Blackhawks coach Bob Murdoch picked up a penny as he walked into the Arena before Wednesday night`s game against the St. Louis Blues.
”I found a lucky penny, a lucky penny,” Murdoch said.
If it was a lucky penny, Murdoch better not pick up any dimes or quarters. The Hawks would really be in trouble then.
”We`re as low as we could possibly go,” Murdoch said a few hours later after a 5-1 loss, the Hawks` fourth straight defeat and their ninth straight on the road. They`re 0-11-1 in their last 12 games away from home.
The fifth game of the six-game trip is Friday against Detroit. The Hawks` last road victory was Oct. 21 against the Red Wings. Remember that? Probably not.
The Hawks seemed to have a chance to get at least a tie Wednesday night when Steve Larmer`s power-play goal cut the Blues` lead to 3-1 early in the third period.
But the Hawks didn`t play smart, a problem that has plagued them often recently. Minor penalties to rookie wing Dan Vincelette and defenseman Gary Nylund led to two power-play goals by defenseman Rob Ramage.
”We`re like bulls in a china shop,” Murdoch said. ”We`re skating around with no direction.”
The frustration of the losing streak got to right wing Rick Vaive near the end of the game. Vaive jawed with referee Denis Morel after Vaive chased defenseman Charlie Bourgeois in the corner. Bourgeois used his stick to hit Vaive near the back of his head early in the second period.
”After that happened, I got frustrated,” Vaive said. ”I lost my cool. At the end, I let myself get out of control.”
”Rick Vaive is frustrated,” Murdoch said. ”He`s running around chasing the referee instead of concentrating on playing. That`s happening to a number of guys.”
Center Troy Murray and Vaive were on the ice for the Blues` first three goals. Murray took the blame for the first goal, scored by Mark Hunter three minutes into the game.
”We`re supposed to dump the puck in and forecheck,” Murray said. ”The first time I have the puck, I lose it at the blue line, and they go down and score. I was on the ice for the first three goals, and I`m supposed to be the best defensive centerman on the team. I`ve got the worst plus-minus
(rating).”
Consistent and physical forechecking has been lacking lately. It led to 95 shots against the Hawks in losses to Edmonton Friday and Calgary Monday.
In an effort to get more physical, the Hawks called up left wing Dave Mackey Wednesday from their International Hockey League farm club in Saginaw, Mich.
St. Louis led 2-0 after the first period, and Mackey`s inexperience contributed to one of the goals.
Center Bernie Federko brought the puck down the right side and into the corner. He passed to Hunter in the slot, just outside the circle. Doug Wilson had chased Federko into the corner and Mackey left Hunter uncovered in front of the net.
The Blues went ahead 2-0 on Ron Flockhart`s goal. Goaltender Bob Mason stopped a shot by defenseman Brian Benning from the left circle, but the puck went out to the slot. Hawk defenseman Dave Manson was too close to the net to get to Flockhart, who scored without a challenge.
”We`re making a lot of mistakes right now,” Murdoch said. ”We`ve broken down as a team.”
The Hawks have had less than 30 shots on goal in each of the last three games. And they have allowed 136 shots in those games, an average of 45 a game.
”We`re starting to chase the puck,” Murdoch said. ”We`re starting to do things we didn`t do before.”
Left wing Steve Thomas was out of the lineup again Wednesday with what assistant coach Wayne Thomas said was a sore stomach muscle. Thomas missed 11 games early in the season because of a pulled abdominal muscle.
Thomas played in Monday`s 4-0 loss to Calgary, his first outing after missing nine games because of a groin pull.
”It`s a day-to-day thing, but it will be more than one day,” said Wayne Thomas.
Right wing Duane Sutter missed his second straight game. He played Friday after being sidelined for 13 games following knee surgery, but strained the knee in practice Saturday and didn`t play Monday.
Sutter hasn`t skated since, but he may play again Friday.
Maybe the rest of the team will, too.
