Game Recap: Blue Jackets 4 - Blackhawks 0
Breaking down whatever last night was.
The Chicago Blackhawks lost 4-0 to the Columbus Blue Jackets in an uninspiring loss before the Olympic Break. This was a low-effort mail-in from Chicago, and I think the second goal against sums up how I feel about their effort last night.
If Ryan Donato was hurt after getting knocked into the boards, I’d understand why he left the DZ for a line change. But he was clearly okay enough to lay a huge hit. Donato's leaving the DZ gave the Blue Jackets a 5v4 advantage, and they scored on it.
And it’s these kinds of air-headed decisions that plagued the team last night. The Blackhawks had 18 giveaways (Columbus had seven). There were numerous turnovers at the blueline and plenty of failed breakouts.
On the offensive side of things, the Hawks didn’t get a whole lot of good looks. They finished the game with a 33.59% expected goals share (xG%) at 5v5, with their “best” period coming in the second (62.71 xG%). But that came after the Blue Jackets had a 3-0 lead and took an early Olympic break mid-game. The Blackhawks also had three power play opportunities, with none of them going in (obviously).
Wyatt Kaiser and Colton Dach were also both injured last night (with Kaiser looking like he might miss some time). This had an impact on the team, but the team played like ass before the injuries anyway.
With that said, here’s some things I’d like to see from this team when they return:
Frank Nazar - In the last 31 games, he’s only scored two goals. In that same stretch, he’s given the Hawks a 41.72 xG% at 5v5. Granted, that includes games before he was injured. We need to see Nazar step up his game. Significantly.
Artyom Levshunov - Maybe the break will make something click for Levshunov, but I’d like to see less of the chaotic mess he’s been and more of the chaotic offensive flashes he’s shown. My concern is that I’m pretty sure his hockey IQ just isn’t there.
Kevin Korchinski - If the Hawks move Connor Murphy, Korchinski gets a look for the rest of the season at the NHL, right? My concern is I don’t know how the blueline is going to look with so many young players. Kaiser will probably be out, and he’s actually been alright. I’m still a believer in Korchinski.
Connor Bedard - I’m not convinced that he’s been playing healthy. Blashill has prevented Bedard from taking faceoffs as a precaution, and I feel like Bedard wanted to make a last push to make a case as a late addition to Team Canada. After the break, Bedard needs to go HAM.
Tactical Tweaks - I get it. There’s not a whole lot you can do when the players are who they are. But I’d like to see some of the aggressive 1-3-1 NZ play we saw earlier in the season. Something needs to be done in the OZ too. But offense can’t be relied only on Bedard, and as mentioned, Nazar isn’t helping at the moment. Maybe this comes in the form of their OZ entries (less chipping in), but again, who’s going to carry the puck in and who’s going to stretch the opponents’ defense?
I’ll probably be taking some time off during the break. We’ll see. Might write a couple of thoughts here and there.