Los Angeles Kings forward Mike Richards hit the nail on the head when describing his club:
“I think we’re a team that thrives off of having the lead.”
That was the story of Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, as the Kings exploded right out of the gates for three goals and held on for a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, taking a commanding 3-1 series lead.
The Kings’ first period outburst started with a power-play goal from defenseman Jake Muzzin just nine minutes into the opening frame, while Marian Gaborik re-directed a Justin Williams centering pass through the legs of Hawks netminder Corey Crawford two minutes later. Kings captain Dustin Brown registered his third goal of the postseason (also with the man-advantage) to pull his team ahead by three going into the second period.
WCF Game 4
For the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, a combination of defensive miscues and inability to capitalize on scoring chances proved to be their downfall as they dropped their third consecutive game in the series after winning Game 1.
Widely regarded as boasting one of the most talented defensive cores in the National Hockey League, the Hawks have become a lackadaisical group of individuals (minus Jonathan Toews) allowing the Kings to skate on their throats repetitively, rarely showing signs of life until the damage has already commenced.
Superstars Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp have failed to make an impact in the series as they have combined for one goal throughout the series, as the plentiful depth of the Blackhawks roster has failed to rear its head as well. The Hawks team that possessed a sense of urgency to battle their way out of a 2-0 series deficit against the St. Louis Blues in the opening round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs is non-existent, and they have the Kings to thank for that.
Coach Darryl Sutter has taught his team to match the Hawks speed and skill with overwhelming strength, not allowing them to utilize their elusiveness to skate through the middle of the ice to create offensive opportunities. Blueliners Drew Doughty and Muzzin have also found a way to provide offense from the back-end with precise shots from the point, eluding Crawford with ease.
Net front presence arguably has been the source of Los Angeles’ tallies throughout the duration of the Conference Finals, while the Hawks have allowed their opposition to park directly outside the blue paint, providing a screen to prevent Crawford from seeing the oncoming shot. In Game 2, it was Jeff Carter deflecting a shot to tie up the game, while the Blackhawks defense left him uncontested.
On Memorial Day in the Staples Center, the gameplan was once again put to use when Muzzin’s shot hit the twine. Doughty blasted one home from a similar spot a little over halfway through the second period to put the Kings up 4-0.
The Hawks received goals from Brandon Saad and Bryan Bickell, but it was too little, too late once again. Tanner Pearson added an empty net goal to seal it for Los Angeles.
Special Teams Not So Special
The powerplay for the Hawks has been just like the other aspects of their game: average
They have not scored a powerplay goal on the road since Game 1 against the Blues, and were 0-for-3 in Game 4 against the Kings. Their primary unit managed to create some chances early, but failed to put the puck past Kings goalie Jonathan Quick early and often.
On the other hand, Los Angeles capitalized on two of the three man advantages presented to them. The dominating penalty kill Chicago frustrated opposing offenses with has become one with a lack of tenacity and pressure, easily allowing the Kings to move the puck quickly and effortlessly, leading to execution.
If the Hawks want to get back into the series and avoid elimination, they will have to fix their defensive issues at both 5-on-5 and on the PK. Chicago has only come back to win the series once when put in a 3-1 hole in the postseason, which came last season against the Detroit Red Wings. As optimism starts to fade for Blackhawks fans, keep in mind that they are as resilient as they get.
The series returns to the Madhouse on Madison on Wednesday at 8:00 ET.
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