Aaaand we're back after taking the last three games off which, as it turns out, appears to have been just as well since The Hawks took those games off, too. Bygones - there's plenty to complain about tonight, even with the W.
The Hawks limped into PHX, licking their wounds from three straight losses, their longest streak without a point this season, with an opportunity to regain some confidence and maintain their place in the standings. The Coyotes are woeful, really, really bad, with what amounts to a second a line and three fourth lines. The last time these teams met it was a landslide for The Hawks, so another slamdunk game could have been the necessary tonic for the guys to get their mojo back.
Yet, the only success I can see is that The Hawks came away with two points.
The first period was wonderful, but it's just a memory, now. The Hawks rolled four lines and all four units generated great chances. Goals by Kane, Hartman and Hossa staked Chicago to a 3-0 lead after the first, outshooting PHX 14-6 along the way.
Then the wheels fell off.
Being shorthanded consecutively on three delay of game calls was a bit fluky, as were the two of the three goals The Hawks surrendered in the second period, I'll grant them that, but the lack of response to the tide turning as it did was pretty pathetic. Only a couple of nifty plays by Kane and Anisimov enabled Panarin to score the eventual game winner, and even that was made possible by the eternally feckless Ryan White. The spate of penalties completely upset The Hawks' rhythm, as they were no longer rolling all four lines and, with the game as close as it had then become, Coach Q shortened the bench, anyway, seemingly forgetting the handful of excellent shifts that the Dez - Kero - Hartman trio turned in during the first period. And to what effect? The players that did play generated fewer shots in two periods than they did in the first.
A Few Bits:
While Nick Schmaltz is not lacking skill he simply has no idea where he needs to be. His positional play is abysmal and, aside from a couple of occasions in which he was carrying the puck, really set back his linemates. As it was, he, Toews and Panik were buried possession-wise. I hope and expect that this experiment is nearing its end.
TVR was a disaster, yet again. My "favourite" TVR moment was when a linesman waved off an icing call, probably under the impression that TVR wasn't making enough of an effort to chase down the puck when, in reality, Mr. 57-Varieties-of-Awful was moving at what is, for him, pretty much full chat. Sickening.
Kruger, at least, had an inspired night, with a great stick on the forecheck and I loved his unexpected shot on net after he won a faceoff by pushing the puck forward.
I guess I have to do this, eh? Alright, by dint of scoring the game winner and for his sharp pass to spring Hossa for his excellent PPG, Small Arthur gets the grudging nod.
Despite the victory I cannot help but feel this was a missed opportunity, as I'm not sure that The Hawks got that injection of confidence that they so desperately require right now. Let's just hope that such a close-run game against the league's worst team doesn't have the opposite effect.
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