Rozner: Sleepy Chicago Blackhawks have time to wake up

Eight weeks ago, the Chicago Blackhawks were 6 points behind Minnesota and looking up at a red-hot Wild team that had a pair of games in hand.

Most were cashing in the division title and the top spot in the conference.

But over the next seven weeks, the Hawks went on an 18-3-1 run and sent a reminder to the rest of the NHL that the three-time Cup champs have plenty left in the tank.

It was impressive.

But that led to last week's games and a predictable stretch of sluggish play.

Great effort comes from great emotion, and once the Hawks had flown past Minnesota, they took a mental break against some bad teams.

You could see it coming.

They slept through games against Colorado, Vancouver and Dallas, and were set up perfectly for what occurred in Florida on Saturday night when they had their helmets handed to them.

It was a bit of a wake-up call, and the Hawks showed up against a Tampa team Monday that is fighting for its playoff life. Yes, the Hawks blew a big lead, but they played hard and that's really what Joel Quenneville was looking for from a team that will soon have to dial it up again.

The future Hall of Famer knows the pulse of his team better than anyone else, and he knows when to ask more of them.

That's why he let them sleep through last week after a long stretch of very good hockey.

Generally, they show up against the better teams, so there's little concern about their effort level against Pittsburgh Wednesday night.

After that, there's only five games remaining and Quenneville will resist the temptation to lean on his guys, understanding that rest - both mental and physical - is crucial for his core heading into the postseason.

The emotional level the Hawks were at for the better part of two months is not sustainable in the regular season, especially for a group that knows the difference between March and April.

The trick is being able to step on the gas and floor it the moment the playoffs begin, and this has frequently been a problem for the Hawks, even during this remarkable run of titles on the West Side.

The Hawks tend to find their desperation only when they are truly desperate, and after falling behind St. Louis 3-1 a year ago - only to lose on a third-period goal in Game 7 - you would think they'll be ready when the bell rings this time.

In 2014, they were down 2-0 to St. Louis in the first round before winning the next four, and in the conference finals they trailed the Kings 3-1 before rallying to force a Game 7, when they lost on a bounce in overtime.

The Hawks have long memories when it comes to missed opportunities, and leaving it to a bounce cost them a chance at a three-peat when they sandwiched 2014 with Stanley Cup victories.

The Hawks know they have a chance to win it all again and it begins for real in two weeks.

It's more important between now and then that they try to save minutes for their stars and cross their fingers that they're healthy heading into the tournament.

As for how they play between now and then, the truth is it doesn't matter all that much.

brozner@dailyherald.com

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