Blackhawks unravel against Islanders in home openerBen Popeon October 20, 2021 at 2:43 am

The Islanders scored three times in the third period to beat the Blackhawks 4-0. | Getty

The Hawks remained winless through games after a 4-1 loss spoiled what, through the first two periods, looked like a better effort.

Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton walked out to a chorus of boos during coach and player introductions Tuesday. Based on his expression, he seemed to know it was coming.

The result that later sent fans heading for the exits well before the final horn — a 4-1 loss to the Islanders, dealing the Hawks their fourth straight defeat to open the season — won’t help his reputation.

The Hawks saw countless great looks denied by Isles goalie Ilya Sorokin before unraveling in the third period, watching a narrow 1-0 deficit devolve into a rout thanks to three Isles goals in an 11-minute span.

The Hawks did make it through not only the game’s first 20 seconds but the entire first period unscathed, actually dominating the Isles to the tune of an 18-9 advantage in shots on goal in the frame.

A new, seemingly nonsensical line concocted in some strange depths of Colliton’s brain — Alex DeBrincat with Henrik Borgstrom and Mike Hardman — actually clicked immediately. Borgstrom fed DeBrincat for two Grade-A chances within the game’s opening minutes.

But even that silver lining didn’t last long; Mike Hardman left the game in the third period looking wobbly and disoriented after a high hit.

When Patrick Kane complained Saturday about the NHL’s schedule-making disadvantaging the Hawks by making them the opponent for three consecutive home openers to start the season, he made it imperative the Hawks win their own home opener to support his argument. And they did not.

The Hawks have now trailed for 193 minutes so far this season and led for exactly zero. They’ve been outscored 15-3 during five-on-five play. Their emphasis entering Tuesday on playing more “boring” hockey lasted only part of the game.

Last season, too, the Hawks lost their first four games — then actually rallied to get above .500 after 21 games.

But relatively few teams have started 0-3-1 and gone on to make the playoffs — including last season’s Hawks, of course — and the playoffs were an explicit expectation of general manager Stan Bowman entering this season.

Notes

The Hawks sent young defenseman Ian Mitchell down to the AHL simultaneously with their Hardman recall Monday.
The late Tony Esposito, the Hawks’ all-time winningest goaltender who died in August at age 78, was honored with a pregame tribute.
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