Blue Jackets Beat Blackhawks In Battle of Mediocrity
The Blackhawks welcomed the Columbus Blue Jackets to the United Center on Thursday night.
They generously welcomed the Blue Jackets to their building.
Arvid Söderblom got the start for Chicago and showed that he is clearly not ready to be an NHL netminder. But the play in front of him was garbage, especially from one of the usual suspects: Eric Gustafsson. To say defense was optional in this game is like saying leg room is optional in coach.
Boone Jenner opened the scoring for the visitors with a power play goal at 6:58 into the first. Yegor Chinakhov made it 2-0 Jackets just 13 seconds later.
It wasn’t a good start, but the Blackhawks fought back… because the Blue Jackets are a terrible hockey team, too.
Philipp Kurashev scored a power play goal at 10:24 to cut the lead in half.
And then Ryan Carpenter tied the game almost four minutes later.
But we’re not allowed to have nice things in Chicago this season. So a two-goal comeback inside the first period was rewarded with Max Domi scoring with 3:05 remaining in the period to give the Jackets a 3-2 lead, which is where the score would stand after 20 minutes. Kurashev had two points in the first period; Söderblom stopped 13 of 16.
Things had to get better in the second period, right?
Patrik Laine scored nine seconds into the middle period to push the lead back to two.
But the Hawks didn’t go away again. MacKenzie Entwistle scored inside the final two minutes of the period to cut the lead back to one.
The Blackhawks out-shot the Jackets 10-8 in the second period but trailed by one heading to the third.
The third period was more of the same. Laine scored his second of the night eight minutes into the third to push the lead back to two. But 60 seconds later, Patrick Kane found Alex DeBrincat for a goal that made a little history for 88.
With the assist on DeBrincat’s goal, Kane tied Denis Savard for the second-most regular-season assists in the history of the Blackhawks (719). He now trails only Stan Mikita in the history of the organization.
But the Blackhawks suck worse than the Blue Jackets, so they allowed two more goals (one of which was into an empty net with five seconds left) to make the final score 7-4 Columbus.
Söderblom allowed six goals on 36 shots. That’s not good. He wasn’t sharp. If/When the Blackhawks trade their future Hall of Fame goaltender, things are going to get a helluva lot harder to watch this season.
Kirby Dach continued his hard work to confirm his future is as a wing. He won one of nine faceoffs in 17:25 but had a nice assist.
Ryan Carpenter had a “helping my trade value” game. He won eight of 15 faceoffs and added an assist to his first goal of the season. He was also credited with four shots on net.
Laine had a hat trick, Jenner won 15 of 25 faceoffs and had three points as well for Columbus. Seven Blue Jackets skaters had a multi-point night.
We want Lank we want Lank!
Oh well crappy team crappy game – with MAF in goal maybe they get a win but it still wouldn’t disguise what a mess this team is right now
CBL first goal came with Murphy Carp Lafferty and McCabe – the lack of puck skills among that PK unit is off the charts
Of course they got scored on – c’mon King you should be able to do better than that
Entwistle instead of Laff – DeHaan over McCabe
Put McCabe if you must play him with Seth
and forwards Dach and Hagel on another unit
Slavin and Cat can PK as well – lots of options so why have all the stone hands out together??
Can’t wait for new GM and TDL and a new coaching staff so we can move on past this unwatchable hockey
Brutal.
I don’t even want to talk about this game. Tab said all that need to be said. Although, I think Tab is being generous by calling the Blackhawks “mediocre”. The 4th line was the best line.
Let’s go to the “What if?” machine. WHAT IF the Blackhawks didn’t trade for S. Jones? They may have taken Cole Sillinger. Boqvist would be on the defense and the Blackhawks would have lots of money. What if…the team was still dedicated to the “youth movement”? What would these lines have looked like? No McCabe. No S. Jones. No Gustafsson. So…what does the team look like? WHAT IF…the team looked like this:
Kubalik-Sillinger-Dach
DeBrincat-Strome-Kane
Hagel-Toews-Entwistle…or P. Suter(let that sink in)
Hardman-Lafferty-Carpenter
Murphy-Kalynuk
de Haan-Boqvist
Mitchell-R. Stillman
K. Lankinen
C. Morris
Sure…woulda-coulda-shoulda. I know. I KNOW!!! But this game was just that bad that I wanted to just dream about what could have been. It would have been more fun. If Strome worked on his FO%, like he has this year, the team would have a solid middle. The defense wouldn’t be exciting, but it would have been acceptable, as a fan, to have the kids out there and see what’s there.
