Thank God for the Blackhawks!

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I posted the following note on the Google+ Blackhawks Fans community:

As any Chicago sports fan knows, it's been really tough the last three years.  But all I want to say is, I'm very thankful for the Blackhawks!  

Sure, so far it's been a head-scratcher of a struggle to score.  We're now 16 games into the season, and at 9-6-1 the Blackhawks are middle of the pack in the NHL.  Thankfully our goaltending has been stellar: from Corey Crawford, to Antti Raanta and Scott Darling.  While our team defense has had glaring bobbles and giveaways, including a league-leading four shorthanded goals given up, it has been rather stout.

It's really hard for any team to win scoring just two goals, so they have to score more on a consistent basis.  But to my point, our goal tending and team defense kept the high powered Lightning to two goals through regulation this past Tuesday night.  In turn the Lightning kept the scoring challenged Blackhawks to two goals, too.  But a game winning, shootout goal from No. 88 vindicated a very tough, salt of the earth effort by the team. 

We fans know the team will come around:  Besides having talented players on the ice and an enviable depth chart, they are very well coached under Joel Quenneville.  Also the team is run by a very capable front office, that knows how to run a hockey business, instill the right values, and establish a culture of support and opportunity as well as a culture of performance and accountability.