Hawks can control destiny, but will they?
The Blackhawks still control their own destiny as the Western Conference playoff chase enters its week, but the way they’ve been playing it shouldn’t give their fans much comfort.
This is how it is for the Hawks with four games to play: Win three of the four and it won’t matter what Calgary and Dallas do in their remaining games.
The Hawks sit in the eighth and final playoff spot with 92 points, leading Calgary by 1 and Dallas by 3.
Three wins would get the Hawks to 98 points, a clinching number assuming the Flames and Stars win out.
Calgary has only two games to play and can max out at 95 points. Dallas has four games left and can max out at 97. The Hawks owned the tiebreaker with both teams as of Monday thanks to more wins in regulation and overtime.
“This is what we created with some of the points we left on the table earlier in the year,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. “But we’re in a situation where we can control our own destiny.”
The Hawks are still leaving points on the table at this late stage. Sunday’s 2-0 loss to Tampa Bay was their 16th this season at the United Center, an staggering stat considering the home-ice advantage the building should provide.
Being without leading goal scorer Patrick Sharp and top defensive center Dave Bolland hasn’t helped. Their losses have made a thin lineup even thinner.
The Hawks suddenly are finding it difficult to score goals, largely because the secondary scoring has evaporated.
In the last eight games, the Hawks have scored 12 goals in regulation. Of their last 18 goals, the only Hawk to score who wasn’t on the first line or a defenseman is Tomas Kopecky.
“Scoring is probably at a premium right now,” Quenneville said. “It’s tough to score. But at the same time, I think eventually everybody gets a turn when they break out. I think that’s what we’re going to need, whether it’s the (Bryan Bickells), the (Troy Brouwers), the (Michael Froliks); we need some other guys to kick some goals in there for us.”
The Hawks don’t have an easy finishing schedule this week. They play at Montreal Tuesday night, and the Canadiens still haven’t clinched a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
After the Blues come to the UC on Wednesday for another back-to-back test, the Hawks close with a home-and-home set with Central Division champ Detroit on the weekend.
What the Hawks need to worry about is Dallas’ last four games. The Stars get Columbus, Colorado twice and Minnesota — all teams out of the playoff mix. There’s a good chance of the Stars running the table.
If the Hawks have another gear they better hurry up and find it.
“It was there at times (Sunday), but we can still raise the level,” defenseman Chris Campoli said.
Captain Jonathan Toews didn’t think there was enough desperation throughout the lineup in the loss to Tampa Bay.
“Not really,” Toews said. “It’s one of those things we keep urging in this locker room. Maybe it isn’t good enough right now, but we’re not going to get negative and we’re not going to point fingers.
“We want to prepare to be a better team and be a team that’s going to compete far in the playoffs. Whether you have momentum going into the playoffs or not, no one makes excuses, but we don’t want to keep playing like this, that’s for sure.”