Blackhawks Need to Shore Up Team Defense

Jonathan Quick makes a save on Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews 

The Chicago Blackhawks have often leaned on their offensive depth to get them past opponents, particularly in the playoffs.

The Blackhawks have relied upon everyone from their stars to their role players, and from their first to their fourth lines to give them production in the past.

The Blackhawks aren’t getting that across-the-board help through three games against the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference finals, and that is part of the reason why they’re facing a 2-1 series deficit.

Reference: Blackhawks not finding offensive balance.

I was curious about the premise of Scott Powers' article on ESPN.com, and offered an alternative viewpoint in the Chicago Blackhawks community on Google+:

I think, in general, the Hawks have had good offensive balance in this series: two defensemen, a 3rd liner and a 4th liner, plus big guns like Toews and Sharp have all scored. Also, I saw more shots on net in Game 3, instead of waiting for the perfect pass or perfect shooting lane.

The main issue has been on the (team) defensive end, including goal tending. A loss of focus resulted in the 3rd period massacre in Game 2. Some loose play in the neutral zone and below the goal line, especially in the 2nd period of Game 3, did them in. Not to mention those penalties: Kings have poked holes in our vaunted PK!

With these defensive breakdowns, three goals are not enough to win the match. So talk about offensive balance and production comes up. But tighten up the neutral zone, protect the puck in our zone, look to make the stretch pass, and the offense should come along nicely (rf. Leddy's and Smith's goals in Game 2).

Thank you for reading, and let me know what you think!

Ron Villejo, PhD