Blackhawks’ scoring hex worsens in shutout loss to Flames

CALGARY, Alberta — The Blackhawks offensive woes had been already dire coming into Saturday, however nothing may’ve ready them for the frustration that awaited towards the Flames.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen six breakaways in a sport and nil on the rating clock,” coach Luke Richardson stated.

The Hawks’ 1-0 loss prolonged their street shedding streak to twenty consecutive video games, formally breaking the earlier franchise file set in 2004.

And of their final 5 street video games, they’ve been quite unbelievably shut out 4 occasions. Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom joined Buffalo’s Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Vancouver’s Thatcher Demko and Edmonton’s Calvin Pickard within the group of goalies who’ve blanked the Hawks this month.

Markstrom needed to work tougher for his shutout than the opposite three, although. He robbed Boris Katchouk on a breakaway within the opening minutes (and once more in a while), denied Jason Dickinson’s juicy rebound try with 4 seconds left and made various different wonderful stops in between to complete with 32 saves.

“I really feel prefer it’s possibly behind our head,” ahead Taylor Raddysh stated. “We’ve been taking part in such a robust sport as a gaggle total. We’ve had our pictures; we’ve had our possibilities; we’ve had a variety of ‘Grade-A’ possibilities that simply haven’t discovered the again of their web.”

Flames ahead Elias Lindholm scored the sport’s solely aim within the second interval when he tapped in a power-play rebound that deflected proper to him.

Lukas Reichel loved his greatest sport shortly, skating with confidence and fluidity whereas deking out fairly just a few opponents, however he, too, couldn’t discover a solution to hit the online.

“Proper from Petr [Mrazek] all the way in which out, there wasn’t anyone that we had been sad with their efficiency tonight,” Richardson stated. “Sadly, we couldn’t get it over the road.”

Lastly, the bye

The Hawks’ bye week couldn’t have come at a greater time. Between the multitude of gamers working again from accidents and the group’s demoralizing on-ice struggles these days, everybody has been craving this week off.

“We’re taking part in actually exhausting towards groups…[and] while you’re sort of working out of gasoline, it’s exhausting to do,” Richardson stated.

“It’s going to be an excellent increase bodily to have that break for these guys to rejuvenate. There are guys which can be taking part in banged-up — which all people does — however with our harm listing and guys taking part in banged up, that’s a variety of stress on this group. It’s going to be good for them to get a break.”

The Hawks received’t play once more till Feb. 7 towards the Wild and can play 9 of their 10 video games in February at house, with a number of extra multi-day breaks sprinkled in.

That may present numerous follow time and reduce journey, serving to Connor Bedard (jaw), Anthony Beauvillier (wrist), Tyler Johnson (foot), Connor Murphy (decrease physique) and Nikita Zaitsev (knee) attempt to rejoin the lineup as quickly as potential.

Gilbert finds area of interest

Former Hawks prospect defenseman Dennis Gilbert has lastly discovered his area of interest within the NHL with the Flames.

Gilbert, now 27, made his thirty first look of the season Saturday, having already set a profession excessive. After being traded away from Chicago in October 2020 within the Nikita Zadorov commerce, he spent two years on the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate, then landed in Calgary in 2022.

“I assumed I’d come out right here and provides it the very best I may, and…I’ve been in a position to construct via final yr to this yr,” Gilbert stated.

Throughout his Colorado stint, he realized how you can defend utilizing his toes, skating and positioning quite than purely via physicality, which at all times got here extra naturally for him. His hits-per-game charge has decreased from 3.6 with the Hawks to 1.6 this season, however the Flames have fared decently effectively throughout his ice time.

“Figuring out what is predicted of you and doing it persistently is the secret,” he stated. “This yr, for essentially the most half, I’ve carried out an excellent job of that.”