One sounds easier than four for Hawks

The Chicago Blackhawks invoked that word more than once on Monday as they face the end of their season, down 3-0 to Vancouver in their best-of-seven opening-round playoff series."It's a huge pride factor," Jonathan Toews said. "We just want to stay alive in the series." Staying alive means winning a single game Tuesday night in Game 4. Winning the series will take a monumental comeback."You don't anticipate being down 3-0 in a series," Patrick Sharp said. "It's the reality. NHL Chicago Blackhawks Jerseys We have to find a way to get out of it." Besides "pride," the other words spoken often Monday were "winning one game at a time." It's what is usually said when a handful are needed, but it is the right strategy. One sounds much easier than four."Once we get that momentum in a game we have to try and keep it," Duncan Keith said.And it's the way to win the series as well. Grab the momentum and ride it to a couple of wins where the pressure then falls squarely on the team that was leading 3-0. The Philadelphia Flyers did it a season ago, but the Hawks are going to need better individual and team performances before any sort of comeback can get started. There were five names on a chalkboard in the Hawks' dressing room Monday. Five stars chosen to speak to the media about the predicament they're in.
Absent from the list was Marian Hossa, who has been missing on the ice as well. Zero points and a minus-3 through the first three games starts to tell his story.It doesn't matter; he's not the dominant Hossa who can play in all phases of the game. His power play and penalty killing have been woeful, and he's passed up shots to attempt passes while passing up open teammates to attempt poor shots. Ben Smith has outplayed Hossa. That might sum up the series in a nutshell.Hossa isn't alone in mediocre play. It's been well-documented how far Keith has fallen since his Norris Trophy season,Cheap Dolce Gabbana Jeans, and Brian Campbell continues to tease on both ends of the ice as well. Wide-open looks and passing plays are just eluding him while he's still vulnerable in his own end. Campbell and Keith are a team-worst minus-4.What has Vancouver done better than Chicago? A little bit of everything. Isn't that harder to fix than one specific weakness? Bad penalty killing can be forgotten by taking fewer penalties, but add a poor PK with an average power play, a less-than-physical performance, and mediocre play from your stars, and you see why the Hawks are down 3-0.
The Hawks split the season series against the Canucks. Cheap NHL Jerseys When players, such as Toews, on Monday, say they can beat Vancouver, this is where they get it from. But the Hawks are the only team down 3-0 to its playoff opponent. Should that be right? Does that make sense? It doesn't, but the Hawks are the only ones who can prove it. Four might be insurmountable, but one shouldn't be. Should it?Getting Dave Bolland back in the lineup might be an inspiration for the Hawks. There will undoubtedly be some debate if he should even return from a concussion which has sidelined him since March 9. After all, what good can he do compared to the damage possibly done to him? The bottom line is if he was being rushed back, then it would be a silly decision. No one can claim they've rushed him. If he's ready and wants to play, there is no reason not to let him. He could suffer another injury in Game 1 next season. Playing it careful isn't the worst idea in the world, and neither is playing in the game. Watching him tells the rest of it: He's listless and making poor decisions.Making three, long consecutive playoff runs might finally be catching up to him or maybe he's hurting yet again.