3 Takeaways From the Blackhawks’ 4-0 Loss to the Stars

After a very rough start, the Chicago Blackhawks are finally rolling a little bit. Coming off back-to-back wins over the Pittsburgh Penguins and Winnipeg Jets, and getting superstar Connor Bedard back, has given the young team a shot of life.

Unfortunately, that all came to a screeching halt on Saturday night. The Dallas Stars rolled into town and showed the young Blackhawks what it means to be a top team, cruising to a 4-0 win in Chicago.

Failed to Capitalize on Early Momentum

Despite what the numbers say – a 12-5 shot advantage for the Stars – the first period nearly got off to a great start for the Blackhawks. In the first 11 minutes, they had several high-danger chances, including a breakaway. Unfortunately, Dallas’ Jake Oettinger was up to the challenge.

Just one goal early could have had a chance to set the tone differently for the Blackhawks. They made it out of the first period unscathed, but you could sense Dallas starting to gain control over the game.

Against teams that are clearly better than they are, the Blackhawks need to come out with a bit of a fire underneath them. They did that here but couldn’t bury any of those chances and grab the important first goal.

Defensive Lapses Were Killer

There is one visible difference between the good teams and the bad teams in the NHL that jumps out immediately. The good teams are strong in their own end, keeping pucks to the perimeter and moving them up quickly.

The bad teams, like the Blackhawks, have huge lapses that lead directly to goals. That happened multiple times in this game, and that’s not even counting a Jason Robertson goal that was waived off in the first period.

This is part of the territory when you have a young team full of prospects trying to find themselves. Those huge, glaring lapses often lead to goals and did so multiple times on Saturday night. Cleaning those up will go a long way toward helping the Blackhawks find a little consistency and momentum moving forward.

The Power Play Has to Find Itself

The power play was 0-for-4 on the night and continues to struggle. Even with Bedard back and some of the game’s most talented youngsters, the Blackhawks are an anemic 12.5% on the power play, good for 29^th in the NHL.

Going back to the first period, when the Blackhawks had their share of chances, they could have used the man advantage to get things going. They had a pair of chances toward the latter part of the period but couldn’t convert.

There is enough talent to get this unit going. With Bedard back, hopefully it will provide the kind of boost that some of the youngsters and new No. 1 defenseman Bowen Byram need to start converting opportunities regularly.

Two Different Classes of Teams

With no disrespect intended to the Blackhawks, this is just a clear example of two teams at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Blackhawks are young, inexperienced, and trying to find their way. The Stars are a veteran, talent-laden team trying to win a Stanley Cup. The differences practically jump off the screen.

The Stars weathered the storm early, found their bearings, and took control of the game. In time, the Blackhawks may learn to do that. For now, however, they are the youngsters looking to take away valuable lessons from their older, wiser, and stronger counterparts. The Blackhawks have a while to compose themselves; they don’t play again until Friday. They have three games left in the home stand and need to end with some momentum.