SUNRISE, Fla. — With the playoffs an extended shot for the Blackhawks, the problem for coach Jeremy Colliton has been holding his gamers locked in regardless of sitting removed from the place they imagined they might be within the standings.
That disappointment can take a toll on morale, however Colliton needs to see the Hawks care sufficient to play arduous — and play inside his system — till the top. That alone received’t at all times overcome the Hawks’ expertise deficit, however it might probably preserve them from an all-out spiral.
They confirmed Colliton what he wanted to see in a 3-2 shootout victory Saturday in opposition to the Panthers and former coach Joel Quenneville.
‘‘That’s what we’re asking of the blokes: Show up,’’ Colliton mentioned. ‘‘We want the results, but it’s all about how we carry out. Let’s put ourselves in place to get outcomes.’’
The recreation was proof that his gamers hear him. It would have been a straightforward one to concede on the finish of a weeklong highway journey and an exhausting month.
The Hawks had been hardly creative, however who cares about that anymore? These aren’t the title groups of the final decade. Any victory is an efficient one for them at this level.
They took a 2-1 lead six minutes into the second interval — the objectives had been blue-collar chip-ins by Jonathan Toews and Drake Caggiula off pictures by defensemen — and almost held it to the top. But Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson tied the rating on a two-on-one with 1:28 left in regulation.
In time beyond regulation, nonetheless, the Hawks’ greatest gamers confirmed the grit of their glory days. With a little bit greater than a minute left, defenseman Duncan Keith hit the ice in full sprawl to interrupt up a two-on-one that would have ended the sport.
Goalie Corey Crawford completed regulation and time beyond regulation with 38 saves on 40 pictures. He then stopped each skaters he confronted within the shootout, and Toews and Patrick Kane buried their pictures for the victory.
‘‘We want to make the playoffs,’’ mentioned Toews, who turned the primary participant in NHL historical past to attain 50 shootout objectives. ‘‘We’ve pushed one another arduous all yr. There’s been numerous bumps within the highway . . . however credit score to those guys within the room. I feel there’s much more expertise, much more character.
‘‘We’re able to play our greatest hockey, and I feel the final two video games have been a reasonably good instance of that.’’
On Thursday, wing Dominik Kubalik’s hat trick lifted the Hawks to a 5-2 victory on the Lightning.
The Hawks are six factors out of the ultimate wild-card spot, pending the results of a late recreation Saturday between the Jets and Oilers. There are 4 groups between them and that spot.
Even with a home-heavy schedule, it appears to be like too late for the Hawks to make a run. But the group is decided to present chase.
‘‘Absolutely,’’ Toews mentioned. ‘‘The opportunity is there.’’
The Hawks will play 11 of their subsequent 15 video games at house, and 10 of their final 17 opponents are presently out of the playoff area.
The draw back, nonetheless, is that they have to do it with out feisty wing Andrew Shaw after they dominated him out for the season with a concussion. He would have been particularly useful at a time like this.
‘‘A lot of personality in the dressing room, holds guys accountable, pushes them, makes them uncomfortable, drags them into the fight, helps to prepare them to play,’’ Colliton mentioned of Shaw. ‘‘He can get the group engaged, and obviously we miss that.’’
The Hawks additionally shut down middle Zack Smith, who may have again surgical procedure Friday.
Between these losses and the gamers they dealt on the commerce deadline, the Hawks are depleted. But they aren’t useless.