This Blackhawks phenomenon of falling behind early — there has to be a better way to live.
It’s like paying the bills with credit cards, isn’t it? It’s eventually going to catch up with you. And the next thing you know, you’re eating ramen noodles for dinner every night.
The Hawks lost 3-1 to Vancouver on Tuesday night at the United Center when they couldn’t muster much in the way of a comeback. It left a predictable bland taste in their mouths.
Midway through the second period, they were staring at a three-goal deficit in Game 3 of this Western Conference semifinal, and although they had every right to believe they would come back, they had to know the law of averages sooner or later would lay down the law.
Didn’t they?
Or are these young Blackhawks, who don’t seem to know better, immune to what we shall call “common sense?” Maybe they think a big deficit early is nothing more than a challenge. Maybe they need to be behind to start a game the way some people need a cup of coffee first thing in the morning.
It needs to stop. The Canucks own a 2-1 lead in this series, and if the Hawks want to hang around, they better come out firing Thursday night in Game 4.
“One Goal” is the Blackhawks’ slogan. It might as well be a plea. Just score a goal in the first period. Please. But, true to form, the Hawks were down 1-0 after one Tuesday night. In the first three games against the Canucks, the Hawks have been outscored 4-0 in the opening period.
Yes, the Hawks do seem to play better from behind. It makes them skate harder, and their speed tends to come to the forefront. And as you might recall, Calgary outscored the Hawks 5-2 in the first period in Games 1-4 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series, and it didn’t do a whole lot for the Flames.
But the Hawks’ approach can’t do a whole lot for the digestion of their general manager, coach and fans. Vancouver took a 1-0 lead Tuesday when Ryan Kesler dropped a beautiful pass into the slot for Mason Raymond, who dumped a shot past a diving Nikolai Khabibulin, who had no chance.
As for scoring chances, there weren’t a whole lot of those in the first period either. How about we just drop the first period and get on with it? Give the opponent a one- or two-goal lead, and make it a 40-minute game. Have the fans roar over Jim Cornelison’s rendition of the national anthem to start the second period, which would be the first period, if you’re with me. It would save on having to sit through a lot of TV commercials.
This game started off as a chippy affair, with lots of pushing and shoving after the whistle. The Hawks were called for three minors in the first, but the Canucks couldn’t do anything with the opportunities. Well, at least not until the second, when they took advantage of Patrick Kane’s first-period hooking penalty to score their second goal, a Steve Bernier rebound one minute into the second.
It was the Vancouver players who were clustering in front of the Hawks’ net, not the other way around as had been the case in Game 2.
The Canucks made it 3-0 when the teams were each down a man. This time Henrik Sedin got a stick on the puck and pushed it between Khabibulin’s pads. It seemed to slide in slow motion.
It wasn’t until midway through the second period — and perhaps you’ve heard this story before — that the Blackhawks finally got on the board. With Dustin Byfuglien trying to make life difficult in front of the net for Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo, Brian Campbell wound up and fired from inside the blue line. The power-play goal made it 3-1.
All the things the Hawks had been able to take advantage of in Game 2 were slow to rev up in Game 3. The Canucks were able to neutralize the Chicago speed advantage. And, at least through two periods, the Hawks weren’t able to get to Luongo the way they had in Saturday’s victory.
Part of that came from the Canucks’ ability Tuesday to take away the long pass from the Blackhawks. It’s a weapon that, if it’s functioning, lets the Hawks take full advantage of their superior speed.
“The home run pass is a read-and-react situation,” Campbell told NHL.com. “Whenever I skate back for the puck, I’m looking over my shoulder and reading and reacting to make a play I feel fit. It’s all about talking with your partner. We watch video, but that only goes so far.”
Talking with your partner, watching video … what are we talking about here?
Anyway, the Hawks weren’t able to stretch the ice in the first two periods. Hard to catch up when you can’t skate ahead.
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rmorrissey@tribune.com
