Blackhawks looking to tighten up defensive play

It's difficult to find too much fault with a team that has gone 8-4-1 in its last 13 games, but it's clear something is not right with the Blackhawks.

And inconsistent goaltending is only part of the problem.

The Hawks have issues defensively that need to be corrected before the start of the playoffs.

They have allowed 26 goals in the last seven games - more than a goal a game above their average for the season.

Whether it's fatigue creeping into the games of big-minute defensemen Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Brian Campbell, or a slip by the forwards in getting back to help out, the Hawks face the challenge of tightening it up across the board.

Hjalmarsson is minus-8 in his last 18 games, Seabrook minus-3 in his last 11, and Keith is even in his last 11.

Sloppy defensive play in the second period has become particularly worrisome. It was on full display again in Sunday's 5-4 loss to Detroit when the Red Wings scored 5 goals in the middle period to wipe out a 2-0 deficit.

"We seem to let down in the second period, and it's been happening way too much lately," winger Andrew Ladd said. "It's something we've got to figure out in this room or we're not going to go as far as we want to. We've got to play for 60 minutes instead of in bits and pieces."

Hawks captain Jonathan Toews said if he knew what was happening in the second period of games the team could start correcting it.

"We have to prepare better and make sure we're ready for three solid periods," Toews said.

Not only were the Hawks outscored 5-0 by the Red Wings in the second period Sunday, they were outscored 4-0 by the New York Islanders in last Tuesday's loss and 3-0 by Atlanta in the second-to-last game before the Olympic break.

"Sometimes over the course of a season there are trends that jump out at you," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "I don't think there's a big discrepancy in puck possession, but we're certainly giving up higher-quality chances in that period.

"Hopefully it's something we can nail."

Quenneville will announce his starting goalie for Wednesday's game against Los Angeles after practice Tuesday.

The questions the coach and his players face daily about the goaltending is only serving as a distraction as the Hawks move into the final month of the season.

But with no clear-cut No. 1 guy, the questions will linger until either Cristobal Huet or Antti Niemi seizes the job, which is what Quenneville wants to see one of them do.

Toews said last week the Hawks needed to start playing better in front of their goalies to take the heat off them, and it's the truth to a certain degree. But every team makes mistakes and the great goaltenders are the ones who cover up for errors made in front of them.

If the Hawks are looking for some sort of spark to help get their game cranked back up for the stretch, Adam Burish's expected return Wednesday against the Kings could provide it.

The Hawks have been missing some of their jam ever since Burish went down with a torn ACL in the preseason.