Takeaways on Chicago Blackhawks Collapse Against Florida Panthers

The Chicago Blackhawks endured a bad loss against the Florida Panthers at the United Center Sunday night. They simply did not look like the same team we saw during their previous three efforts.

1 – The Chicago Blackhawks are who we thought they were.

It’s sad, a little cliche and entirely disappointing, but the Blackhawks are who we thought they were.

After going 4-1-1 over six games and winning three straight, a dim light began to form at the end of the tunnel. The Blackhawks finally started getting rewarded for the good hockey they were playing. At long last, they were playing with some life.

And, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end (at home against the Florida Panthers). They were careless with the puck, lazy defensively and sloppy all around. The team played flat throughout too much of the game, and at times when they simply couldn’t afford to.

In the past they could’ve handled these mental lapses or errors defensively, but this Chicago Blackhawks team can’t win hockey games like that anymore. In order for them to be successful they need a full, hard-fought sixty minutes every single night.

They didn’t get that against Florida and they lost the game.

2 – The ‘Hawks took a step back.

Like I said, the Chicago Blackhawks are who we thought they were. They no longer have the ability to consistently win games that they have no business winning.

In the last 10 or so games, they’ve been making strides towards playing good hockey more consistently. Unfortunately, we didn’t say the same product on the ice two nights ago as they took a step back.

Sometimes to take two steps forwards you have to take one step backwards and the ‘Hawks did just that.

Hopefully, they can clean things up against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.