Games 2 and 3 of the Great Hockey Escape followed similar patterns, unfortunately. … Blackhawks take a lot of early penalties and fall into 2-0 (Calgary) and 3-0 (Edmonton) deficits. Blackhawks then fight back, score a goal and carry play through the middle of the games only to fall apart in the final 10 minutes and lose.
Hawk highlights: Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin most certainly is back. He was Chicago’s best player on the ice each game I saw. … Their trio of young defensemen, Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith and Lasse Kukkonen, played good to very good. Seabrook, in particular, is being targeted by other teams in trades, but GM Dale Tallon would be foolish to deal him. … Forward Tuomo Ruutu appears to be healthy and capable of big things. He scored in the Vancouver and Calgary games, and created many of the Hawks’ relatively few other chances. Another forward who impressed me but didn’t have a lot to show for it: Johan Holmqvist.
Chicago’s lack of offense was apparent, and I don’t believe Monday’s firing of Coach Trent Yawney is the answer. Without injured first-line forwards Michael Handzus and Martin Havlat, Chicago has too many players in roles above their abilities.
Speaking of Yawney, with Khabibulan back and a solid young defense (veterans such as Jassen Cullimore and Adrian Aucoin have been more problematic), he was smart to have the Hawks play it close to the vest. … If Tallon thinks switching to Denis Savard as coach and opening up the offense is the answer with this crew, he’s wrong. Instead of losing 3-1, Chicago will lose 9-3 if they run and gun with teams such as Edmonton, San Jose or Anaheim.
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