This morning, some of Cristobal Huet's most ardent bashers are expressing pity for him on various internet message boards.
As they should. The Man from France rebounded with an outstanding game yesterday, one that he was more than good enough to win against a good team on the road, only to see his team implode in front of him in the final five minutes.
The larger hockey world claims the Blackhawks' Achilles Heel is their goaltending. And while recently I had begun to fall into that camp, yesterday's result (not to mention most games going back to the long 8-game road trip before the Olympic break) slapped me back to reality.
The Hawks Achilles' Heel lies not between the pipes, nor between their calf muscle and their feet, but between their ears.
Go back to last season's playoffs. Was the goaltending the problem, even in the 2 1/3 games Huet played?
No, not really. The problem was overhandling the puck, pinching at the wrong times, ill-advised cross-ice passes and coverage breakdowns all over the ice.
Now fast forward to yesterday's game and what happened in the last five minutes of the game.
Right.
Up 2-1 on the road with 5 minutes left, you shouldn't go into a shell, but you also shouldn't be pressuring and pinching as though you're down a goal.
Tied at 2-2, same thing. Go for the road point and a shot to win in OT, where your team is 6-0 this season.
Some fans are blaming Joel Quenneville and his staff this morning for this. I'll repeat what I've said in the past: is it that the message isn't being spoken, or not heard? I honestly don't know the answer. Sometimes, when I watch Kris Versteeg and Patrick Kane play, I wonder.
Brent Seabrook took a mental vacation yesterday. His body doesn't look tired, but his mind does.
But it's the same question I was asking last May, as the Hawks lost 4-1 in the WCF to Detroit. Will I be asking it again this May?
In truth, this is a game no Hawk or Hawk fan should have taken for granted. But it's a shame that the great efforts of Huet, and in particular the Hossa/Brouwer/Bolland line have to go to waste.
And that said, call me Mr. Silver Lining, but maybe Scotty Bowman was right, and honest, when he laughed off all the goalie trade rumors before the deadline.
If Huet plays like he did yesterday (which he can for long stretches), and/or Antti Niemi plays at the top of his game, the Blackhawks are more than fine in net.
Mark my words, it's the team in front of them that will determine how far this club goes in the playoffs.
Niemi will get his shot at 12:30 Eastern on national tv, at a packed and likely angry UC.
Tests don't come much bigger than this one.
Thanks for reading,
JJ
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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