Hawks suffer Coyote-ugly loss
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Everything went wrong for the Blackhawks on Thursday.
Minutes before warmups, the team’s COVID-19 protocol list jumped from one player to four, with Brandon Hagel, Erik Gustafsson and newly acquired Sam Lafferty all joining Kevin Lankinen.
With the lineup jumbled — at times beyond recognition — the Hawks lost 6-4 to the tanking Coyotes. It was the Hawks’ sixth consecutive loss and only the Coyotes’ seventh victory in 32 games this season.
The Hawks have had lower lows off the ice this season. But in terms of on-ice action, it isn’t a stretch to describe this moment as the rock bottom.
The game itself was a strange, chaotic affair, featuring four delay-of-game penalties, countless momentum shifts and a hat trick by a player (Johan Larsson) with zero previous goals this season in front of a sparse crowd at Gila River Arena.
Hawks interim coach Derek King had only 11 forwards at his disposal and shuffled through virtually every line combination possible, adding to the game’s disjointed nature.
Nicolas Beaudin dressed as the seventh defenseman and 18th skater, giving the Hawks a technically full-strength lineup, but he played only 71 seconds in his first NHL appearance of the season.
The Coyotes entered the night never having led by multiple goals this season. They broke that streak by building a 2-0 lead but quickly blew it early in the second period — the Hawks’ one dominant stretch.
They then built a 5-2 lead but had to hold on in the waning minutes after a Dylan Strome-to-Alex DeBrincat wonder goal gave the Hawks some temporary life.
Mike Hardman and Ian Mitchell also were recalled to the active roster along with Beaudin. They’ll presumably join the team Friday in Las Vegas.
Strome gets Arizona appeal
More than three years after his trade to the Hawks, Strome no longer feels anything different when he faces his former team, the Coyotes.
The latest matchup was his seventh so-called revenge game — a number he did remember off the top of his head, for what it’s worth — and fourth such game in Arizona. After a while, there’s no more revenge to be exacted.
“The management and everyone, everything, [has] changed since I was here,” he said. “I know a few of the guys on the team, but it’s been long enough that I’ve moved past it.”
But Strome still recalls what a “great place to live” the Phoenix area was — a sentiment shared by many players.
“It’s pretty beautiful every day,” he said. “The quality of life here is really good. [There are] a lot of healthy places to eat, a lot of golf courses, beautiful scenery, mountains and stuff. People are up and active and moving. I’m not surprised guys like to play here.”
The possibility of losing all of Arizona’s uniqueness from the NHL circuit is the unfortunate side of the Coyotes’ uncertain future.
The embattled franchise’s problems appear headed toward a climax in 2022. Relatively new owner Alex Meruelo’s brief reign has been plagued by scandals, financial issues and rampant dysfunction on and off the ice.
The team is being forced out of Gila River Arena after this season and has flirted with an even earlier departure, and Glendale threatened to lock the arena doors in December because of $1.3 million in unpaid taxes. Relocation rumors have swirled, particularly involving Houston, although anything seems possible at this point.
Even if the Coyotes leave Arizona this summer, however, Thursday won’t be the Hawks’ last visit. They’re scheduled to make one more desert trip this season April 20.
Another game postponed
The Hawks’ scheduled Jan. 18 road game against the Oilers was postponed by the NHL, increasing the Hawks’ number of postponed games to six.
This particular change wasn’t surprising given how many other Canadian games have been postponed in advance this month with revenue preservation in mind. The league hopes to reschedule the games later in the season when provincial Canadian governments are allowing fans again.