Blackhawks come up short against Predators

December was a dream month for the Blackhawks, but January hasn't been as kind. The red-hot offense that carried the Hawks to 10 victories in 12 games and a possible 21 of 24 points in December has gone as ...

[MDM]

Hawks were rolling until they met up with Detroit - now they seem out of sync - Here is what I see:
1. Wisniewski (Mr. One-Timer) is back and I think he has totally disrupted the chemistry - esp on the power play where he has replaced Cam Barker - pinches in way too much leading to too many odd man breaks.
2. Burish is back and I have no idea what he's doing out there - two garbage goals in two games but at the expense of Craig Adams who was playing good hockey.
Seems the team was doing better without these two overrated knuckleheads.

[Chico17]

Pekka Rinne played a great game as did Cristibol Huet. Huet certainly cannot be blamed for the loss. I almost always give the Hawks the benefit of the doubt and try to see positives in a game. Tonight's game really pissed me off because they simply were never in the game. Two games in a row facing hot goalies is no excuse for seemingly being mentally out of it from the first puck being dropped. Poor hockey. They better wake up and start playing with some desire or this could turn into a bad losing streak. Yeah, they're young, but that is no excuse for lousy hockey. Come on boys, pick it up!

[deadboy]

seems the team plays harder when pat kane isnt in the lineup. i dont like wiz at all or burish for that matter as well.barker is the most invisible 6 foot 3 guy on the ice. i prefer him on the pp over wiz but there has to be some type of playing conditions for a guy like barker to adhere to so he doesnt get sent down.like move your legs and hit peoplw when given the chance.same goes for brouwer.at least skille could skate to the puck and finish checks,this guy is always behind a play or ruining a play. but these games happen i suppose.

[paul]

Winning streaks and losing streaks are part of the way a season plays out.It's the ability to get out of a slump that determines a real winner. We have youth, skill and enthusiasm and the last 4 games ( not the cyotes) are a temporary set back. One sportswriter in the London paper in his analysis of the league this year so far claims the Hawks can beat anybody but the Wings. Keep the faith boys.GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!

[Indy Hawk Fan]

Very frustrating to watch. It felt like I knew they were going to lose even in the first period by just watching them. Tonight should really tell us something.

GO HAWKS!!!

[Tony]

Pekka Rinne is another goalie we can put in the HOF..Q has it right when he says that teams are gunning for the Hawks and you can't get off to poor starts. This team does not have the talent too simply coast through games and expect to win.Granted you can't win them all but you have to beat the Colorado's and the Nashville's of the league if you consider yourself a top team. The schedule isn't going to get any easier either. I don't have any problems with Wiz or Burish and your going to blame a fourth line forward and your #4 d-man for these recent losses? I don't get that. I guess Q had to throw Barker a bone at the expense of Aaron Johnson. The coach is juggleing to get his spare parts on D some ice..Sharp is snake bitten, Kane has been off the mark, Toews comes and goes.Did anybody see Buff lay the body on anyone during the game? Heck, imo, Fraser,Eager and Burish were the best line for the Hawks...Tonight's game is going to be key to see how we respond. I expect Max effort from the team especially at home..Get back on track! GO HAWKS!!

[Lone Ranger]

With the exception of the Phoenix game last week, the Hawks have been getting pushed around on the ice since the first game of the New Years series with Detroit on 12-30-09. Perhaps someone other than Matt Walker can step up and begin checking. For a big man who is supposed to be a physical player, Cam Barker is a pu$$y, and he has not lived up to his reputation as a hockey player or enforcer. Nashville is a physical team. Last nights game wasn't a matter of the predators winning. The Hawks lost because they failed to step up and play an NHL level game. It is time for a few or our guys to grow a pair......

[Tony]

I think Buff and Eager need to do more on the physical front. I didn't know Barker was considered an enforcer.You just wish the switch would flip on a guy like Barker and he shows why he was a #1 pick. The guy was drafted as a future PP trigger man but ankle/foot injuries have slowed his developement but i'd agree with posts that are frustrated with his play. I know I don't miss him when he's out of the lineup..

[Chico17]

What's nice about these posts is that we EXPECT them to play well and come out with a win. Realizing that losses are going to happen, we are frustrated and a bit angry with even 2 in a row. Man, what a change from the not so distant past! I agree with the idea that tonight they have to step it up, prove a point and win at home. This game may not seem that important, but in my opinion it is very important to stop the bleeding now or a bad losing streak could occur. Just keep the feet moving boys!! GO HAWKS!

[Chico17]

Tony: You are right: We need to have Kane (I think he is still recovering), Toews and Sharp put the puck in the net.

[eddie shore]

Prediction Duncan Keith v. Martin Erat in a middle weight bout tonight. Hawks got to put players in trade or no trade category. Could wiz and burish be on the block and what could we get for them. Chemistry is everything on a team.

[MR KENNEDY]

BIG BIG game tonight need to come in and crash the net early.A couple of fights mixed in to get the juices flowing.Burish can get it started early.

[Thin The Herd]

The Hawks are a team that can be outnuscled by a few NHL teams, but they shouldn't be outskated..........and they were totally outskated by the Preds in the first 10 minutes. But for Huet, it could have been 3 or 4-zip at that point.

Ok, guys, time to go back to work after a great December.