As various Chicago Blackhawks youngsters rave about the locker-room vibe — “I would be lying if I said it’s not a ton of fun in here,” Oliver Moore said — the club’s veterans take it one step further.
They find enjoyment is spurring success.
“I think we’re seeing great development from the group and taking strides,” center Jason Dickinson said. “Games matter so much right now.”
Chicago brings a season-high four-game winning streak into Friday’s meeting with the visiting Washington Capitals, who know firsthand what the jelling Blackhawks can do.
Backed by 32 saves from Spencer Knight and captain Nick Foligno’s goal in the sixth round of a shootout, Chicago won 3-2 in Washington on Saturday.
The surge continued with Wednesday’s 7-3 home rout of the St. Louis Blues, which vaulted the Blackhawks within three points of the final Western Conference wild-card spot entering Thursday.
Washington fell to 3-5-2 in its past 10 games with a 4-1 home loss to Dallas on Wednesday.
The Capitals now occupy an Eastern Conference wild-card spot but remain in the hunt in a tight Metropolitan Division.
“This month is so critical for our team, and so, I feel like even though it is January and Game 43, it’s all hands on deck right now for our group,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said.
Injuries have slowed the Capitals lately, although top scorer Tom Wilson, out with a lower-body injury since the first period Saturday, will travel with the club on its upcoming trip to Chicago and Nashville.
Alex Ovechkin, Washington’s second-leading scorer this year, tallied the lone goal against Dallas as Carbery bemoaned an ineffective attack he has challenged to be less stagnant.
“When you get there, and you can’t find your way to the net or get a puck in there and now everything is on the perimeter and a lot of it was delayed, we try to go up top and they get a ‘tick’ on that puck. So there, your shift’s over,” Carbery said. “You go down low, you cut back and you can’t make that next play out of that area. Shift’s over.”
Defensemen John Carlson, who earned an assist on the Ovechkin goal, has collected points in consecutive games after a five-game point drought.
Chicago could welcome star center Connor Bedard back from injured reserve. Coach Jeff Blashill said Bedard, out with a shoulder injury he sustained Dec. 12 in St. Louis, is considered day-to-day.
Bedard skated in practice Tuesday wearing a non-contact sweater and said, “I feel really good. … Kind of just keep ramping up.”
Chicago is 5-6-1 without Bedard, who still holds the club points lead by 10 over Tyler Bertuzzi. Bedard attributes his strong start to growing maturity and the skill around him.
“Kind of that understanding of the schedule and not taking every game like too much and just having fun with it,” Bedard said. “Our team has been playing great and I’m fortunate to play with a lot of great players, and I think we’ve just been reading off each other well.”
–Field Level Media
