The Blackhawks’ power play seems to be coming back, which means Gary Suter is too.
After a dreadful 1996-97 season, in which Suter tallied just 28 points, the Hawks defenseman is on a roll on this six-game trip that winds up Saturday night in Ottawa. He scored a short-handed goal in Thursday night’s 2-2 tie with Calgary, giving him three goals and three assists in the last five games. Four of the points have come on a rejuvenated power play, which was stopped Thursday for the first time in five games.
“The power play is starting to work, and generally most of my numbers over the years have come on the power play,” said Suter. “When the power play struggles, my numbers are going to be down.”
Suter was never more down than last season, but from the get-go this year “I think he’s been pretty solid,” said coach Craig Hartsburg. “He’s back to where he was two years ago.”
Two years ago, Suter scored 20 goals and added 47 assists. He was the first Hawks defenseman to score 20 goals since Doug Wilson in 1989-90.
“I feel a lot better this year,” he admitted. “A big part of my game is confidence, and right now I’m playing with a lot of confidence.”
A perfect example of that confidence was jumping up on the play in which he scored Thursday.
“No, that was an example of a great pass,” Suter said, complimenting teammate James Black. “Geepers, that probably was the best pass I’ve gotten in my career.”
Black faked a slap shot, then slip a sweet pass to Suter, who hit the open net.
“I, along with 20,000 other people, thought it was a shot on net,” said Suter. “I was just going to the net for a rebound and (the puck) wound up on my stick. It was an unbelievable pass.”
And an unbelievable comeback by Suter.
Numbers game: The Hawks are assured of at least a .500 trip as they improved to 2-1-2. . . . Thursday marked Calgary’s 10th overtime game this season. The Flames are 1-2-7 in those games. . . . The Hawks are 8-2-2 in their last 12 games at Calgary. . . . Black, who scored a third-period goal, has four goals in the last six games. . . . Jeff Shantz has seven points in the last seven games.
Fightin’ words: In Thursday’s Globe and Mail, Toronto Maple Leafs President Ken Dryden said he intends to start lobbying for fighting to be abolished in the NHL. He said he believes any player who fights should be ejected from the game.
His ideas will likely meet strong resistance, not only from the league, but also many of its players.
“It’s part of the entertainment,” said Hawks defenseman Cam Russell. “Plus, it’s controlled. You have two linesmen waiting to jump in. You have a rare case where somebody does get hurt, but people get hurt a lot more by getting hit by pucks and sticks.
“It would make it a whole different game. Intensity and intimidation play a big part in this game.”
