Coach Joel Quenneville was frustrated enough at what the Chicago Blackhawks didn't get against the Colorado Avalanche. But he saved his real anger for what they allowed.
Gabriel Landeskog scored with less than two minutes remaining in regulation and the Blackhawks' poor defense against that and three other goals cost them in a 5-4 shootout loss to Colorado on Saturday night.
The Blackhawks went up 4-3 on Marian Hossa's goal with 5:27 remaining in regulation before Landeskog's tying goal. They had a 4-on-3 power play in overtime and the shootout to still salvage a victory but came up empty in both.
But the lack of defense was what ate at Quenneville.
"We gave them four goals. All four are cardinal sins on how we defend situational plays," said Quenneville, whose frustration peaked with the Avalanche's fourth goal. "You could say one was worse than the other and it got progressively worse for me. Bad bounce (on the fourth goal)? No, bad play by us."
Joakim Lindstrom was the lone player to connect in the shootout; Lindstrom did a double fake before beating Corey Crawford with a wrister. Michael Frolik, Jonathan Toews and Jamal Mayers also scored for the Blackhawks. Duncan Keith had two assists. Paul Stastny and David Jones also scored for the Avlanche.
Landeskog was by himself for the tying goal after several Blackhawks focused on Avalanche center Ryan O'Reilly, who fed Landeskog from the left-side boards. For a team that prides itself on a defense -- and that defense has been pretty solid otherwise this season -- Saturday was disappointing.
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"Every goal was directly our responsibility," Quenneville said. "We know how to play those situations. We can't serve them up like we did tonight."
The Blackhawks nevertheless had a chance in overtime when they had nearly two minutes of a 4-on-3 power play. They came up empty.
And the shootout also remained anemic, as Viktor Stalberg, Patrick Kane and Toews failed to get one past Colorado goaltender Semyon Varlamov. The Blackhawks have yet to connect on it this season (0 for 6 shots).
"We've got to be better at that, too," Kane said. "Obviously you're not going to score if you're 0 for 3 and you give three of their best shooters a chance. It's something we've got to be better at."
Quenneville said he didn't like the Blackhawks' approach on the shootout and that they "have to do something different" to get it going.
"These guys know those situations and how they see it and feel it," Quenneville said. "Whatever thought process you have, sometimes you may be able to be flexible."
Regardless of the disappointing ending, the Blackhawks are still collecting points. They've gotten at least one in six of their first seven games -- the season opener in Dallas is their only regulation loss. The Blackhawks got away from their sound defense on Saturday night. They'll be looking to get it back quick.
"Obviously you want to keep that (late) lead but bounces happen sometime," Stalberg said. "They ended up with a fluke breakaway, I thought, but we should not let that happen, for sure."
Briefly
Patrick Sharp played in his 500th NHL game on Saturday; he also recorded his team-high fifth assist, on Hossa's goal.
Hossa has now scored a goal in each of his last four games. Toews has a goal in each of his last three games.