The Indian Head Sweater Report

Through the first seven games of the 2011-12 campaign, the Chicago Blackhawks are off to a   4-1-2 start.  The Hawks are 2-0-2 at home and have collected 6 of 8 possible points on home ice.  The Hawks have only lost one game in regulation which was the season opener in Dallas.  Chicago has won 2 of 3 on the road to start the year.  The Hawks are tied for points atop the Central Division with the Detroit Red Wings, each with 10 points, but the Wings have played one fewer game.  The Hawks are averaging 3.43 goals per game and are allowing just 2.57 goals per game.  Marian Hossa, Dave Bolland, and Jonathan Toews have four goals each, and Patrick Kane is adjusting well to his new role as second line center with 2 goals, 4 assists, and a plus 3. 

All looks good on paper for the Hawks but there are concerns on the defensive end of the ice.  Coach Quenneville was livid after Saturday night’s game when he hinted that he was less than impressed with the defensive zone play and the four goals the Hawks gave up including a clean breakaway to rising start Gabriel Landeskog with under three minutes to play with the Hawks holding a 4-3 lead.  The defensive miscue between Keith and Leddy led to a tie game and an eventual shootout loss to the Avalanche.  There was also a first period tip in by Paul Stastny in which he us uncovered in front of the net and another by Landeskog in the second in which he took a pass nearly in the crease and was able to beat Crawford.  Then there was the Winnipeg game a week ago in which the Hawks had multiple miscues clearing the defensive zone that led to multiple second and third chance opportunities for the Jets.  The Hawks were lucky to get out of that game with two points.  Outlet pass issues and defensive zone coverage lapses have been the norm early on and those issues need to be addressed in a hurry.  Free agent acquisition Steve Montador has appeared to panic at times and turned the puck over.  Ducan Keith has had good stretches so far that remind of his Norris Trophy and Cup winning season but also stretches that look and awful lot like last season.  Nick Leddy has shown some definite improvement but still finds himself dangerously out of position at other times. 

The other glaring issue through the first seven games is the play of the power play unit.  Chicago is currently ranked 19^th in the NHL with a power play percentage of 14.81%.  They have scored just 4 goals on 27 man advantage opportunities.  The Hawks failed to convert in a key opportunity as they had nearly two minutes of power play time to start overtime against Colorado.  The Hawks failed to convert with Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane, and Jonathan Toews on the ice for the full two minutes of a 4-3 overtime power play.  The Hawks were the 4^th ranked power play unit a year ago.  The power play must get going.

The penalty kill has been the brightest spot of the young season.  The Hawks have killed 94.12% through seven games and have allowed just 1 goal while scoring 2 shorthanded goals.  The Hawks are also the least penalized team in the league with only 17 trips to the sin bin.