Posted by Jim Neveau, Blackhawks Correspondent
After going 2-2-2 last season against Detroit during the regular season, and not to mention losing in five games in the Western Conference Finals to the Wings, it is safe to say that the Blackhawks aren’t exactly experts in beating their Central Division foes.
Even with the new season beginning in October, the Hawks still couldn’t figure Detroit out, losing 3-2 and going 1-for-5 on the power play in the defeat.
With that as the pretext, the Blackhawks came into Sunday’s game looking to make a statement against a Detroit squad that has been ravaged with injuries this year. With key guys like Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, and others missing in action, it would be foolish to not view them as a team with limited firepower.
Campbell, Versteeg, Madden (THW/Pam Rodriguez)
Even so, it was up to the Blackhawks to stand up to their long time tormentors and deliver a message that they are no longer a team to be taken lightly, and that is exactly what they did on Sunday night.
In a dominating 3-o victory, the Hawks limited Detroit to only 20 shots on goal, and didn’t even allow them a single shot until there was only seven minutes remaining in the first period.
The Hawks only allowed Detroit two power plays, and prevented them from scoring on either one of them. Chicago also got contributions from the blue liners on both the offensive and defensive sides of the puck, one of the strengths of their game. Brian Campbell and Duncan Keith both had goals, and also made several key defensive stops as well in the victory.
With all of the good statistics and the contributions from various places, a bigger question emerges: what exactly did the Hawks’ beating Detroit on Sunday night teach the NHL and its fans?
Should the victory hold high meaning because it was the squad’s third shutout in four games, and a repudiation of Detroit’s iron grip on the tide of the series between the two teams? Should the victory be discounted because the Wings are playing with one hand tied behind their back because of all of the injuries that they have sustained?
The correct approach to dealing with these question is to use the tried and true method of cautious optimism.
(THW/Pam Rodriguez)
Sure, the victory feels great, but it did come at the expense of a team that’s not exactly firing on all cylinders health-wise. After all, if you took away Patrick Sharp, Patrick Kane, Kris Versteeg, and Dustin Byfuglien, the Hawks would be in massive heaps of trouble. That’s essentially what Detroit is facing by losing Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, Valtteri Filppula and Niklas Kronwall for large chunks of time, and it is remarkable that they are hanging around as well as they have been.
Even with that caution creeping in, it’s important to still realize what this victory actually means to the club. The Hawks’ record against Detroit has been putrid in recent times, with the playoff spanking and the 3-2 defeat still fresh in their minds. There was almost a mental block that came into place whenever these two teams got together, and victories like this help to get rid of said blocks.
In addition, the Hawks didn’t rest on their laurels when they took the lead over Detroit early in the contest. Last year, the team routinely took their foot off the gas when they had a lead over the Wings, but there was no let-up in intensity this time around. Perhaps it can be hinged on the presence of guys like Marian Hossa and John Madden in the locker room, but whatever it is, the Hawks are playing a full 60 minutes of intense, life or death hockey when it matters, and that is a critical component to post-season success.
Even with all of those missing guys in the line-up, the Red Wings would have a tough time hanging in against these Blackhawks. Sure, Chris Osgood is one of the best goalies to ever suit up during the postseason, but the Hawks’ more potent attack this season is sure to give him headaches no matter what month the calendar reads.
Kane & Byfuglien (THW/Pam Rodriguez)
The Hawks’ defense is also vastly improved from last season, with guys like Niklas Hjalmarsson solidifying the lower tier lines behind the Seabrook-Keith connection. Their forwards are also participating on defense a lot more, with Madden’s influence being readily seen on guys like Jonathan Toews and Kris Versteeg.
Even if the improved defense isn’t enough, there is the balanced scoring attack from top to bottom that has the capability of driving any coach absolutely bonkers. The Hawks currently have five players (Toews, Versteeg, Dustin Byfuglien, Patrick Kane, and Patrick Sharp) who all share the team lead with ten goals, and those five players are part of three different lines. This illustrates how potent the team is throughout, and is a clear indication that they can fill up the net in a hurry.
The goaltending has also improved dramatically as well. Cristobal Huet has two consecutive shutouts, and Antti Niemi has been one of the more surprising stories out of the Hawks’ camp all season, with his 7-1-1 record and his three shutouts.
The argument that it’s a lot easier to beat a depleted Red Wings team than a fully loaded one does hold quite a bit of water, but it can also be said that Chicago has simply improved enough to beat Detroit, even with the Motowners at full strength.
It will be interesting to see it play out over the coming weeks and months, but as anyone will tell you, the real test will be in the postseason, because if these teams meet again, there will be one squad that certainly will be spoiling for a chance to prove that they are for real.
Jim Neveau is a sports blogger and aspiring journalist who has had work featured on various sites, including foxsports.com. He also writes for a Blackhawks blog entitled paintitblackhawks.com. You can email him questions or comments at jamesneveau@hotmail.com.
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