Blackhawks-Red Wings: Hossa, Hudler Knock Off the Hawks 5-4

"Huet did his best impression of Superman deflecting bullets, spraying rebounds all over the front of the crease, and the Kings made him pay."

"The difference between the two goalies the Hawks are reliant upon for success this season is simple: Huet is like Superman deflecting bullets, and Khabibulin is like Bruce Banner absorbing gamma radiation." -Chicago Blackhawks Road Trip Ruminations: Circus Trip Edition, Dec. 2

You could change one letter in the above statement (the K to a W in Kings) and it is eerily accurate to what we witnessed from the Chicago Blackhawks tonight against the Detroit Red Wings.

The game was effectively a microcosm of the way things have been going for Cristobal Huet in his time as the Blackhawks starter.

Rough start, solid middle section, and inevitably the team falters in the end. Jonathan Toews played well in the game, but once again the team was done in by ill-timed penalties and shoddy goaltending by the offseason acquisition.

The other free agent pickup actually showed some impressive prowess tonight. Brian Campbell showed that he can not only skate like a master, but also show some physical might as well. He delivered a couple of fearsome body checks and also kept the aggressive Red Wings from poke checking the puck from him.

Another player who showed his worth was Patrick Sharp. In the first period, with his team down 2-0, he made sure that the team capitalized on the powerplay. He parked his keester in front of the goal, got the puck hit straight to his tape, and he tickled the twine in the back of the net.

Now, on to the bad stuff.

I hate sounding like a broken record, but once again, I feel like the Blackhawks got too comfortable with a two-goal lead against one of the best teams in the NHL, and they paid the price.

There is a certain edge that a team gets when they are feeling at-risk while they're playing a tough road game. Once you lose that edge, it is hard to get it back. The Blackhawks were guilty of losing that edge in both meetings with the Red Wings.

Their other problem with being satisfied with a two-goal lead is how quickly it can turn around. You saw it tonight. The Red Wings scored one goal, cutting the lead to 4-3, and the Hawks immediately rocked back on their heels and started to play scared hockey. It was very disconcerting to see, and I hope that the Blackhawks will learn their lesson from this.

We cannot continue to be satisfied with a one or two-goal lead. Yes, the one point is great, but the way the team plays when they get the lead over an opponent on the road is not something that you want to make a habit of, especially when you have as young a team as the Hawks.

I'm sorry for editorializing this, but I want to make this point perfectly clear: The Hawks need to develop a step-on-the-throat mentality, or they are going to go nowhere come playoff time. The fortunate thing for them is that they still have four and a half months to hone this mentality, and I think that they can.

The Blackhawks' next game will be tomorrow night against the Phoenix Coyotes at 6 PM.

There are also a plethora of appearances and autograph signings that are coming up on Dec. 13. 

First off, Bobby Hull will be signing copies of the new book One Goal: Chicago's Resurgent Blackhawks at the Border's in Oak Brook, IL. This event will take place between 2-3:30 PM.

Second, at HawkQuarters in Chicago, Brian Campbell and Kris Versteeg will be signing autographs from 2-4 PM. Last year's event featuring Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews drew thousands of fans, so arrive early.

Lastly, Patrick Sharp will be signing autographs at the Grant's Appliances in Aurora, IL. Limit one autograph per person.

If you go to any of these events (I'm going to the HawkQuarters signing), make sure to thank the players for coming out. They will likely be tired from their trip back from Denver from the previous night's game, and I'm sure they'd appreciate your support.

Check out Jim's Blackhawks Blog at http://committedtotheindian.blogspot.com