Turning Things Around: ‘Anything Little, it's Huge..'

Share

The Blackhawks were already in the process of taking the proper steps to get out of their losing streak. But as you and I and everyone else watched last Tuesday night, there was one final punch in the gut in Nashville. They had, by and large, played the type of road game needed against the type of opponent they were facing. Six minutes away from earning at least one point against one of the teams in front of them, Ryan Ellis' slap shot from the point got just enough of Duncan Keith's stick to re-direct the puck past Ray Emery.

"I thought Nashville was the kind of game that was a brutal ending. It was almost like, eventually, this has got to go in our favor. We got a great start in New York where maybe rock-bottom was Nashville coming out of it," said Joel Quenneville Sunday afternoon. "We thought the guys tried to view the next game in a positive fashion and brought energy to it, despite the frustration and the emotions of going through that stretch. We were all in the same place."

What happened next was the three-goal outburst in the first four minutes at Madison Square Garden that could potentially be the difference between this team struggling to make the playoffs these final seven weeks, or solidifying its case in, and perhaps climbing up the Western Conference playoff chase.

But as highlight-reel-worthy the three-in-four was, the Hawks have been talking all season about how they need to tighten up at the opposite end of the ice. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes six, seven straight bitter pills before a team seriously rolls up its sleeves and gets to work in true Chicago style.

"The 'details' part of our game has been enhanced through the recent stretch. I always think there's enough offense in our group," Quenneville continued after his team's third win in four days. "It's there, but it's the other end where we can be better, and I see signs that everybody's committed."

Sunday showed it's still a work in progress, they just didn't get burned by it. The Hawks' nine giveaways on the stat sheet surpassed their total from the three previous games combined. That will definitely need to tighten up again when Detroit comes knocking Tuesday night, but there's a greater awareness now.

"I think that tough streak just taught us a lesson that we can't take things for granted."

That's Dave Bolland, who's a plus-4 the last two games after being a minus-7 the previous eight.

"One little mistake, one little break, a turnover," he said, and here's the classic line from The RatGreyhound for its juxtaposition of words regarding the sanctity of puck possession and awareness:

"Anything little, it's huge," Bolland said, without thinking twice. "A team will pounce on that. I think we've been doing a good job of doing the right things and keeping it simple."

Added Quenneville: "Defensively, we've been more aware, better in areas starting in the offensive zone with commitment to our position - not only on the offnsive side of pucks. I thought our defense played very well the last three games, and 'Crow's' been rock-solid in net. You know, playing the score, playing the time in the game, and then staying with it."

Contact Us