Surging Hawks edging closer in West standings
The numbers are starting to get a little gaudy now.
Four wins in a row, a record of 8-1-1 in their last 10 games and suddenly just 2 points behind fourth-place Nashville in the Western Conference playoff race.
They don't stop there for the Blackhawks.
How about a 5-1 victory and a season sweep over the team that keeps on giving, the Columbus Blue Jackets?
Duncan Keith had a career-high 4 assists, Patrick Sharp scored twice to take the team lead in goals (30), Andrew Shaw continued to surprise with a goal — his 10th — and an assist, and Corey Crawford stopped 24 of 25 shots as the Hawks reached the 90-point mark for the fourth consecutive season.
Oh, one final piece of good news: There was late word that captain Jonathan Toews, who missed his 14th consecutive game with a concussion, was back and skating in Chicago on Tuesday.
Not too shabby.
“We're feeling good right now,” Keith told reporters after the game. “The one thing we've learned is we're not going to take anything for granted. We're playing better, but we know there's still more there that we have to get better at. We're happy with our starts the last three games.”
It doesn't get any better than Tuesday night's start.
The Hawks scored 3 goals in the opening 8:22 and simply rolled from there.
“It's great. It's awesome,” Crawford said of goals by Shaw, Sharp and Brent Seabrook. To be up 3-0 right off the bat is great. Hopefully we can maybe do that every game. What else can I say? You can't ask for more.”
The one number the Hawks failed to post was their first shutout of the season. Rick Nash's late goal means the Hawks remain the only team in the league yet to record a shutout.
They are at 74 games and counting.
“It'd be nice once in awhile,” Crawford said with a laugh. “Whatever. We're more worried about 2 points, but it'd be nice once in awhile.”
“Crow was good in net,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “We got a little sloppy there in the third, late.”
Nick Leddy had a tough 21st birthday Tuesday after getting boarded by Darryl Boyce and having to leave the game early in the third period. Quenneville said it was a precautionary move to hold him out the rest of the game.
Now the undercard is over and the main event begins today at 7 p.m. when Vancouver hits the United Center ice.
“It's fun playing those guys,” Keith told Comcast SportsNet. “We've got a good rivalry, and they've got a good team. It'll be a tough game, but it always brings out the best in both teams.”
mspellman@dailyherald.com