Hawks Grind Out First Win Under Blashill

[CoachFrenchy]

The Chicago Blackhawks finally got their first win of the season — and the first under new head coach Jeff Blashill — with a gritty 3-1 victory over t
[See the full post at: Hawks Grind Out First Win Under Blashill]

[BJPHAWKFAN]

I think they had puck possession for about ten seconds last night. They have to do so much better in that department

[boilermaker]

Thanks Coach for the recap. Yes, an ugly win, but I’ll take it. It makes up for the lost points from the BOS and MTL games. SOG 14 to 23 against, the top forward threats shut down, but the depth pieces come through.

I read elsewhere about Blashill’s thought about the 11F and 7D lineup. He could use 2RD, Rinzel and Lev, on the PP and have 2 separate RD, Murphy and Crevier, on the PK. He could also spread the minutes among 7D, give all the young players some experience and lessen the war and tear as the season goes on. Also, it looks like Lafferty is in the dog house already (or maybe he is injured?). He and Reichel are sitting due to the 7D lineup.

[Haru]

boilermaker wrote:

Also, it looks like Lafferty is in the dog house already (or maybe he is injured?). He and Reichel are sitting due to the 7D lineup

I think one of the prior games he had maybe only 6 minutes of ice time but took 2 penalties in that short time.

[BetweenTheDots]

That’s the problem with analytics, everyone would be raving if the Blackhawks held an opponent to 23 SOG, but it means less because we had less.

I think games like this have so much value because it makes the young players work on being better defensively. And they were excellent

Last year we couldn’t score an empty net goal, already have one after 4 games.

This was a great defensive win and I’m a big believer that great defense leads to good offense.

Thanks for the good read Frenchy.

[Gramps28]

Last year they would have given up 35 shots in a game like this. They were terrible in the 2nd but Knight was able to see most of the shots he faced in that period. Frankie ad a bad game. It happens. They got back to their structure in the 3rd. Learning to win is a process and it ain’t pretty at times.

[Mr Ricochet]

This team plays hungry, every period! I can’t count a period yet this yr that the compete level was high. Most times, realy high…….. We all talk about competition for roster spots and IMO the consistently high compete outa these players this yr is in no small part due to fighting for a spot. … With the speed and hunger they play with not only are they in every game it’s a great brand to watch.

Interesting trying to learn Blashill. Good Lord with less than a minute left, up 1, faceoff in the Dzone he sends out Bedard!!! To take the faceoff??? I thought what are you doing. The eye and fancies say Bedard the worst choice to take a faceoff and try and shut a team down and doing so when the team is winless.

It worked. Blashill rewarding Bedard for his much better 2 zone game this yr? Kid has shown surety in everything he’s done this yr which is the result of a confident player… This has got to make the kid feel good. He knows his 2 way game has been horrid in the NHL and something like this will boost the kid more than any hattrick. ….. He’s been trying to play 2 ways since last yr and the effort is high this yr.

And Lev. Too much careless hockey and he gets a seat. His game was ok last night but it seemed to me he was more careful with possession of the puck and his decisions. …… You could say the scratch was the right move by Blashill.

Man, the Hawks got slaughtered again in the fancies. ….. The eye test doesn’t fit the Hawks this yr. But they are structured enough, get enough HD chances, compete every period and of course Knight has been a top tier goalie..

[CoachFrenchy]

Welcome, my friend, and thanks for your comment! I agree with you about the lost points against Boston and Montreal — they definitely deserved better results in those games.

Now, I’m not a big fan of the 7-defensemen setup either. I understand Blashill’s reasoning, and he managed the TOI well last night, but it’s usually not an easy approach. Most defensemen prefer playing with rhythm and consistency in their pairings, which can be hard to maintain with a rotating seventh D. It might work short term, but over a long stretch, it can become disruptive.

Also, with a busy schedule ahead and the Olympic break coming, this setup could put extra strain on the forwards. Still, Blashill is clearly experimenting to find the right balance for this young group, and for now, it’s helping him spread experience across the lineup.

You’re right about Lafferty — those two penalties against Montreal really hurt the team. I’m not sure if Blashill specifically requested him or if Davidson brought him in without much input, but it’s clear that, so far, Lafferty and Reichel don’t seem to be part of Blashill’s long-term plan. It feels like only a matter of time before one or both get moved. If Moore or any of the IceHogs players step up over the next few weeks, that could accelerate things. The organization wants to give younger guys more opportunities, and Blashill seems committed to building the right group for his system.

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