Goal posts are apparently not friendly for the City of Chicago in the playoffs. (No one needs a reminder of the double-doink).
So when you hear a resounding sound, you are not alone.
The Blackhawks have played six games in their postseason run and have hit 12 iron shots so far – 10 from the post, two from the crossbar. Twelve! That’s an average of two per game and a pace of 164 in a season 82 game. For reference, she hit the iron 58 times – 48 from the post, 10 from the crossbar – in 70 games during the regular season.
No team has hit more iron than the Blackhawks (12) since the NHL’s 24-team Return to Play tournament began and it’s not even close. The next highest? Toronto at six. In incredible hole.
“It’s always hard to hit the post,” said Drake Caggiula, who hit one crossbar this post season. “You’re close to scoring a goal, but that’s hockey. It’s all about bounces. Sometimes you get them, sometimes you do not, you just have to stick to them. It’s just where you have to shoot the puck. and trust that you will get your chances and make sure you try and capitalize. But reaching the post is never a fun feeling unless it goes in the net. We just have to make sure it does not discourage us. “
Here’s a list of where each team sat when it comes to iron shots, through Thursday’s games:
- 12: Blackhawks
- 6: Toronto
- 5: Boston
- 4: Calgary, Colorado, Columbus, Montreal, NY Rangers, Vegas
- 3: Islanders in Florida, NY, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
- 2: Carolina, Dallas, Edmonton, Nashville, Tampa Bay, Washington, Winnipeg
- 1: Vancouver
- 0: Arizona, Minnesota, St. Louis
The Blackhawks hit five posts in Game 3 against the Edmonton Oilers, but it was easier to swallow because it came in a win. It wasn’t that easy in a Game 2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.
Patrick Kane, who leads all riders this postseason with three shots from the post, beat another one by 43 seconds in the first period on Thursday when the Blackhawks trained 2-0. He hit Robin Lehner five-holes, but the puck ran off the pipe and bounced out.
You could see the frustration in his face:
A frustrated Patrick Kane after he hit the post. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/U7fNp1qEHP
– Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) August 13, 2020
However, the Blackhawks got a nice break on Dominik Kubalik’s power play goal that tied the game at 2-2. His shot went in from inside the post.
Dominik Kubalik with a perfect shot for his fourth goal (third on power play) of the postseason. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/rVWWgrFyDH
– Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) August 13, 2020
But the one that keeps Chicago awake is the crossbar that has been shot in overtime.
Just 1:53 in extra time, Dylan Strome fired a 35-foot wrist shot from the right faceoff circle and rang it from the bottom of the crossbar. He raised his hands in the air and thought it was a target. It was inches away from bar downwards, but jumped out instead.
Dylan Strome came * this * close to scoring the winning winner. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/o4jgQoo9tO
– Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) August 14, 2020
The Blackhawks are definitely getting their chances. It’s challenging to keep up when the puck luck does not go your way, but you have to earn your bounces and the Blackhawks have to keep pushing. That’s the message.
“We had our chances,” said head coach Jeremy Colliton. “Sometimes it’s like that. The key is, how long can we stick with it? How long can we be persistent if we have too little contradiction? We’re dealing with some setbacks here in the first few games. the character to overcome it?? It’s an opportunity for our boys.
“You’ve been playing all year to be in these games, so now we’re here and we’ve got some adversity. So what? Just keep playing and believe in what we do and believe in the guys in the room. and we’re going to give her a run. “
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