Three Takeaways from the Blackhawks’ Ugly 7-4 Loss to Blue Jackets

The Blackhawks Still Didn’t Quit

Despite falling to the Blue Jackets, the Blackhawks didn’t show any quit in their game. They fought back to tie the score and were one goal away from tying the game… if Soderblom didn’t lose track of the puck and the ‘Hawks cleared the crease as they need to on a scramble. Other than that, the Blackhawks still looked to put on as much of a show as they could for the fans who toughed out a snow storm to make it to the United Center.

This is the important takeaway as the Blackhawks didn’t turtle after giving up the lead twice, but rather fought back to tie the game on one occasion. The guys still played with speed and resilience, but it wasn’t enough to cover the mistakes on the defensive side of the ice. I’m sure that they will cover this in practice at some point and that Soderblom will get more tips and mentorship from Jimmy Waite and Marc-Andre Fleury.

To Conclude…

The Chicago Blackhawks lost the game due to defensive mistakes and a goaltender who was not ready to play in the NHL. While they did manage to tie the game, their mistakes again put them two goals behind every time they got within one or tied. This has more to do with the fundamentals and positioning of the entire team rather than just the goaltender. Everyone on the Blackhawks should be willing to block shots and the defense willing to inflict pain on their guy as they clear the crease. The Blackhawks have a lot of work to do in the defensive zone, but their offensive play looks pretty good, minus the puck luck.

Next Game: vs Dallas, Friday @7:30 pm