Zawaski: All Of A Sudden, Blackhawks Showing Life
By Jay Zawaski--
Yes, it's modest, but the 'Hawks will take any winning streak they can get. With their 3-0 win in Nashville last night, the 'Hawks won their third game in a row, and moved into 7th place and the playoff picture, with 70 points.
Baby steps.
While three games in a row is nothing to write home about, two of those wins came against teams that have been thorns in their sides all season. The St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators both play a similar style of hockey. Take the body, plug up the neutral zone, and keep the opponent on the outside. This is EXACTLY how you beat the Blackhawks, but not recently.
After an embarrassing 1st period performance in St. Louis Monday, Jonathan Toews lit up his teammates, and it has worked. Since then, seemingly every Blackhawk's light bulb has gone on. They are playing with a commitment and intensity that hasn't been there all season. Players like Viktor Stalberg are taking the body. Skill players like Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane are dumping and chasing when the moment calls for it, rather than trying to create something out of nothing, and Corey Crawford has been outstanding in this stretch.
All season long, 'Hawk fans and media have wondered, "When is the run coming?" Up to now, the 'Hawks have shown little to indicate they're capable of a long winning streak, but with opponents like Phoenix, Minnesota, and Calgary on the horizon, there is no better time. Phoenix holds the 4 seed with 75 points, Minnesota and the 'Hawks have identical records, and the Flames are tied with the 'Hawks in points, but have one less win and one more game played. Five teams in the Western Conference have 70 points, and the number 4 seed and the number 10 seed are separated by 5 points. Needless to say, these next few games loom large for the Blackhawks' playoff chances.
