Last night at the United Center, the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-2.
By all expectations, Chicago should have won. But they were also outshot 37-32.
Getting outshot is something that has happened to the Blackhawks a lot this season. And it's not something that has happened historically with has been one of the league's premier possession teams for several seasons.
When you're a team like the Hawks, and you get outshot on home ice in February by a rebuilding team like the Leafs, you should still win.
When the same happens in May and June versus Anaheim, Dallas or the Kings, you can possibly expect a different outcome.
To my eye, what it comes down to is offensive zone possession time. For long stretches of the last few games, opponents, including the Leafs have maintained lengthy zone time and generated a lot of shots in doing so. Fortunately for Chicago, they have a pretty stellar goaltending tandem in Corey Crawford, who's been lights out for the better part of the last two seasons and last night's hero, Scott Darling. And that will often carry Chicago through danger.
That said, again, give those chances to the Corey Perrys, Jamie Benns and Jeff Carters of the world night after night and you will eventually pay. And perhaps dearly.
For me, the love affair with the likes of Richard Panik and Jiri Sekac is over. They both look great, at their respective sizes, flying up and down the wing. Neither is making much of a difference on the puck or without the puck.
Leaving Teuvo Teravainen out of it would be a mistake as well. For all his flash, and he did get a goal last night with aloof open ice, which is great, but he's not exactly winning a lot of pucks out there either.
Conversely, no one gets real excited about Andrew Desjardins or Marcus Kruger, the bloom has even come off Philip Danault's rose a bit, but they are all competitive difference makers on the puck, maintaining possession, and without the puck, changing possession.
And some of it is just a lot of new faces in new places night after night as the coaching staff tries to work through injuries, salary cap depletion and a dearth of top 6 left wings.
The good news? The Hawks are well situated points-wise for the playoffs, for the time being. And they won last night. And, although sloppy, it was an entertaining game.
The not so good news, they're still not really at top form, or at least not with the consistency and characteristics you expect from this team.
Personally I think they will get a healthy, ready Kruger back around April 5 or so. And a rested Marian Hossa in in 10-20 days. Also very good news in term sod players who make the difference over 200 feet.
The question remains open as to whether GM Stan Bowman will add beyond that.
"Multiple" scouts on hand last night at the UC "from NJ, Carolina, Montreal, Calgary." Per a source. More as I hear it,
JJ
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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