Hawks' trip all about getting points
Let's not feel too sorry for the Blackhawks for having to leave town for six games while the circus takes over the United Center.
Eighteen of the NHL's 30 teams will go on road trips of six games or more this season, so it's not just the poor Hawks, as some members of the media would want everyone to think.
The Hawks even get to come home for two days in the middle of it following Saturday's game in Toronto.
Long road trips often separate the teams serious about making the playoffs from those that don't really have a chance. The Hawks, at 6-1-4, have shown they have the potential to be a very good team at home. But on the road they are just 1-3-1.
"We've got to be road warriors," defenseman Brian Campbell said. "You've got to win on the road to make the playoffs, usually. It's kind of our first road trip of the season. A lot of them have been in and out, so hopefully we can jell together a bit more and really go after it."
The Hawks need points on this six-game trip, and here are five things they can do to make sure they get them.
1. Start out well
The trip begins with games tonight in Phoenix and Thursday in Dallas. The Coyotes are 8-8 with 5 wins at home, but this is a team the Hawks should beat, at least on paper.
The Stars have struggled out of the gate at 6-8-3. The Hawks need to take advantage of a very good team that still hasn't put it all together.
It's on to Toronto on Saturday for a Hockey Night in Canada prime-time game that should have the young Hawks pumped to show everyone what they've got.
The second half of the trip gets more difficult with stops in San Jose, Anaheim and Los Angeles.
The Sharks and the Ducks are Stanley Cup contenders, while the Kings are better than expected.
2. Play Khabibulin
As much as possible. Like in five of the six games.
It's not time to pile on Cristobal Huet, but the fact is he wasn't very good in Sunday's 6-5 loss to San Jose, a game the Hawks might have won had Khabibulin started.
This road trip is all about getting points. It's not about avoiding hurting someone's feelings. The only back-to-back games are the last two in Anaheim and Los Angeles. Start Khabibulin in every game until then unless he begins struggling.
3. Get more from Havlat
The Hawks sure could use a big road trip from Martin Havlat.
The fact that Havlat has 15 points in 16 games attests to his superior skill, but there still are some nights when Havlat isn't as noticeable as a $6 million player should be.
Havlat is playing with a sore groin and no doubt is worried that his shoulder could pop out at any time, but it's time to be a star.
4. Stay out of the box
Perhaps Cam Barker, Kris Versteeg, Andrew Ladd, Dave Bolland, Troy Brouwer and Dustin Byfuglien will get coach Joel Quenneville's message now. Each of them took a minor stick penalty in Sunday's loss to the Sharks, who wound up with 4 power-play goals.
These aren't the only guilty Hawks, however. It has become a team-wide problem.
5. Find that swagger
Several Hawks, including captain Jonathan Toews, felt they gave the Sharks way too much respect Sunday.
That has to stop. The Hawks can beat the Sharks and they can beat the Red Wings - the league's two best teams. The Hawks can skate with anyone, put the puck in the net with anyone, and have first-class goaltending.
The sooner they realize how good they can be, the better their playoff chances become.
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