Blackhawks coach Alpo Suhonen went into the softest week of the season in a wary state of mind.
Sunday night’s victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning was the first of three straight games with members of the lower echelon in the National Hockey League’s standings.
The Lightning took the United Center ice in 27th place in the 30-team league and, after a giving the Hawks some static in the first period, was routed 7-4 for its fourth straight loss.
The 24th-place Hawks will hit the road for their next two games, visiting the last-place New York Islanders on Tuesday and 26th-place Columbus on Friday.
Playing their best hockey of the season, compiling a 6-2-1 record in a 22-night span, the Hawks appear on the verge of putting some distance between themselves and the sleazy section of the standings.
But two games last week prompted Suhonen to wave the caution flag. New Year’s Eve in Carolina and at home Friday night against slumping Edmonton, the Hawks seemed on the brink of overwhelming their opponent in the first period, then faltered and lost 2-1.
“We’re in better shape than we were at the start of the season and our skills are better, but we are not in a situation to take the hardest step to be successful,” said Suhonen. “We haven’t learned to play every day under pressure rather than winning or losing.
“It’s not skill or being in condition. It’s being able to force things to go your way.”
Dean’s list: After losing his job on the second line to Eric Daze and sitting out two games, Dean McAmmond was back in the lineup on the fourth line Sunday and scored the Hawks’ first goal.
McAmmond said he was comfortable with new linemates Steve Dubinsky and Jean-Yves Leroux. “They’re very disciplined players and they work hard defensively,” he said. “The only difference in my game was when I got the puck. I skated with it a little bit more than when I was with Michael [Nylander] and Steve [Sullivan].”
Coming and going: Defenseman Steve McCarthy, captain of the Canadian team that finished third in the world junior championships in Moscow, said he anticipates being sent to the Hawks’ farm team in Norfolk on Monday. McCarthy returned from the tournament Saturday and was at Sunday’s game.
“He may be caught in limbo–too good for juniors and not quite good enough for here,” said General Manager Mike Smith.
NHL rules limit the rookie’s stint in Norfolk to two weeks. Then he must either rejoin the Hawks or go back to his junior team, Kootenay of the Western Junior Hockey League.
Defensemen Steve Poapst and Nolan Baumgartner were sent to Norfolk on Sunday.
After missing 12 of the previous 13 games because of a Dec. 3 knee injury and Dec. 20 surgery, defenseman Alexander Karpovtsev was back. But he had to leave for the dressing room late in the game when his hand was cut by a skate.
Center Alex Zhamnov was suffering from back spasms after being hit from behind in the third period.
