Predators 3, Blackhawks 1: A tough break for the Hawks
By Adam L. Jahns ajahns@suntimes.com January 24, 2012 10:42PM
Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne keeps the puck out of the net as Hawks winger Patrick Kane is stopped in the first period as the Chicago Blackhawks take on the Nashville Predators Tuesday January 24, 2012 at the United Center. | Tom Cruze~Sun-Times
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Updated: February 26, 2012 8:18AM
Somewhere in the United Center, star forwards Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews watched and eagerly waited for their wrist/hand injuries to heal.
What happened on the ice had to be as tough on them as it was for their fans to stomach.
The Blackhawks fell behind by two goals in the first period, failed to get anything going in the second, then saw their rally fall short in the third as the Nashville Predators passed them in the standings with a 3-1 victory Tuesday.
The Hawks and Predators have 64 points in 50 games, but Nashville has more regulation/overtime victories. As a result, the Hawks’ loss drops them to sixth in the Western Conference and fourth in the Central Division at the All-Star break.
Not exactly an exciting place to be for a team with Stanley Cup dreams.
“The standings are what they are,” defenseman Duncan Keith said. “We want to keep winning, and we didn’t do that tonight. It’s frustrating.”
Craig Smith, Mike Fisher and Colin Wilson (empty-netter) scored and Pekka Rinne made 23 saves for the Predators, who are 10-2 this month and 2-0-1 against the Hawks this season.
“For most of the first and all of the second, we didn’t have anything going,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “We didn’t have any pace, and they were stronger in the puck area — very noticeable.”
The Hawks’ rookie-filled lineup failed to sustain much pressure against the defensive-minded Predators. Dave Bolland’s stint at center on the first line with Toews out didn’t last long, and Quenne-ville, as he does often when things don’t work, jumbled his lines throughout in search of a spark.
They found it eventually on the power play when Bolland one-timed a pass from Marian Hossa (nine-game point streak) to cut the Predators’ lead to 2-1 at 7:20 in the third.
But that was it.
Corey Crawford, who made 23 saves, broke his stick over his goal after Fisher gave the Predators a two-goal lead. Fisher’s goal came after Patric Hornqvist prevented Nick Leddy from sending the puck around the boards and fed him with a nice pass in front of Crawford.
“First one, I didn’t see,’’ Crawford said. ‘‘The second one, I don’t know. They were able to make a good play out in front. Tough loss. You look at the other teams in our division, it seems like everyone’s rolling right now. We’re kind of up and down.”
There’s still one game left in January. But it doesn’t matter. The Hawks failed to capitalize on their second consecutive favorable month, and it cost them in the standings.
After going 10-2-1 in December, the Hawks have gone 5-5-2 this month — which included nine home games — with one game left Jan. 31 in Vancouver. That game kicks off a grueling nine-game trip over three weeks all over North America.
“Nine straight road games, I’ve never had to deal with that before,” Quenneville said. “It’s going to be a real challenging month.”
Even more so after consecutive disappointing losses to the Predators.
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