Challenging road ahead for Hawks

For the Blackhawks, the road to the playoffs certainly doesn't appear to go through Chicago.

It does go through just about every other city in the Western Conference.

The schedule certainly isn't in the Hawks' favor the rest of the season. Not only do they kick off a six-game road trip Tuesday night at Columbus coming out of the all-star break, 20 of their final 32 games are away from the United Center.

Then again, maybe a road heavy schedule is not such a back thing considering the Hawks' inconsistent play on home ice, where they are just 16-13.

The Hawks are 10-7-4 on the road and actually have played some of their best and most consistent hockey there.

“Sure, you'd rather have more home games, but at the same time we've played well on the road,” general manager Stan Bowman said. “You have to win on the road to be a successful team.”

The Hawks sit seventh in the West coming out of the break — just 4 points out of fourth, but also only 5 out of 14th place.

There can be no slip-ups the rest of the way.

“We know that we've got to come prepared for all these games, whether it's home or on the road, but I do like the way we show up on the road,” Bowman said. “We've had consistent efforts all year long on the road, really.

“The Calgary game (a 7-2 loss Nov. 19) is the only game where we've been blown out. The rest of the games we've been right there.

“We play maybe a little bit simpler style, a little more comfortable and not trying to put on a show. Sometimes you play your best hockey when you do that. There's no doubt it won't be easy, but I have confidence in our team on the road.”

The Hawks lost two straight home games leading up to the break, costing them a couple spots in the West standings.

“This is a big test for us,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said of the six-game trip. “We're playing teams in the same boat as us. They're meaningful games and meaningful points.

“We've got to have our best games going forward. Playing on the road here is going to make or break us.”

With 56 points in the bank, the Hawks might need at anywhere from 35-40 points in their final 32 games to make the playoffs.

“That fluctuates daily, whether it's mid-90s or a point or 2 north or south of that,” Quenneville said.

“This race is going to go down to the wire,” Quenneville said before the break. “Where we're at, home ice is still a focus of ours. We've basically been in a pattern of fifth-to-13th for a lot of the season just like a lot of the teams in our conference.

“It's up to us to take care of business this second part of the season.”

As inconsistent as the Hawks have been since the start of the season, more of the same over the final 32 games might leave them on the outside looking in come April.

“We have to be ready to come back right away, make sure there's no rust or anything like that,” Jonathan Toews said.

Quenneville said Marty Turco and not Corey Crawford would get the start against the Blue Jackets.

“We want him playing,” Quenneville said. “We need both guys.”