
If Kane returns and can spark the offense, the odds of a deep playoff run increase 10-fold.
Bring on the Predators:
The Hawks' opening playoff opponent has yet to be decided, but if they earn at least 1 point tonight in Colorado or St. Louis beats Minnesota, Quenneville's squad will open in Nashville.
And they could not ask for a better opponent.
The reeling Predators have lost five straight and are 6-11-3 since a blazing-hot 41-13-7 start this season. This team had a 9-point lead over St. Louis on Feb. 25. They missed the playoffs the last two seasons and standout goalie Pekka Rinne is suddenly allowing pucks into nets with absurd frequency (17 in last five games).
"It's not good enough," said captain Shea Weber after Nashville blew a 2-0 lead Thursday to Minnesota. "We have to look at ourselves in the mirror and realize what it's going to take to win."
Bring on the Preds, indeed.
Defense still strong:
The Hawks have been shut out eight times this season and narrowly avoided that fate the last two games with late goals by Bryan Bickell vs. Minnesota and Andrew Shaw in St. Louis.
On the bright side, Corey Crawford and the defense continue to do a bang-up job. The Hawks have allowed just 11 goals the last six games. Crawford started four of those, compiling a sparkling .944 save percentage in the process.
So as much as the losses sting, the bottom line is the Hawks are playing well in the back end, the essential ingredient to a deep Stanley Cup run.
Experience:
Finally, we can't discount the experience factor.
Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp, Kris Versteeg, Brad Richards, Bryan Bickell, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Corey Crawford … and Patrick Kane have seen it all over the years and know what it takes to win in the postseason.
Throw in Brandon Saad (42 playoff games last two years), Andrew Shaw (38) and a hungry Antoine Vermette, and this is a team that won't panic in any game or series.
Toews said the "sprint to the finish" for playoff positioning has been good for the Hawks.
"Game 1 (of the playoffs) is still going to be on another level, regardless of who we play," Toews said. "But the fact that every game the points matter, you're playing against teams that are in the same position, that adds to it. It's almost a sprint to the finish.
"It is good preparation and a good preview of what playoff hockey's going to look like."
Follow John on Twitter @johndietzdh.
Blackhawks game day
Blackhawks vs. Colorado at the Pepsi Center, 8 p.m. Saturday
TV: WGN Radio: WGN 720-AM
The skinny: When the puck drops for this game, the Hawks will know how much this game means because St. Louis hosts Minnesota at 2 p.m. Saturday. If the Wild wins that game, the Hawks must earn at least 1 point vs. the Avs to avoid falling to the first wild-card spot and drawing the Blues or possibly the Ducks in the first round. The Avs (38-31-12) won't make the postseason, but they have defeated Anaheim, Nashville and Winnipeg during their current 3-1 stretch. The Hawks and Avs have split four games, but Colorado won the last two by a combined 6-1 score. … Jonathan Toews needs to score twice for a 30-goal season. … Brandon Saad has a career high 22 goals but has scored just once in the last 13 games.
Next: Stanley Cup playoffs
- John Dietz