NHL: 5 Chicago Blackhawks Losses for the Jonathan Toews' Re-Do Button
Jonathan Toews was able to get himself a re-do at Saturday's All-Star Game's Accuracy Competition.
If only the Chicago Blackhawks captain could go back and reset some of his team's disappointing efforts this season.
Toews, who apparently did not hear the whistle that started his matchup with Hawks teammate Patrick Sharp, was afforded another chance. The result was a win in the rematch with Sharpie.
With the Blackhawks fighting for their playoff lives right now in the Western Conference, it is easy to go back and lament the games that got away. You could look at many of the games the Blackhawks dropped after being tied going into the third period or weak efforts on home ice. Where would the Blackhawks be if they could have picked up two points in just a handful of those games?
I know, I know...live in the now. Well, the now starts Tuesday in Columbus.
Until then, here are five losses that are ready-made for the re-do button.
October 23, 2010: Columbus 3, Blackhawks 2
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Chicago scored two first period goals and looked to be cruising to victory late in the second period. A Derick Brassard goal with 36 seconds left, coupled with a Troy Brouwer boarding major, led to a total shift of momentum.
Columbus out-shot the Hawks 20-8 in the third period as they dropped their second game in as many nights. It was also a sign that nights like October 13, when Chicago blew a 2-1 third period lead to Nashville at the United Center, would be more than bumps on the schedule.
November 3, 2010: New Jersey 2, Blackhawks 1
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The Devils limped into Chicago with just six goals scored over the course of a 1-4 road trip. They were playing without a host of starters in this last game of the road trip, including Zach Parise. Jersey also lost goalie Martin Brodeur in the second period. All ingredients for the Blackhawks to get well, right?
Wrong.
Chicago went down 2-0 before rallying to tie the game at two on Fernando Pisani's power-play goal. However, the Devils took the lead late and sandwiched a pair of empty-netters around a late Viktor Stalberg goal.
The loss was the Blackhawks' third in four games, and dropped them to 4-5 on home ice. Chicago would not get back to .500 at home until December 8.
November 7, 2010: Edmonton 2, Blackhawks 1
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After Edmonton had come into the United Center and embarrassed the Hawks 7-4 eight days before, there seemed to be a reason for Chicago to come out and play hard. Instead, the Blackhawks suffered another third period collapse.
In the span of 14 seconds, the Oilers scored the tying and winning goals. The latter came on a tip-in after Sam Gagner got behind the Hawks defense.
Despite a couple of excellent scoring chances in the game's last ten minutes, Chicago could not knock a puck past former Hawks net minder Nikolai Khabibulin.
This game saw the Blackhawks in the middle of their worst stretch of the season. The third period loss had become an all too familiar theme. The Hawks would lose their next two games by the same one goal margin.
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December 15, 2010: Colorado 4, Blackhawks 3
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After dropping a 7-5 decision in Denver the previous night, the Hawks definitely had something to prove.
What they proved was that Chicago could still be had in the third period.
Bryan Bickell tied the game 1-1 at the end of the second period and the Hawks appeared to have some momentum after out-shooting the Avalanche 30-12 in the first forty minutes. As has been the case throughout the season, a quick turn of fortune doomed the Blackhawks.
Jordan Hendry was whistled for a highly questionable double-minor for a high stick. Tomas Fleischmann converted on both resulting powerplays to give Colorado the lead. He completed a hat trick later in the period.
I won't go into detail about Jordan Hendry playing second line minutes on the wing or the fact that Ryan O'Byrne should have been assessed five minutes for the blatant boarding of Stalberg. The bottom line is the Hawks once again lost a game for which they had ample reason to play hard. And they lost it in the last 20 minutes.
January 25, 2011: Minnesota 4, Blackhaws 2
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The freshest wounds hurt the most.
The Hawks looked good at home against a conference opponent competing with them for a playoff spot. For about 20 minutes.
Despite whiffing on several wide-open scoring chances, Chicago still took a 2-1 lead into the second. Minnesota responded with three unanswered goals in the last 40 minutes of the game. The Blackhawks out-shot the visitors 21-14 over that span but could not find the net, while rookie goal tender Corey Crawford had an off night.
This was a tough loss because the Hawks have lacked momentum this year and blew a chance to come into the All-Star break on the upswing. Instead of putting more distance between them and the Wild, the Blackhawks continue to tread water in a pack of teams separated by five points between spots 6-12.
Would the playoff picture look a bit different if it was as simple as hitting "Re-Do?"
If the Hawks win the preceding five games, most definitely.
These games are in the past, of course. Any amount of wishing or grumbling isn't going to change that. I just feel that these are the most glaring of the games that got away from the Blackhawks this season.
I'd be interested to hear about what other losses you think may haunt the Hawks come spring. Unfortunately for Hawks fans, there seems to be a lot from which to choose.
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