Dietz: Blackhawks need to be strong when the pressure’s on

Niklas Hjalmarsson was never one to mince words or sugar coat a situation.

The former Blackhawks defenseman told it like it was, which sometimes meant hammering home a cold, harsh message even after a victory.

Such was the case after the Hawks allowed a 3-0 lead to evaporate against Minnesota during Game 1 of a conference semifinals series in 2015. The Hawks ended up prevailing 4-3, but instead of focusing on Teuvo Teravainen's game-winning goal, Hjalmarsson a stark warning while speaking to a small group of reporters.

The soft-spoken Swede essentially said: We can't be blowing 3-0 leads if we expect to win the Stanley Cup. Championship teams do not allow that to happen.

We all know what transpired: The Hawks swept Minnesota, eliminated Anaheim in a grueling seven-game series and lifted the Stanley Cup after taking out Tampa Bay in six games.

We did hundreds of interviews during that playoff run, but that moment always stayed with me.

That brings us to this year's Hawks, who are clearly not a title contender but should have aspirations of staying in the playoff picture all season. It was with some irony that — with Hjalmarsson in attendance — the Hawks nearly blew a 4-0 lead to Ottawa on Oct. 28 at the United Center.

The Senators scored 3 second-period goals in 3.5 minutes and entered the third period trailing just 4-3. There's little doubt Hawks teams of the past few years would have lost that game, but goals by Connor Bedard, Ryan Donato and Frank Nazar allowed coach Jeff Blashill's team to prevail 7-3.

“We can't put ourselves in that situation of getting scored on three times,” captain Nick Foligno said afterward. “That's something we need to continue to work on, but I love that we caught ourselves and found a way to win that game. I talked about it in the (dressing) room — that's the sign of a good team that's starting to understand how to win.”

It's a lesson the Hawks are still trying to learn, as evidenced by late November losses to Seattle and Minnesota.

• Against the Kraken, the Hawks led 2-0 after two periods but lost 3-2 in regulation in large part due to Bedard's unsportsmanlike conduct penalty with 4:16 remaining. Jaden Schwartz scored the game-winner on the power play with 2:18 on the clock.

• The Hawks also held a 2-0 late in the second period against Minnesota, but a goal by Brock Faber at 19:46 spearheaded a comeback that led to a 3-2 Wild victory in overtime.

These are the games playoff teams don't blow very often, so it had to be heartening for Blashill to watch his young squad hold off Los Angeles on Thursday after taking a 2-0 lead into the third period.

The game was not with some high-end drama, however, as the Kings made it 2-1 on a Trevor Moore goal midway through the third. Bedard then took a tripping penalty with 1:26 remaining, leading many to think: Uh oh. Here we go again.

Instead, Connor Murphy and Alex Vlasic combined to block 3 shots, and Louis Crevier managed to trap the puck in the corner as the final seconds ticked off.

“That's what good teams have to learn how to do,” goaltender Spencer Knight told reporters afterward. “We battled hard and a lot of guys made big plays at the end. …

“If you eventually get to the postseason, that's how it is. The pressure's on and you have to know how to hold that lead. So it was good for us and important.”

The more the Hawks defend these leads the more likely they are to stay in the playoff race. The bond they already feel — and make no mistake, this is one very close group — will tighten to the point where they trust each other in every little situation.

Foligno expressed these very thoughts after that victory over the Senators six weeks ago.

“There's a mindset in here of wanting to be part of something special,” Foligno said. “I genuinely believe and feel that in the room. I know it sounds a little cheesy, but it's true. Every guy here wants to be part of bringing this team back to where it was, and what it can be. …

“This was a chance for us to do that, right? … When you believe in the direction, and the fiber of the group, the culture starts to build. That's the result you get.”

John Dietz, a sports writer at the Daily Herald from 1998-2024, covered the Blackhawks from 2014-24. You can reach him at jdietz6917@hotmail.com.