I Get an All-Star Break Too: Two Posts in One, NO Coupon Required

Alright, catching up after a busy couple of days and two more games done & dusted.
It could have been worse, right?  Oddly, I feel like The Hawks had the Toronto game slightly more in-hand than the Detroit game even if they did appear to dominate The Red Wings.

Statistically, there was virtually nothing to choose between the teams in both games, with Corsi coming up pretty much dead even for both matches and shot totals almost identical, as well.  
On Wednesday The Hawks got a decent game from Jeff Glass, beaten only by a deflection, a PPG on which Keith and Oesterle kinda pooped the bed and a penalty shot, which is basically a coin flip.  Downrange, though, The Hawks had lots of trouble mounting any offence to speak of.  We hear endless chatter about netfront presence, and that's all fine & good, but does that have to mean all three forwards standing in or around the crease?  Can't they be a little bit old fashioned and spread out a little bit?  At least the latest New Look Power Play was working, hitting for two out of four chances.
Don't Trust The Stats #71: Officially, Oesterle led all Hawks in Corsi with a 62% share, but he was rubbish in his own end.  Keith was slightly better in general but was culpable on two TOR goals.  It happens. 

With the consolation point salted away it was off to Detroit to meet the usually toothless Red Wings who nevertheless shut out The Hawks a couple of weeks ago.  Goaltending was the main difference here, as Jimmy Howard was touched up for three GA in nine minutes of work, while Anton Forsberg had hisself a fine game in The Hawks' nets.  It's true, also, that The Hawks eased up after the halfway point of the game, allowing The Wings to get some looks that they really needn't have had. 

On the plus, though, we got goals from someone other than Kane.  Maybe this was thanks to The Red Wings deploying what passes for a checking line against the Schmaltz - Kane - Saad unit, allowing the Toews - DeBrincat- Duclair mob to basically go nuts.

That opportunity wasn't wasted, with DBC notching his second hat trick of the season and Duc potting his first goal as a Hawk, to go with a pair of helpies.  

So, maybe a bit unlucky to get one the single point vs TOR and maybe gifted the win against DET by Jimmy Howard being just bad enough and The Wings not being deep enough to counter if The Hawks could get more than one line clicking (which is never assured).  It kind of evens out, I guess.

What else?
Loving Hinostroza, lately.  It often seems like he has no plan but the energy and determination he brings gets him by.  Eleven points in nineteen games, all while averaging 12:45 per night, is a welcome contribution.
Saad was virtually invisible in both of these games.
Seabrook made an ass of himself bitching about the non-call on the icing play vs TOR.  He's got to be less casual than that and had no one to blame but himself.
Glass was a bit lucky that Van Riemsdyk bowled him over and The Leafs' apparent goal called back, 'cos interference or not, he wasn't making that save.
Let's face it, Jordan Oesterle has no business being on the PK unit - he's just not that good defensively and lacks the strength to handle any opposing forward who chooses to camp out in front of The Hawks' net.  I like the rest of his game but he's often a mess around his own net.
Similarly, as dramatic as his first game in almost two years was, Erik Gustafsson has otherwise been pretty bad; decent enough offensive instincts but a disaster in The Hawks' zone.

The Hawks are now "only" four points out of a playoff berth but have four teams to catch and pass.  Corey Crawford has apparently been sighted around The United Center so maybe, just maybe, The Hawks might have a shot at this thing.