With the annual Ringling Brothers/Barnum and Bailey Circus coming into town next week, the Chicago Blackhawks will take their game out west for a six game road trip in what is sure to be a circus of its own. Facing four of the six teams ahead of them in the Western Conference standings, the ‘Hawks are in for a tough stretch considering their .500 style of play as of late. Although 3rd in the league in goal differential (+14), relying on goaltending against teams like Anaheim and Vancouver, first and fourth in the league standings respectively, might not be enough to come out of this stretch ahead.
Not all is lost, however, as the Blackhawks will be getting back two notable players in the upcoming days. After blocking a shot against Tampa Bay on Tuesday, defenseman Johnny Oduya skated with the team during practice Thursday and was described as “fine” by Coach Joel Quenneville. They will also get back scrappy forward Daniel Carcillo after a leg injury suffered in late October against the Blues. Carcillo returned to practice on Tuesday and could potentially be back on the ice for game time as early as Sunday, per Coach Q.
Corey Crawford will have to continue to maintain his 1.76 GAA if things are going to go well for the team. Three of the six games will be against teams with a higher amount of goals scored than the Blackhawks in the Western Conference. Throughout the season, Crawford has shown great composure in the net and, game after game, has made acrobatic saves look easy. While promising, this will need to continue, otherwise this circus could quickly take a turn for the worse.
Offensively, Chicago needs to continue the possession-heavy style of play they are well known for. Keeping the puck out of the defensive zone hasn’t been too much of a challenge for the team, however, finding the back of the net has yet to reflect the team’s league leading time of possession. The team also has the #1 ranked penalty kill in the league. With a 91.7% PK, clearing the puck will play a huge part in whether or not the team does well, as Anaheim, Calgary, and Vancouver are dangerous when it comes to the man advantage.
It may seem like a lot will need to go in Chicago’s favor in order to survive this brutal road trip of hotel beds and time away from home, but this doesn’t mean a team like the Blackhawks don’t have what it takes. With players returning from injury, a solid penalty kill, and a goaltender that stands on his head time and time again, Chicago just might have what it takes on both ends of the ice. It will be fun to see if they can come out on top, or end up looking just like the clowns that will be in the United Center.
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