With Marian Hossa, Viktor Stalberg and Patrick Kane all out with various injuries, it has been up to some of the “new crew”, as they term themselves, to help the Blackhawks win.
Last night at the United Center, they did just that. Jack Skille scored two goals, one on a power play, and Bryan Bickell had one — extending his points streak to five games — as the Blackhawks beat the Nashville Predators for the first time this season, 4-1.
Let’s not forget the contributions of goalie Corey Crawford, who made 24 saves in helping lead the Hawks to their third straight win.
This is the kind of thing the Blackhawks are going to need over an extended period, regardless of when the injured players come back. This is valuable time for the “new crew” to prove themselves.
For the Hawks, this is a well-deserved holiday weekend off; they’ll need it to be at full strength, and also for the three-game win streak. They will host the Columbus Blue Jackets at the United Center on Sunday night.