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For Chicago Blackhawks, simple play is probably better play

Remember that 3-0-1, 21-goal start to the season that had Blackhawks fans jumping out of their seats, couches and bar stools so often that they didn't dare take their eyes off the ice or their TV sets?

Seems like eons ago, doesn't it?

Of course it wasn't, but some of what we've seen since is likely a byproduct of how successful the Hawks were during that stretch when every pass seemed to connect, every risky move paid off and plenty of shots found their mark.

In the last four games - three of which came against highly structured, defensive-minded divisional opponents - very little of those Showtime-like plays panned out. It should serve as a lesson that keeping it simple is oftentimes the way to go.

"Puck possession over the last four games hasn't been great," coach Joel Quenneville said after a 2-1 OT loss to Edmonton on Thursday. "We make a lot of tough plays with not a good probability of getting the puck back. That's an area where we've got to get better."

Amen to that. The Hawks also need to be tougher along the boards because they seem to be losing almost every 50-50 battle.

Let's look at some glaring examples from the last half of Thursday's game.

Second period:

2:35 left - Patrick Kane and Nick Schmaltz enter the offensive zone with plenty of speed, but Kane's pass to a well-covered Schmaltz is off the mark and Edmonton quickly heads back the other way.

1:03 left - After a good rush by Jonathan Toews and Brandon Saad, Edmonton ices the puck. Toews then wins the faceoff, but seconds later loses a board battle behind the Oilers' net and another scoring chance evaporates.

Third period:

18:11 left - Schmaltz enters the 'O' zone with possession but tries to dish to a double-teamed Kane. The puck is easily poked away and Edmonton is immediately off on a 4-on-3 break toward Anton Forsberg.

11:57 left - A double-teamed Schmaltz comes in over the blue line with Kane across the ice about 30-35 feet away. Schmaltz blindly backhands a pass into no man's land - something we saw far too much of in the 5-2 embarrassment in St. Louis - and Edmonton once again regains control.

That last play by Schmaltz is the perfect example of how the first four games may have given the Hawks a false sense of security that fancy, fun hockey is the way to go.

Against most opponents, it's clearly not.

"Obviously the 100 percent plays are the better play," Hartman said. "Unless you know for sure, it's tough to make a blind play unless it's toward the net."

The 100 percent plays are dumping it behind the opponent's net and doing your best to forecheck to get the puck back. Tanner Kero, Lance Bouma and John Hayden - the Hawks' fourth line - did an excellent job of this on two separate occasions in the third period.

Before we put all the blame on the Hawks - who actually did attempt 68 shots - let's give the Oilers some credit.

First off, Cam Talbot stopped plenty of high-danger opportunities - most notably a Toews one-timer with 9:54 left in the game and another blast by Toews with 7:11 remaining.

Edmonton also blocked a whopping 23 attempts, many coming with the Hawks on the power play.

But the Hawks still must learn from these last four games that simpler hockey means:

A) They can set up in the offensive zone and wear down defenders, and …

B) They won't be allowing all kinds of odd-man rushes going the other way.

"We've got to play in the other team's end more right at the start," Keith said. "We're playing in our own end (too much). Whether that's just getting quick to pucks and sorting it out or being harder, I can do better in that regard. (If we) spend less time in our own end, they're not going to get as many shots.

"I think that would be the start."

Blackhawks vs. Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena, 8 p.m. Saturday

TV: NBCSCH

Radio: WGN 720-AM

The skinny: At 0-6-1, Arizona is the only team in the NHL without a victory. In 5 of the 7 losses, the Coyotes have scored 1 or 2 goals. … Keep an eye on 19-year-old center Clayton Keller, the seventh overall pick in 2016 as he already has 5 goals and 2 assists. … Hawks fans will get their first look at Niklas Hjalmarsson in an Arizona uniform. He has a minus-5 rating in seven games. … The Hawks went 3-0-0 vs. Arizona last year, outscoring the Coyotes 14-6.

Next: Las Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena, 9 p.m. Tuesday

- John Dietz

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