DENVER –Faced with arguably the toughest possible challenge to start the regular season, the Blackhawks did what they will likely do a lot this season: They lost.
Four power-play goals for the Avalanche, a team with all the firepower needed to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, doomed the overmatched Hawks to a 5-2 loss Wednesday.
“We felt the heat, and our focus got lost a little bit,” said Luke Richardson, who made his NHL head-coaching debut. “Not that we weren’t trying, we just were unaware. We were unaware when we needed changes and dumps, and we were unaware as forwards that the [defensemen] were pinching up and keeping extended ‘O’-zone time for them.
“Overall, the guys fought to the end, and that’s all we can ask for. But we have to demand more of ourselves.”
After an electric pregame ceremony to raise the 2022 Cup banner, Avalanche stars Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen gave the Hawks’ injured-ravaged defense fits all night and combined for eight assists.
The Avalanche outshot the Hawks in all three periods and finished with decisive advantages in shot attempts (60-34), shots on goal (35-17) and scoring chances (26-19). They went four-for-six on the man advantage, making it look easy at times.
“When they get going, if you get back on your heels a little bit, all it takes is one little wrong move and you’re taking a penalty,” Max Domi said. “[It’s] not even on purpose, right? It’s just, they’re fast. [It was a] learning experience, for sure.”
It wasn’t a completely pitiful performance by the Hawks, who showed some “good fight” in the third period — pulling within two for a while –and converted on two of their own power plays. Domi potted his first as a Hawk, and Jonathan Toews also scored to quickly extinguish any worries about another long season-opening goal drought.
But the end result was a defeat that felt inevitable from the start and about which they couldn’t complain. The other team was simply better. And that’s an explanation for losing that might be applicable many, many more times before April mercifully arrives.
“We probably turned too many pucks over in the neutral zone, especially at their blue line, and they counter really quick,” Richardson said. “Unfortunately, we kind of fed their fuel for a little bit.”
