Blackhawks can't keep up with Canucks in loss
The NHL all-star break is still a few days away.
But the Blackhawks - who talk about wanting to claw back into the playoff race - looked like they were ready for it to begin Monday.
The Hawks were a step behind Vancouver all night at the United Center and the Canucks took advantage by posting a 3-1 victory.
"We were kind of flat," said Alex DeBrincat, who will be heading to the All-Star Game for the first time this weekend. "Obviously we tried to pick it up in the third period, but a little too late. We've got to come out better."
There have been some ugly performances by the Hawks this season, but this ranks near the top. Passes rarely connected. Key faceoffs were rarely won. Board battles were lost over and over again.
Midway through the third period - with Vancouver leading 2-0 - there was a line of long, sad faces on the Hawks' bench during a TV timeout.
"I sense it too. You could see them," said interim coach Derek King. "I think (Patrick Kane) said it good in between the periods, 'Let's get the crowd out of their seats' because when the place erupts you can feel the energy.
"I mean we have to create that energy by doing something to get those fans out of their seats."
The Hawks (16-22-7) finished with 21 shots on goal. It's the eighth time in 45 games they've taken 21 or fewer. Total shot attempts were 70-38 in favor of Vancouver.
Alex Chiasson scored Vancouver's first goal at 12:21 of the first period, and the Canucks went up 2-0 when Brock Boeser tipped in a pass from Quinn Hughes at 4:28 of the second.
The Hawks cut the lead to 2-1 on Connor Murphy's fourth goal of the season with 6:59 remaining. Four minutes later, they took an almost unforgivable penalty for too many men on the ice.
"That was tough," King said. "We had the guys up and I'm not sure who jumped. One of them jumped because he thought he (was replacing) the goalie, but it was Kaner who gets the goalie."
Luke Schenn scored into an empty net with 20.6 seconds remaining to ice the win for Vancouver (20-19-6).
Kane and Kirby Dach registered assists on Murphy's goal. For Dach, it was just his second point of the month.
The Hawks blocked 30 shots - 7 each by Jake McCabe and Calvin de Haan, and 5 by Murphy.
The Hawks host Minnesota on Wednesday then are off until after the All Star Game, which is in Las Vegas on Saturday.
"We've got to be way better come Wednesday if we're even gonna have a chance against (the Wild)," DeBrincat said.
• Marian Hossa, Eddie Olczyk and Patrick Sharp were selected by the Blackhawks to be part of the advisory group that will select the team's next general manager. "Marian, Eddie and Patrick are respected hockey minds who have great knowledge of the game," CEO Danny Wirtz said in a statement. The Hawks said they will begin interviewing candidates this week.