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Chicago Blackhawks: Success on road trip can turn the season around

By Ryan Fedrau

CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 11: Chicago Blackhawks left wing Dominik Kubalik (8) celebrates his goal with defenseman Connor Murphy (5), right wing Patrick Kane (88), defenseman Erik Gustafsson (56), and center Zack Smith (15) during a game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Chicago Blackhawks on January 11, 2020, at the United Center in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 11: Chicago Blackhawks left wing Dominik Kubalik (8) celebrates his goal with defenseman Connor Murphy (5), right wing Patrick Kane (88), defenseman Erik Gustafsson (56), and center Zack Smith (15) during a game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Chicago Blackhawks on January 11, 2020, at the United Center in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Chicago Blackhawks are coming off of a 4-2 win against the Ducks last Saturday. As the team moves on a trip up north, every point means something.

The Chicago Blackhawks have found a lot of success north of the border during the last few seasons. In their last 15 road games against Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto, the team is 12-1-2. 26 points in 15 games are very successful.

The team plays the next three games tonight against the Senators, tomorrow against the Canadiens, and Saturday against the Maple Leafs. All of these games are important, especially when the team is behind in the standings.

If the team can take home six points during the next three games, it’ll be a successful trip. Anything less seems like a wasted chance. The Blackhawks sit at 20-20-6, which is keeping them seven points out of the playoffs.

Even winning out this road trip will keep them out of the last wildcard spot. The last four games were at home for the Blackhawks, those were the points they missed out on. It’s time for the team to take some points back.

All hope isn’t lost during the season, they’ve only played 46 out of 82 games. There is still a lot of hockey left to be played. Going into this final stretch, they still need to finish around 43 wins. That gives the team needing 23 more wins.

If the Blackhawks finish 23-17 on the season, they will have a decent chance at making the playoffs. Their best interest would have a few of those losses ending in overtime. Every season is different though, If they finished 23-17 without any overtime losses, they’d finish with 92 points. That could get the team in the playoffs, maybe even as third place in the Central. It all comes down to how every other team turns out.

In theory, the team does still controls its own destiny. They still will play the teams ahead of them in the wildcard standings at least one more time. It’ll take a full team effort but it can be done. The Blackhawks have done crazier things. This doesn’t seem too impossible. It won’t be easy though.

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