Christmas came at just the right time for the Blackhawks. If there ever was a team that needed to get away from the job, it’s this one.
A week that began with optimism quickly was overcome with frustration after three straight losses at home.
While they didn’t play well enough against Dallas and Nashville, the Hawks believed they should have come away from Friday night’s 3-2 overtime loss to Detroit with more than just a point.
“We had the game in hand, and it never should have gotten [to overtime],” Hawks coach Trent Yawney said. “We were in total control and just didn’t get it done.”
The Red Wings, once again showing their tenacity, scored twice in the final 39 seconds to turn a potential 2-0 Hawks victory into a 2-2 overtime game. Then Pavel Datsyuk scored a controversial game-winner just as time expired.
The goal originally was waved off, with the on-ice officials ruling time had expired before the puck crossed the goal line.
League officials, who monitor all televised games in Toronto, reviewed the play and overturned the call.
“Obviously, the call was not made by the referees on the ice,” Yawney said. “[The referee] initially waved it off because the green [goal] light went on. Then he went and checked with the people who weren’t involved in the game, and they ruled it a goal.”
Another sore spot for the Hawks was that Datsyuk’s goal came on a power play. Duncan Keith was in the penalty box for tripping Brett Lebda.
Keith had his stick between Lebda’s legs, and as Lebda tried to elude Keith, he went airborne and spun to the ice.
The Hawks believed Lebda should have been given a diving penalty for embellishing the play.
“Obviously, he’s going to try and draw a penalty like that, and obviously it worked for him,” Keith said. “In my opinion it was either no penalty or give one to each of us, one for diving and one for me.”
The Red Wings had six power plays in the game, scoring on just the last one, to three for the Hawks.
That was the 29th time in 34 games the Hawks have had fewer power plays than their opponent.
“I expect the worst every game … in the outcome of the penalties,” Yawney said. “I don’t prepare for our team to be on the upper end of power plays.”
The Hawks have been short-handed an NHL-high 268 times this season, 21 more than the next-highest team, Columbus. They’ve had 199 power plays, just 27th in the league.
“We’ve made that bed for ourselves at the start of the year,” Yawney said.
Still, the Hawks had a two-goal lead with 39 seconds left in regulation and couldn’t close the deal.
That illustrates why the Red Wings will contend for the Stanley Cup while the Hawks are on pace to miss the postseason.
“It’s probably good for the guys to get away from the rink for a bit and come back fresh,” Yawney said. “We’re going to have to climb in a hurry, and we need everybody to do it.”
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rfoltman@tribune.com
