Blackhawks recent nightmare stretch has been a harsh (but needed) reality check

The Chicago Blackhawks played better than expected to start the season, especially given how deep into a rebuild the franchise is. They compiled a 10-5-4 record, put up 64 goals, and allowed just 49. Their special teams looked good, and after a few forgettable seasons, it looked like the Hawks were ready to turn the corner.

Then came a rather harsh reality check.

Since Nov. 18, the Hawks are just 2-6-2, pretty much dismantling the stronger-than-expected start to their season. Over that span, Chicago scored just 22 goals while allowing 42, resulting in a minus-20 goal differential.

Notable games in that stretch include a blowout 9-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, plus getting outscored by a combined 13-1 in losses to the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks. In their last 10 games, the Hawks scored over three goals just once, which came during a 5-3 win over the Ducks on Nov. 30. They had also been shut out twice,

Things are regressing back to the mean, but that doesn't mean the Blackhawks can't learn something from this ugly stretch and come out of it stronger.

Blackhawks have a chance to create a better version of themselves

This poor play was bound to happen at some point this season. The Hawks are a young team that finally discovered what it felt like to win consistently in the NHL. That's a step in the right direction, but it also gave opponents a chance to figure out their game.

This is part of the growing-up process for young hockey teams. You start winning games, and stick to what's working until it doesn't work anymore. Fans who have been watching the Blackhawks since the Patrick Kane era began probably saw this coming, but they also know it creates an opportunity for them to right the ship -- both now and over the long haul. 

This doesn't mean the Hawks must abandon what has worked for them and isn't working at the moment. Instead, it's about finding ways to exploit an opponent's weaknesses and reopen the part of their game that brings their strengths to the forefront.

Should the Hawks recognize this, they will emerge as a better team and return to the winning ways that made them one of the NHL's early-season surprises. The faster they start finding ways to stifle opponents, the quicker they will return to form and continue to grow as one of the NHL's brightest young teams.