Turnaround or Mirage?

The Week Was

Your Chicago Blackhawks entered this past week on a 8 game losing streak when they entered Dixie Tuesday night.  They played hard, outshot the Predators and seemingly had all the momentum in the world to end the losing streak, when a series of misfortunate bounces gave the Predators the win and sent anyone that follows the Blackhawks (especially any twitter accounts) into total depression!  The Blackhawks weren’t going to make the playoffs, they were sitting around waiting to make trades that they already should have made,  they have the two worst goalies in the league…….. Even the Captain Jonathon Towes  said that he couldn’t sleep because the losses were eating him up, which most Chicagoians truly believed because even through some injury Towes has been Towes this entire season.

Then mercifully came Thursday night!  Towes scored on a penalty shot in the first minute and then it seemed like the Rangers defense was asleep for the first period because the Blackhawks kept getting by them for easy scoring chances Patrick  Sharp and Marian Hossa scored.  There was also a play in the first period that looked like a play out of beer league hockey, where Hossa seemed to have the puck on his stick for a whole minute skating around the Rangers zone until he found Nick Leddy for his third goal of the season.  This night is what the Blackhawks are all about! Skating fast, controlling the puck, getting break outs and finishing! Corey Crawford let two in but overall he was steady and made the key saves when the Hawks needed him to.

Yesterday, the Hawks went into Columbus to finish their 9 game road trip, and did what any good NHL team should do and that is dominate and beat what has to be the worst team in the NHL.  6-1 was the final and all the big guns got goals but it was good to see Patrick Kane score and play well.  If he doesn’t bring it the last month and half the Blackhawks are not going to finish the season well but if Patrick gets hot…..

So the Hawks ended the 9 game road trip 2-6-1 they were outscored on the trip 33-20 with 10 of  the goals coming in the last two games!  As sports history has taught us its not how far you fall but the momentum you gain at the end of the season that can carry one to a championship.   I know its football but the Giants were 7-7 and won the Super Bowl because their team caught fire and this Hawks team has the offensive firepower to get on a long stretch of Hotness with any sort of goaltending on the backend the Hawks can be a very tough out in the playoffs!!!

This Coming Week

The Blackhawks have a big week ahead of them, with 4 games on the schedule.  Today is St. Louis and i’m sure Greg will have the preview of this game coming up.  The big thing about this game is coming off a 9 game road trip, its huge for the Hawks in front of their home fans and a NBC telecast to dominate their division foe at the United Center and show that this little momentum that they caught at the end of the road trip can be sustained.

Tuesday night brings in the Red Wings and hopefully the game won’t end like the rest of the games this season have against Detroit 3-2 Loss in OT.  The Red Wings have opened up a good size lead in the division in part to their home winning streak so it would be a huge swing to get 2 points back from them and to get another win in the division

Thursday night brings in the Stars. The star currently sit in 10th place in the conference and looking up in the playoff picture.  This team is below .500 on the road and a team that the Hawks need to beat at the UC to distance themselves from the playoff pretenders.

The NHL schedule makers did not do any favors to the Hawks in the 2nd half of the season.  After the three game homestand the Hawks have to go back to LA to play the kings and Ducks on back to back nights.  12 out of 15 road games after the all-star break, thanks NHL!!!

They key is today and keeping up the momentum and beating Halak! the week ended with the best case scenario two road wins and the Captain getting some sleep now lets destroy the Blues today!!

LETS GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!