Bubble close to bursting
Blackhawks are clinging to playoff hopes after a 3-1 loss to the Predators
There was no furious comeback this time.
The Chicago Blackhawks couldn’t mount a rally in their season series finale against the Nashville Predators, losing 3-1 Friday night at the United Center and falling further behind in the Central Division playoff race.
With no more games against the fourth-place Predators, there will be no more opportunities for fourpoint swings to thrust them back into contention.
“It would’ve been great for us to win this one,” Hawks forward Patrick Kane said. “It would’ve been a really good feeling and good position for us to be in. But we didn’t.
“We’re still believing in the locker room that we can win the next game, win the game after that, go on a run, see what happens. … Try to keep our heads in it because there’s a lot of belief we can still make a push.”
To even have a chance, the Hawks would have to win the bulk of their remaining eight games and rely on the Predators and Dallas Stars losing a few.
The Hawks controlled much of the first period but couldn’t get past goalie Juuse Saros.
“When we had a chance to play in the offensive zone, it seemed like we couldn’t protect the puck for long enough to establish ourselves and then have a chance to break them down, where earlier I thought we did,” coach Jeremy Colliton said. “We’ve got to give them credit: They played hard, they played well, their goalie made some excellent saves early to keep it 0-0.
“Then once they got the lead, it’s tough to play uphill.”
Here are five takeaways from the game.
1.Losing 7 of8 games to a team you dislike is tough to swallow:
Hawks players and fans probably rate all things St. Louis Blues as public enemy No. 1 (or it’s the Detroit Red Wings if you’re old-school), but after this season against the Predators, they might want to revisit that.
Certainly with a normal schedule, the Hawks wouldn’t even have the opportunity to lose seven regular-season games to a rival, but here we are thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Obviously it’s not good and how we wanted,” defenseman Connor Murphy said. “It’s a team that we hate losing to, especially in the years past. It’s just not good enough by us to let so many games slide against them. And that’s really all there is to say.”
The Predators averaged 3.25 goals per game against the Hawks, who were held to an average of 1.75 goals in the series.
“We handled them well this year,” said Predators center Ryan Johansen, who scored the first goal Friday. “A lot of tough games, close games, and we found a way to win. Huge points for us.”
Colliton said that of the eight meetings he was “disappointed” with the effort in only the third and fourth games. But for all their competitiveness, the bottom line is they only came away with four points (two losses took overtime
and a shootout to settle).
“Obviously it changes the standings, the fact they won seven of eight against us,” Colliton said. “They have a style that’s hard for us.”
2. In a way, the Predators series was reminiscent of the playoffs series against the Vegas Golden Knights last season: The Golden Knights were just bigger than the
Hawks and outmuscled them with a heavy forecheck and strong defense through the neutral zone. It was the same with the Predators, who don’t exactly overwhelm teams with offense but play a hard game.
“They just work hard,” Kane said. “They find ways to make us chase the game, and they’re so good structurally in the neutral zone where there’s really not much space.
“Even if you dump it in, their ‘D’-man is way back and has some time to get the puck back out. Lot of chasing the puck.”
After the Predators took the lead, Colliton said, “They tightened up a lot, made it hard for us to get through the neutral zone, and they’ve got some big bodies and (are) physical.
“We had a tough time sustaining possession in the offensive zone for long enough to break them down.”
3. Vinnie Hinostroza played the spark plug once again:
Hinostroza scored the Hawks’ only goal — it just came too late in the third period to affect the outcome.
But he continues to surprise as a facilitator. He has two goals and four assists in the last four games.
“He’s been great. He’s dynamic,” Kane said. “Seems to make whoever is playing with him better. I’ve enjoyed getting on the ice with him and playing with him when I get the chance.
“We had some good shifts tonight, had some chances.”
Hinostroza’s speed has helped the Hawks break through the neutral-zone press, and he has put hits on bigger skaters and won puck battles. In some instances, he has run out on solo breakaways.
“We need that,” Colliton said. “That’s partly when we’re good against teams like this. Those types of players are the ones that break through because they can win a race.
“They can get it on the forecheck and get there early enough to create a battle, maybe establish ourselves in the offensive zone or drive the puck deep and get it down there, get it through their neutral zone forecheck. He’s effective and we need more of that from our group.”
4. Fewer shots seem to suit Pius Suter lately:
Suter had three shots on goal but he had back-to-back tries in one sequence that he probably wishes he had another crack at.
Early i n t he second period, he hit the post from Saros’ right side, then made a diving wrist shot from Saros’ left, but Saros shifted over in time.
Suter has been a bit more selective with his shots and has been fairly efficient. Excluding Friday night’s game, he had two goals and two assists on eight shots during the five games since the trade deadline — about a 25% clip.
“Sometimes it ’s kind of like that,” he said after Friday’s morning skate. “In some other games, it’s different. I try to create as much as I can, just be useful for the team, get my shots.
“One shot, one goal is better than five shots, zero goals, right?”
5. The Hawks only can sit and watch the rest of the division for a few days:
The Hawks don’t play again until Tuesday, a home game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
In the meantime, the Stars have two games and the Predators have one.
So the Hawks could fall even further behind in the race for fourth place — and a playoff spot — and not be able to do a thing about it.
“Just control what we can,” Kane said. “Most important thing is to try and get the rest, be ready for the next game.
“We’ve got three games here at home so get rested up and try to finish this homestand off right and see what can happen.”