Remember The Boos.
That is the only roar you hear these dog days of winter on West Madison Street, a famous madhouse where the accent suddenly falls on the first syllable in a new manner.
One fan was so irate at watching the Blackhawks go blank in a 4-0 loss to the Boston Bruins Sunday afternoon that he sacrificed his Bobby Hull jersey, about a $200 donation. He tossed it over the glass and onto the ice in the closing stages as if tearing up his membership card before stalking down the exit ramp.
The Hawks are quite familiar with losing their shirts in the Stadium this season. In the building’s final year, their contribution to history may be unique only for raising the few ghosts of great failures from the past.
Only six times since 1961, the last year the Hawks won the Stanley Cup, has the organization failed to win 20 games at home. But that seems a distinct possibility this season. They’re 15-12-3 at home with 11 games remaining in the Stadium and one neutral-site “home” game in Phoenix.
The Hawks haven’t beaten a team with a winning record at home since Dec. 27 against Toronto. They’ve gone 0-6-1 since then against clubs over .500, this latest lethargic effort against the Bruins following losses against tough competition such as Detroit, the New York Rangers, Vancouver, Buffalo and Dallas and a tie with New Jersey.
“Boston had more people willing to punch the ticket and come to work than we did,” Rich Sutter said. “It shouldn’t be that difficult to be ready to play at home.
“This time of year, mental approach is the most important thing. So there should be no excuses about fatigue.”
With the exception of two games against the Los Angeles Kings, the Hawks will face only teams who currently have winning records in their remaining home games: Calgary, Vancouver, St. Louis, Montreal, Detroit, Washington and Toronto.
Are there five more victories from this mix for the Hawks to save face?
“That will be a good test for us,” defenseman Chris Chelios said. “Obviously, we have to get a lot better. I was terrible today. I can’t play just good or average.”
Within that last statement lies the Hawks’ Achilles’ heel. If Chelios and center Jeremy Roenick are less than great, there isn’t enough defense or offense to make a difference most of the time.
“There may have been a fatigue impact with Chelios and Roenick today,” coach Darryl Sutter said in reference to the pair’s strong performances in victories Thursday against Winnipeg and Friday in Buffalo. “But we still have to find a way to win.”
Viewing the Stanley Cup playoffs from here, 21 games away, you have to figure the Hawks are shaping up as a first- or second-round victim. All they have on their side at the moment is the element of surprise against an overconfident foe.
Fans in the stands handled tougher shots from the ice on stray pucks than Bruins goalie Jon Casey did against shots that were supposed to have a purpose. He saw 20 shots in all, but maybe three or four decent scoring chances, as his unbeaten streak stretched to 11 (9-0-2).
“As good as our power play has been lately,” Darryl Sutter said after its 0-for-5 display, “it was horrendous today. When they scored an early shorthanded goal, it made it tough on us.”
Bob Sweeney helped make the play at the Hawks’ net that resulted at the opposite end in Sweeney scoring the shorthander on a fancy swivel pass from Dave Reid. When Roenick lost control of the puck behind his own net a short time later, a pass out to Jozef Stumpel allowed Stumpel to build a 2-0 first-period lead that had Boston home free.
The Bruins returned home after this game with a 5-1-1 mark from their seven-game trip. Cam Neely scored a goal in each of the last two periods to improve his season total to 46 and keep chasing MVP honors this season in the NHL.
Ray Bourque did nothing to detract, either, from speculation he will succeed Chelios as Norris Trophy winner.
“I would have voted for Bourque last year, too,” Chelios said. “He’s been the best defenseman in the league every year since I’ve been playing.”
Fans are giving away jerseys. Chelios is conceding his Norris Trophy. This season may finish in an endless series of handouts.