BUT…Stan Bowman did blow up the “rebuild”. He did go over the top for S. Jones. So…”What if?” is just that. The reality is, this garbage is what we have. We’re back to the early 90’s. Back then Dale Tallon had a plan and a philosophy. Now? Pfffft. Let’s see what this leaky barge of an organ-I-zation do. Hope is all I have left. Either that or I buy a PS5 and pretend to my heart’s content.
So, I just got home from the game, yes, I was there, brother’s company’s got a suite so I got to go carte blanch. Haven’t been to one in a couple of years so I was anxious to see how far the team has stumbled for myself. Stumbled wasn’t quite the word I would use. Now getting there sucked because of the snow and traffic but I was stunned a tad when the game started because the place was about half full. Later on thou midway thru the 1st period it did inch up to about ?? 2/3rds full. So I’m moseying around and checked out the concession prices (We had a great spread in the suite, $800 bill for that): $9.50 for a regular beer, $12.50 for a large!!! Holy moley!! Food?? How about $17 for something called “Pulled Pork Loaded Nachos”. Didn’t even sniff near the souvenir shop. So my analysis is for the night is: I’m positive the Season Ticket Holders are getting hosed not only by the price of the seat but good luck if their hungry or thirsty too. The game?? Heck if I know, too busy yukking it up with family members although we could hear some salty language just below us. I’ll watch the game tonight to see what I missed. Couple of nice-looking gals there that were hammered which was kind of entertaining. Nice place to visit but you wouldn’t catch me paying for that AND get to watch a crummy team.
edman
rocky fiddled while mc donough and bowman burned this franchise to the ground. he didn’t realize or understand that neither of them were hockey guys, but merely two schmucks who took the laurels of those who built the core of the championship teams.
so in reality we had an alcohol purveyor owner turning over control of a hockey franchise to a guy who is a seat salesman and office manager and the other guy an accountant. bowman given power and mc donough, light years craftier than bowman, seized it.
read an article in the athletic today about the bears process of hiring their gm and head coach. very, VERY impressed. these might not turn out to be successful guys, but the process seems well thought out and thorough. there is an existence of a blueprint for success and accountability in building a roster, evaluating and rating performance, and managing a salary cap in relation to distributing salary cap dollars by position. regrettably i have no confidence the hawks have a similar process in motion.
not easy being a hawks fan these days.
I fell asleep and woke up in the 2nd period of the Sharks-Canucks tilt. Have we hired a G.M. yet? Are Interims King and Davidson gone yet? Did Kane skate another 25 minutes tonight? I assume Fleury had the night off? Did the 4th line really have 3 of the goals tonight? I hear the vaunted Panthers are coming to town. YIKES! I’m going back to sleep. Wake me when the beatings have subsided.
our third line right wing played out of position at center again tonight with predictable mostly bad results. he did get a pp assist, but the rest of his contribution in seventeen and a half minutes was no hits or sog, 1-8 on face offs, and -3.
i don’t think dach is a very smart (not his fault)or driven (definitely his fault) hockey player, but you can’t fault him for jumping over the boards when the coach taps him on the shoulder. it also isn’t dach’s fault the smartest guy in any room he has ever been in drafted him third overall. king, however, could grow a pair, put an end to this nonsense, and play him at third line right wing where he belongs. but that is a lot to expect from a guy who sits young d-men and continues to play #56. the same guy who, with the team down 2-0 in the first eight minutes of the game, gets a goal and assist in the first period from kurashev and rewards him with nine minutes of toi for the game.
so many facets of this team make my head hurt.
yikes
Ed….68
With ya on that post
I hope this game clearly demonstrates to Patrick Kane and MAF that this team will not win anytime soon. We have three future Hall of Famers (MAF, Kane, Toews) on the team, and we are still a bottom dweller. I think both Kane and MAF should be in the Intern’s office screaming for a trade, and Toews should be submitting his retirement papers.
