Chicago Blackhawks' Back-to-Back Struggles a Thing of the Past as Team Matures Under Blashill's Guidance
The Chicago Blackhawks have been on a roll lately, posting impressive results in the second halves of back-to-back sets. This sudden turnaround is a testament to the team's maturation under head coach Jeff Blashill.
In contrast to their atrocious performances earlier this season, the Blackhawks have turned their results around with a 2-0-1 record in the second halves of their last three back-to-backs. Their winning streak includes a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory against the Golden Knights and a dominant 3-0 win against the Predators.
Blashill attributes this improvement to his team's increased maturity, citing examples such as the Buffalo game, where the Blackhawks got out-chanced heavily, and the Anaheim game, where they were out-shot but managed to hold their ground. Since then, the differences have been relatively minor.
The coach also highlights a crucial aspect of the team's growth: their ability to avoid compounding mistakes with another error. In contrast to earlier in the year when big-time Grade A chances against them often led to more mistakes, they've shown significant improvement in this regard.
This newfound maturity comes as no surprise, given that the Blackhawks have been working on refining their game strategy. Their increased focus on possession and valuing it above all else has resulted in a more conservatively played three-on-three overtime, with teams opting for long stretches of circling around the ice to wear out opponents instead of actively attacking the net.
As the NHL continues to grapple with the rise of shootouts, the Blackhawks' success in these situations is becoming increasingly notable. The team's six and seven shootouts this season have resulted in a 3-4 record, which puts them ahead of their most shootout-heavy season since 2021-22.
The increasing reliance on shootouts has been attributed to teams playing more conservatively during three-on-three overtime. This has led to an uptick in overtime games going to a shootout, with 77 games already having reached this point, tying the number from all of last season.
With four back-to-back sets remaining on their schedule after the Olympic break, the Blackhawks will look to continue their upward trend and prove that their maturity is here to stay.
The Chicago Blackhawks have been on a roll lately, posting impressive results in the second halves of back-to-back sets. This sudden turnaround is a testament to the team's maturation under head coach Jeff Blashill.
In contrast to their atrocious performances earlier this season, the Blackhawks have turned their results around with a 2-0-1 record in the second halves of their last three back-to-backs. Their winning streak includes a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory against the Golden Knights and a dominant 3-0 win against the Predators.
Blashill attributes this improvement to his team's increased maturity, citing examples such as the Buffalo game, where the Blackhawks got out-chanced heavily, and the Anaheim game, where they were out-shot but managed to hold their ground. Since then, the differences have been relatively minor.
The coach also highlights a crucial aspect of the team's growth: their ability to avoid compounding mistakes with another error. In contrast to earlier in the year when big-time Grade A chances against them often led to more mistakes, they've shown significant improvement in this regard.
This newfound maturity comes as no surprise, given that the Blackhawks have been working on refining their game strategy. Their increased focus on possession and valuing it above all else has resulted in a more conservatively played three-on-three overtime, with teams opting for long stretches of circling around the ice to wear out opponents instead of actively attacking the net.
As the NHL continues to grapple with the rise of shootouts, the Blackhawks' success in these situations is becoming increasingly notable. The team's six and seven shootouts this season have resulted in a 3-4 record, which puts them ahead of their most shootout-heavy season since 2021-22.
The increasing reliance on shootouts has been attributed to teams playing more conservatively during three-on-three overtime. This has led to an uptick in overtime games going to a shootout, with 77 games already having reached this point, tying the number from all of last season.
With four back-to-back sets remaining on their schedule after the Olympic break, the Blackhawks will look to continue their upward trend and prove that their maturity is here to stay.
️ I'm lovin' this turnaround for the Blackhawks! It's like they're finally findin' their footing under Blashill's guidance 
. The way they've been playin', all about possession and not rushin' into shootouts, is super refreshing 
. They're learnin' to avoid makin' silly mistakes in these critical situations, and it's payin' off big time 
.
I mean, they're not just killin' it on offense, but they're also shuttin' down the other team like pros 
. It's like they've finally figured out that two minutes of icing ain't gonna cut it anymore 
.
. I'm hyped to see how they do over the rest of the season 
!
they had to hit rock bottom before they could start making changes and getting it together under blashill's guidance. their new focus on possession is paying off and it's interesting how they're now winning shootouts all the time - i guess that conservatively played approach is working for them 
I'm lovin' this! The Hawks are finally showin' some signs of life after a rocky start, and it's all thanks to Blashill's leadership 
. The fact that they're maturing and avoidin' compounding mistakes is huge – it's like they're learnin' from their past errors and adaptin' their game strategy on the fly 
. And I gotta say, seein' 'em dominate games 3-0 against teams like the Preds is just a great feel-good story 
️. Now let's hope they can keep it up and make a deep run in the playoffs 
!
. But now with their recent wins, I'm feeling like a different team altogether 
! Bring on the rest of the season, I'm hyped for what's next 
what changed exactly? did blashill come up with some magic formula or something? 
and wows shootouts are becoming super popular in the nhl lol who would have thought teams would be all about avoiding mistakes and circling around instead of just throwing pucks at the goal 
u think its bc of blashill's coaching or cuz dey just finally figured out how to not be complete garbage? 
. And I've gotta say, their shootout record is looking super strong this season - 3-4 is no joke! 
they've been on fire lately 
and it's all thanks to coach blashill's guidance 
i mean, who would have thought they'd be killing it in shootouts after being super rough at first 
️ they're focusing on possession and valuing it above all else 
which makes total sense now that they've got more maturity under their belt 
the way they're playing three-on-three overtime is so clever 
teams are just circling around, wearing each other out instead of going all out 
and it's making them go into shootouts so much less often 
️! i'm lovin' how coach blashill is emphasizing possession and valuing it over attacking 
.
! 3-4 out of six shootouts this season is 
: 
i think blashill's coaching style has been a game changer, making them play more possession hockey and not just rush down the ice all the time. its crazy to see how much better they've gotten in shootouts too, i mean 3-4 is no joke out of 6 & 7 
... like it's not just because the players finally figured out how to put together a decent game plan 
... Jeff Blashill deserves credit for making some tweaks, but at the end of the day, it's still hockey, folks 
, it's been a while since I've seen a team show such improvement, so here's hoping they can keep it up for the rest of the season 
(i.e. after months of struggling) and they're still learning but getting better 