‘We’re kind of in a situation here’
Jets hand Hawks their 7th straight loss in 7-2 blowout
Before Sunday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets, Max Domi talked about “tiny little mistakes” making the difference between winning and losing during the Chicago Blackhawks’ six-game skid.
The Hawks made a bushel of them during a 7-2 loss at the United Center to extend their winless streak to seven (0-6-1).
Domi’s offside penalty wiped away a would-be goal to open the game by Andreas Athanasiou. The Jones brothers, Seth and Caleb, committed back-to-back penalties, and the Jets capitalized on a fiveon-three advantage.
Filip Roos knocked in the Jets’ sixth goal off his stick into his own net. And Mark Scheifele poked in a power-play goal — the Jets’ final score — after Reese Johnson was called for roughing, a penalty that Johnson has been warned about and that cost the Hawks a goal in a previous game.
“There are little mistakes and some of them are from overtrying,” coach Luke Richardson said. “You just have to make them aware of it and make sure we get better. We can’t just say, ‘Oh, yeah, I should’ve done better.’ We have to act better. Otherwise, in the NHL, your time doesn’t last long.”
None of those miscues individually lost the game for the Hawks. But after a four-game winning streak, the losses are coming in bunches (2-9-4 since that streak) as they struggle to recapture the little things that helped them find ways to win.
“We didn’t have a great energy level last game (a 3-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens),” Richardson said. “You have to clear your head and be professional and play 82 games and realize that one night, if you’re not going, you have to do the little details that maybe Max is talking about to get through that game.”
Here are five takeaways from the loss.
1. The Hawks aren’t getting the ‘jump’ on opponents — but that’s nothing new.
Sunday’s loss represented the eighth straight game in which an opponent scored the opening goal — all in the first period. The Hawks have allowed the opening goal in all but four of their 21 games.
The Jets also took a two-goal lead — a common theme this season for the Hawks.
“We have to worry about our complete game, not just scoring first,” Richardson said.
The Hawks have been down at least two goals in six of the last eight games and 11 times this season. In fact, they’ve faced two-goal holes in the first period five times this season, though they rallied to win four of those (but not since Nov. 12 at the Anaheim Ducks).
“The energy and the jump’s not there,” captain Jonathan Toews said. “But even if it’s not, we’ve got
to find ways to play together as a team and make things more difficult on the other team.”
Richardson said the answer isn’t getting into track meets with the likes of the Jets or Edmonton Oilers.
“I don’t think that’s going to end very well, going up and down the ice,” he said. “We have to play a little harder physically. Everything’s frustrating right now, but I said last game, no one gets you out of this except for yourself.”
2. Is this what a tailspin looks like?
Before the game, Richardson was
certain a six-game slump wasn’t an indication things were starting to snowball, with the mounting losses starting to seep into players’ psyches.
But after a 7-2 loss, it’s hard to buy that narrative.
“It’s not a fun feeling throughout a performance like that in your own building,” Toews said. “Are there positives? I think there’s moments where if we work for the bounces offensively, there’s ways that we can keep that game close and find ways mentally to keep our energy.
“Ultimately, we’re kind of in a situation here where we’ve lost
quite a few games, and it’s not a good feeling. It’s easy, when you don’t get those bounces, to let it deflate you. Collectively, we’ve just got to be a little bit more mentally strong and know that we’re in this situation and we’ve got to work ourselves out of it and we’ve got to work for those bounces.”
Richardson said the way to ensure the Hawks don’t spiral is to remain steady.
“I have to be consistent,” he said. “We show video. We show corrections and we show the good stuff. We have to stay on that. I’m not going to yell and scream and this and that.”
3. The night didn’t go Andreas Athanasiou’s way.
Athanasiou appeared to score the opening goal six minutes in, but it was overturned after a coach’s challenge because Domi was ruled offside.
“It’s frustrating,” Philipp Kurashev said. “We worked so hard and we score and then it gets called back and they score right after that. You can’t get down on yourself so fast.”
Later in the first period, Athanasiou took an elbow to the face from Adam Lowry, just before Michael Eyssimont slammed into him. There was no interference call, and Athanasiou threw a glove in anger before stalking off. Then he threw a towel before heading into the locker room at intermission.
“I think it was Lowry holding him off, it wasn’t really a hard elbow,” Richardson said. “(Eyssimont) stepped in front of him and … that’s a pick. That’s interference and he ran into him. That’s probably not a high-sticking or elbowing penalty, but it’s definitely interference.”
Richardson said the Hawks can create more penalties by skating harder, forcing defenders to hook or interfere.
“We have to earn those,” he said.
4. Tyler Johnson needs more time, but Alex Stalock looks close.
There’s still no timetable for Johnson to return from a left ankle sprain. He last played Oct. 25 against the Florida Panthers, and his recovery hasn’t gone as smoothly as hoped.
“Those high ankle sprains are tough and he just felt soreness in the boot, so the training staff is going to keep him out of the boot for a few days,” Richardson said.
Meanwhile, Roos replaced defenseman Jarred Tinordi (out with an undisclosed “chronic” injury), and forward Sam Lafferty is likely out for four to five days with an upper-body injury.
But there was better news on the injury front: Goalie Alex Stalock (concussion) returned for the morning skate.
“(Stalock) just being healthy again and around the guys, it’s a huge boost for this team,” Richardson said. “He’s a character and well-liked in the dressing room. First day on the ice, we’ll see how he feels with shots and everybody out there.”
5. For Max Domi, it’s almost time to stash the ‘stache.
Domi let his lip sweater loose during National Diabetes Awareness Month in November, but its days are numbered with the calendar turning the page.
“I’m actually looking forward to getting rid of this thing,” he said. “Couple more days.”
Domi has Type 1 diabetes, and each year he grows out his mustache and/or beard, then shaves it as part of his #FundRazor to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
“It’s got its own little life there,” Domi said. “I know it’s for a good cause and I’ve done it every year, so I’m going to enjoy the last few days. I can’t wait to get it off my face. Girlfriend’s excited too.”