This time, focus is kept off goalie

It had the look of a playoff game.

And the intensity of a preseason game.

The Olympic hangover is in full swing, the dog days of March are here.

So consider it a victory not just in the standings Wednesday night at the UC but also on the dry erase board after the Blackhawks beat the Kings 3-2 in overtime.

Despite a somewhat uninspiring offensive performance against a very solid defensive team from Los Angeles, the Hawks offered their best defensive effort since before the break, and that part of it was important.

"Yeah, 5-on-5 we played the way we're supposed to play,'' said Patrick Sharp, who had a pair of goals, including the game-winner in OT. "We didn't allow much in our end of the ice at all and we gave our goalie a chance tonight.''

In Hawkspeak, that means making sure their goaltender doesn't have to win the game for them.

In reality, it means making sure their goaltender doesn't get a chance to lose the game for them.

Antti Niemi was OK Wednesday, letting in a couple of goals in the second period on what you wouldn't call tough chances.

But with the score 2-2 in the third, Niemi made 4 solid saves that kept the game tied and gave the Hawks a chance to win it in OT.

Far from spectacular, but good enough to beat a good Kings team that plays it very close to the vest.

"We played well in our end,'' Sharp said. "We kept the shots to the outside and from the point and gave our goalie a chance to see them.

"That's how we have to play the rest of the way. Make sure we give our goalie a chance, keep the other team to 1 or 2 goals, and let the offense do the rest.''

The offense certainly wasn't dynamic Wednesday, though you can chalk some of that up to the Hawks' focus on defense and the Kings' style of play.

Nevertheless, the Hawks looked nothing like the team that has been intimidating the NHL with its firepower for the last six months.

And you know what? That's OK.

The playoffs are just around the corner, and this is exactly how they'll have to play if they intend to go far this spring.

They have to be really smart with the puck, remain risk averse, and let the opposition make mistakes.

That's what happened in overtime when the Kings coughed up a 4-on-2, and made a terrible pass that landed right on Dave Bolland's stick.

He fed Sharp, who was standing back at the Los Angeles blue line, and Sharp went in alone and beat Jonathan Quick.

"I was yelling as loud as I could,'' Sharp laughed. "It just felt like a year while I was standing there waiting for that puck to get there.''

It did, and Sharp buried it.

All in all, a satisfying night for the Hawks, who got the energetic Adam Burish back, and all Burish did was pick up an assist and a fight on his first shift of the season.

"No. 37 gave us a big boost,'' Sharp said of his close friend. "We're a better team with him, that's for sure.''

True enough, but they're also a better team when they make sure their goalie can't lose the game for them.

Wednesday night, for the first time in a while, they did exactly that.

brozner@dailyherald.com