Written by Steve Rosenbloom at ChicagoTribune.com
You’ve no doubt heard or seen the stat:
The Blackhawks are 45-15 in Games 4-7 under coach Joel Quenneville.
Perhaps you’ve also heard or seen the stat that they’re 15-1 in Game 6s, as well.
Both records emphasize the critical quality that the Hawks improve dramatically as a series proceeds. It has been that way since Quenneville guided the Jonathan Toews-Patrick Kane Hawks into the 2009 playoffs, and one of the areas in which their learning curve is most acute and deadly is the opposing goaltender.
Tampa Bay’s Ben Bishop and Anaheim’s Frederik Andersen, for example, came in hot in the Stanley Cup Final and Western Conference finals last season. Didn’t matter.
Boston’s Tukka Rask and Los Angeles’ Jonathan Quick came in hot in previous postseasons. Didn’t matter then either.
The Hawks haven’t raked every goalie by the end of the series, but more often than not, they solve the opposing netminder well enough to win the series.
This, of course, isn’t the only reason for that gaudy 45-15 record in decisive games, but you have to start somewhere, and the Hawks start with better ways to put the puck in the net.
The Hawks identify weaknesses and exploit them progressively and repeatedly. They do it regularly and successfully, going on eight years now. It is not a fluke, and Blues goalieBrian Elliott is getting the business now.
After allowing just four goals in the first three games, Elliott has allowed three, then four and now five goals in a game — 12 in the last three contests — and has a save percentage of just .893 in Games 4-6.
The Hawks’ strategy to shoot low is finally creating rebounds after creating little more than frustration early in the series. They’ve also found the joys of going glove side, especially high.
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