Also, WhyTF do you bring up Regula and let him sit in the pressbox, and allow crossing guards, Gustafson, McCabe, C Jones, and DeHaan to allow the Blue Jackets forwards to move without impunity!
with impunity
Soderblom can be better and will be better. Probably nerves caused him to be off and team no showed in front of him, kinda perfect storm against him, he’ll bounce back from that.
Congrats to Kane on another milestone in his great career. Until Debrincat batted in his own rebound on that play, except Dachs assist on Kurashevs 2nd pp units goal, with very nice passing plays, the top lines weren’t on the scoreboard, with Entwistle and Carpenters goals counting for first 3. When Kurashev is skating and battling he makes things happen, he just disappears too many shifts and loses his edge. T. Johnson due to be activated according to King’s updates by end of the month. Need some moves to make his 5m caphit fit without his ltir room. Could send Connelly down again and maybe move Khaira to ltir, sounds like could be out rest of season if surgery required, may need more than that too. See how they look against Stars tonight, hopefully Regula or whoever is recelled if a shuffle happen is in for Gus.
A Boone Jenner type of C would be a good start to making this forward group more competitive.
Do we miss Pius Suter yet?
Just viewed the tape of MAF saying if he is moved he would like a chance to win it. That little word if just clarified he is willing to go. I didn’t get it clear when he said that he would like to come back to Chicago. Back like if he is traded. Or back if not traded just to sign for another contract.
My biggest concern now is the days to the TDL. It is written in concrete we are sellers. Who is doing the selling?! We have to have someone in place yesterday to start making deals! If it is KD so be it just get on with it. Let the evaluators for a GM help KD evaluate some trades.
Craig if you’re out there any news on a GM or any news on some moves?
@ JR I’ve heard thru the grapevine Tallon is being interviewed for the GM position
JK
Tallon would make the most sense. It would right a major wrong! He’s even a better GM than Tommy Ivan!
Kane and Cat should be good to go tonight after playing over 24 minutes yesterday
Is King really coaching to make the PO’s? if that’s the case this organization is beyond
fixing.
Selling tickets and food is priority numero uno, dos, tres!
It was refreshing to hear a broadcaster/analyst correctly describe the efforts of kirby dach as not “strong enough” on the puck, this man can play some decent offensive hockey for what was a third overall pick but his defense sucks, why he is playing on he penalty kill is a mystery and often appears disinterested in the game when it comes to his effort every shift. i hope this trend in his play stops soon given the need for greater team effort and more emotion from a team that appears to have lost interest in playing for each other.
Dollar Bill: Don’t forget the beer!!! $9.50 for a regular 3 gulp beer, $12.50 for a 4 gulp. Regular “premium” (whatever that is, PBR??) $11.50.
Sucks to find out you are no more than a means (someone buying products/spending money) to an end (profits for a business). Welcome to reality in America (and likely most other countries). Be happy you paid for something you mostly liked for about 10 years. Remember – you still get a vote (the option to spend money on the product).
It is what it is. And likely will remain that way. Brutal.
I would be a nervous goalie too if I had that shit team in front of me. Needless to say, the goalie sucked, the D sucked and the forwards sucked….oh ya, the coach sucks too.
DUMPSTER FIRE! With no GM in sight to Trade and officially start the rebuild– THANKS BLOWMAN!!!
@Hammer….@Tommy….@Bluto
We could’ve had this guy
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/jeff-gorton-faces-tall-task-modernizing-canadiens-off-ice/
@Tommy….I totally agree about righting that wrong
@Silent…..unfortunately brutal it what it is
@Silent…..unfortunately brutal is* what it is
Reichel called up. Khaira to LTIR and Toews to IR.
