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Working overtime not working out very well for Hawks

Overtimes and shootouts continue to be the Blackhawks’ kryptonite.

When the Hawks lost 2-1 in a shootout at San Jose late Saturday night, it dropped them to 5-8 in shootouts this season. They are 0-6 in overtime contests.

Coach Joel Quenneville has no explanation for the dismal record, only to say that the Hawks have left a lot of points on the table.

The players don’t have any answers either. Goalie Corey Crawford was beaten three times in the shootout by the Sharks’ Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton.

“I think we’re trying to find a way,” Crawford said. “I mean, not making a save in the shootout doesn’t really give you a chance to win.

“It was a tough loss. We played well. They’re a good team in their building. We definitely had a chance again to win — a couple of chances late to win the game — we’ve just got to figure it out in the shootout.”

Everyone agreed it was a playoff-type atmosphere.

The Hawks probably can’t wait to get to the playoffs, where there are no shootouts.

“The time and space with the puck was non-existent, so you had to be smarter or it was going to end up in the back of your net,” Hawks winger Kris Versteeg said. “Both teams seemed to play a pretty solid game. Obviously it comes down to the shootout and you never know what’s going to happen. It hasn’t been going our way for whatever reason.”

Quenneville wishes he could put his finger on what is going wrong in overtime.

“The way overtime has gone with us it’s a little disappointing, but we’ve been doing some good things 5-on-5 during the game,” Quenneville said.

Brandon Saad scored the Hawks’ only goal on a power play in the third period moments after Pavelski tallied short-handed.

“It’s a little frustrating, but I think we didn’t play our best team game,” Saad said. “Corey was a big reason why we were even in it and to get a point is something we can look at as a positive for this game, but in the end you obviously want to get 2 points.”

Quenneville thought both teams played hard.

“It was a fast-paced game and checking was at a premium,” Quenneville said. “Getting some space was hard to come by. I thought both teams knew it and were respectful for what the other team can do with their rush game and their puck-possession game.”

The Sharks ended a three-game losing streak with the victory.

“The message this morning was ‘Let’s control what we can control,’ and a lot of that is commitment to defending the right way, being in the right position at the right time, blocking shots, and doing those types of things,” San Jose coach Todd McLellan said.

“We were focused and stuck with the game plan. We didn’t have to come in between periods and make a lot of adjustments. We liked what we were doing for the most part.”

Added Pavelski: “It always feels good to win, especially when you lose a few in a row. When we play our game, we know what we want to accomplish in here.”

ŸFollow Tim’s hockey reports on Twitter @TimSassone.

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