3 Takeaways from the Chicago Blackhawks Shootout Victory over the San Jose Sharks

The Chicago Blackhawks snapped a three-game losing steak although it took overtime and nine rounds of a shootout to get there.

The Hawks beat the San Jose Sharks 2-1 in the “Tankathon.com/NHL Bowl” or the “Macklin Celebrini Bowl” or whatever you want to call it. It was the two worst teams in the NHL going at it and it turns out the Hawks are a goal better than the Sharks.

Although it took an exceedingly long time in the shootout just to get that second point in the standings.

Kevin Leblanc put the Sharks up a goal in the shootout’s second round. Thankfully, Rem Pitlick answered in the next round. Six rounds later, Boris Katchouk broke the deadlock when he found the back of the next. Goalie Petr Mrazek called game when he stopped Filip Zadina.

Here are three takeaways from the Hawks shootout victory…

Mrazek was outstanding in goal once again.

Petr made his fifth consecutive start and just like his last four starts, he was a wall in goal. He stopped 37 of 38 shots and allowed just one goal in the shootout.

He was under duress specifical in the second period when the Sharks had seven high-danger chances. San Jose had 15 high-danger opportunities in total.

Ryan Carpenter tied the game in the third period, and it felt like this game would repeat the previous three where the defense would collapse and give up the game. Thankfully, the Sharks are the worst offense in the NHL and could not produce that game-winning goal.

This is the fourth-straight game the Blackhawks have scored one goal in regulation.

Cole Guttman put the Hawks on the board in the first period with a power-play goal.

It was good to see the Hawks finally cash in on the man-advantage as they were 0-for-7 coming during the past three games.

Much like those past three games, that was the only goal the Hawks scored until the shootout. The Sharks are the absolute worst offense in the NHL, but the Chicago Blackhawks are not any better as they are one spot above San Jose.

During this four-game stretch, the offense has been non-existent. That is what happens when your best offensive player, Connor Bedard, is on injured reserve and your team lacks a superior offensive talent to begin with.

This was also just the third time the Hawks won when scoring two goals or less. 

Injuries have hit the blue line again and it meant the struggling Jarred Tinordi had to play (who was not that bad).

Connor Murphy did not play with lower body injury. Then Nikita Zaitsev left the game in the second period with an injury. Hopefully, these injuries do not require a stay on injured reserve. Head coach Luke Richardson believes there is a chance both could play against Buffalo.

Let’s hope they both can play because with Murphy out, it meant the struggling Tinordi got a sweater. Although to be fair, he was not the worst defensemen in this contest.

He did throw hands with Scott Sabourin and probably would have won the fight on a judges’ decision. Tinordi had a better impact rating than Seth Jones, Kevin Korchinski, and Alex Vlasic. Jaycob Megna was the only Hawks’ defenseman with a positive defensive impact score.

Ideally, Tinordi needs to be the healthy scratch since he has been bad much of the season. Also, Vlasic and Megna have developed some solid chemistry. The Hawks need Korchinski’s offensive abilities. Murphy is one of your leaders out there. Zaitsev tends to not kill the team as bad as Tinordi. Hey, for one night at least we did not have to watch Jarred just watch pucks go into the net.