Reichel, Borgstrom and Regula in yonite, Gus, Slavin and. Connelly sit. MAF starts.
Toews cleared for full participant in practice today as well. Looks like the Captain, Tyler Johnson and Stilman who has been on the ice as well, will be back in lineup soon.
yawn….didn’t GnR make a song dead horse…
we can go over and over and over the SAME problems, the SAME effort, the SAME ISSUES after each game….this is version 2.0 of dark blackhawks that happened in 1996-2006.
let’s keep beating a dead horse.
they must really be brainstorming who will be a GM. are they crossing all the T’s and dotting all the I’s or are they just woke and will go soft.
Khaira is just a wasted spot. AHL player on 95% of NHL teams if he was on their roster.
who really cares right now about Toews, he done his job, he is not going to save the season or organization right now like he did in 2007.
King saying he is putting Reichel on a line with Kane and Hagel. Says to me maybe Strome drops down with Cat and Dach on the wing. Then Kubalik, Kurashev Borgstrom, Lafferty, Csrpenter and Entwistle the bottom 6. Good to see Regula in for Gus, maybe didn’t want to play Regula back to back right yet.
Why is Slavin sitting for Borgstrom or even better Dach! Sit Dach , and make him learn. They’re just worried that he’s going to fill up on salted pretzels and mustard! Fat Ass!!
I am excited to see Regula play! I just hope the Clown King doesn’t give him 5 mins of TOI. The kid was outstanding in the games that I watched in Texas. He is a great passer and has a terrific shot, plus he actually plays defense, and with that size, he will be a monster – for somebody!
One coaching candidate the Blackhawks should look at is Rob Zettler, currently assistant with Tampa Bay since 2019, was Head Coach if Tampa’s Ahl team from 2013-2016. Assistant coach with Sharks from 2017- 2019, in charge of defense that boasted one of the top pks in the league, usually around 87% success rate. A former Nhl defenseman for a number of years, seems like somebody ready for a full time Nhl gig and could bring whats needed behind the bench.
@Tommy @Ian
Maybe it’s that the scouts want to see these guys play for a coming trade deal?
@$Bill
I sure hope so!
Dillarbill likely a big part of it for sure.
Dollarbill sorry
They absolutely love David Kampf in Toronto and he has 7 goals, 2 of them short handed. He looked like he couldn’t put the puck into the ocean with the Hawks.
@Noonan…..maybe just maybe Kampf is being used in the right
manner. Remember JC used him on the 1st line occasionally.
So many of the Hawks are being used in the wrong role, it’s quite
the shitshow.
@Ian….no worries
@ Ian – good call re Zettler. I think he’d be great. But forgive me for not having confidence that we will do something smart like that. Someday maybe Seabrook behind the bench coaching the D. Would love to see that. The crop of D-kids we have coming up could really benefit from his knowledge and character.
JR. They are very close. I know Darsche is a finalist.
Tallon stuff is completely false.
I stopped posting regularly here when I was called out for being questioned how I knew that Eddie O wants very much to be President of the Hawks. That is a fact not an opinion. That’s why he was on the dais unfortunately for the Rocky meltdown. He is on the GM search committee.
I only post what I know. Not this guy stinks or that guy sucks.
I agree with the Dach comments. Seems to lack the necessary effort you see with Hagel. Not only can he NOT finish, but he also can’t start. Makes some nice looking figure 8 crossover skating maneuvers, but seldom starts & stops with any effort, while unsuccessfully flailing his stick all over the ice. Don’t even get me going on his lack of face off wins….pathetic !!! The only other Hawk player that pisses me off more is Calvin deCone, with Strome & his eyeballs looking up at the Jumbotron a close 3rd.
Craig – Always happy to hear from you. Don’t let the Walldogs keep you from being an important part of our board. You are one of – if not the most – trustworthy of ‘inside’ information on here.
I thank you for your infrequent but well appreciated and respected posts.
Thanks Silent Spot.
McCabe in shoot out …Really
Not Hagel. Not Dach , Mc Cabe ?