A new era will begin for the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday when they host the Winnipeg Jets in their first game under interim head coach Anders Sorensen.
Chicago, whose 18 points are fewest in the NHL, fired third-year coach Luke Richardson on Thursday amid another slow start for the rebuilding Blackhawks.
“You have to be realistic with what you’re expecting and what you demand out of a group,” general manager Kyle Davidson said, “but I don’t believe this is a last-place group.”
The Blackhawks have only two victories in their past 10 games and enter play on a four-game losing streak, matching a season high.
Wednesday’s 4-2 loss to the visiting Boston Bruins, who are surging since making an in-season coaching change, saw the Blackhawks sputter again despite another strong start.
Chicago has scored first in seven of the past eight games.
“The thing we don’t like to see is our bench and our emotion lacking sometimes,” Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy said. “We seemed dejected. And that’s not a good thing because we’re losing some games here.”
Winnipeg suddenly knows the feeling. While the Jets entered Friday tied with Central Division rival Minnesota for the most points in the league (38), the club recently endured a four-game skid of its own.
Adam Lowry ended the slide Thursday, scoring 3:59 into overtime to key a 3-2 road victory against Buffalo.
“It’s huge. We’ve been on the wrong side the prior four games, and I just liked the way we battled,” Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said. “Lots of (special) teams, but at the end of the day, we got into that third period and, like the prior games where we were tied, we gave up the lead in those games, and tonight I just liked the way we hung in.
“Took a little longer than 60 (minutes), but it was a real good effort.”
The Jets have scored more than one goal just three times in the past seven games, winning two games over that stretch. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck kept the team afloat in Buffalo with 28 saves.
Kyle Connor tied the game with a power-play goal in the second period, Gabriel Vilardi had a goal and assist, and Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheifele had two assists each.
“It’s been tough sledding the last week or so trying to pick up wins, so it’s nice to find a way to win,” Lowry said. “Hopefully, we can keep that good feeling going into Chicago now.”
Winnipeg improved to 4-0 in overtime this season, a mark that includes a 2-1 OT win against Chicago in the home opener in October.
The Blackhawks lost seven of nine to start the season but there wasn’t much indication that Richardson’s job was in peril as the struggles continued. Sorensen pivots to the NHL after guiding the Blackhawks’ American Hockey League affiliate in Rockford, Ill.
Davidson indicated he only pondered a move “very recently.”
In his view, “the reasons things went sideways for us were likely fixable.”
The Blackhawks’ bid to back their GM’s theory starts Saturday.
–Field Level Media
