Blackhawks: The Colorado Avalanche were too much to handle

The Chicago Blackhawks knew that the home and home set with the Colorado Avalanche would be difficult but not this difficult.

The Chicago Blackhawks came out of Thanksgiving feeling good about where their game was currently at. They had just taken three out of four points from the Dallas Stars who are the hottest team in the National Hockey League. There was no doubt that a home and home series with the Colorado Avalanche would be difficult but chances were they didn’t think it would be this difficult. Neither game was really that close and the Avalanche took four points away from the Hawks, who got nothing.

The Black Friday game was in Chicago at the United Center and they did not play well. Corey Crawford was in the net and they probably would have pulled him if they didn’t have a game the very next day against the same exact team. Patrick Kane was able to extend his point streak to 14 games but that is the beginning and the end of the positives list from the game. They lost the game 5-2 despite outshooting them 36-23.

The Saturday night game was much worse if you can believe it. They were even with the Avalanche in shots with 29 each but there is no doubt that the Avs were the better team in the game. The Avalanche defeated them 7-3 and chased Robin Lehner from the net. Corey Crawford had to come in for an appearance in the second straight game. Neither game was really on either goalie but there have been times this year where Lehner and Crawford have been able to save the day in stretches like this. That wasn’t the case in this one and the results fit that fact.

The style of play that the Hawks play relies on the goalies to be better than average and they were just okay. The only positive about the second game is similar to the only positive to the first game, which is Patrick Kane extending his point streak to 15 games. Kane is now up to 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points. He is no doubt a Hart Trophy candidate if the Blackhawks rise up to be a playoff team this year. He needs some of his teammates to raise their level of playing themselves for that to be the case.

This could be an old rivalry renewing with how chippy it got at times. Both Andrew Shaw and Alex DeBrincat participated in a fight over the two games. That may be something you expect from Shaw but seeing DeBrincat drop the mitts was surely entertaining. Each fight seemed to spark the rest of the players for a short time but the Avalanche regained control every time. Weekends like this are going to happen from time to time but they need to string together another few wins in a row here.

The next game is a big one for the Hawks. For the first time ever, the will be lining up against a defending Stanley Cup Champion St. Louis Blues team. The hated rivals defeated the Boston Bruins in six games last June and they are going to be looking to do it again. They currently sit atop the Central Division but they are dealing with some massive injuries. The Blackhawks and Blues have now both won Cups with their cores so it will be fun to watch them go at it in this one.