The calendar rolling to November has been precisely what the Blackhawks have been waiting for.

First, they won against a division opponent in a shootout, on the road, and captain Jonathan Toews got the game-winning goal.

Two days later the young squad scored four times in the third period to support another stellar outing by veteran goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin.

Andrew Ladd and his third linemates made a significant impact on a game for the first time this year, and Patrick Sharp continues to provide veteran leadership by scoring two goals and assisting on a third.

The Hawks move their overall record to 6-3-3 and continue to score points in nearly every game. They are in second place behind only hated rival Detroit in the Central Division.

Now the Hawks get almost a full week off to rest their legs, learn more from new coach Joel Quenneville, and reflect on a rough first month while looking forward to growing team chemistry in the months to come.

As I said in a previous article, November will be the Hawks' moment of truth.

There are five consecutive home games against good teams before the dreaded Circus Trip takes them on the road until December.

So far, the Blackhawks are passing the test.

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