Just like death and taxes, the Chicago Blackhawks power play struggles return yet again this season.
The Blackhawks have converted on just 7 power play opportunities out of 41 this season, scoring on just a measly 17.1 percent of those chances.
Against the Oilers on Thursday the Blackhawks went an unacceptable 0-for-5 on the power play, playing themselves straight into an overtime loss ironically on an Oilers power play goal. Had the Blackhawks converted on just one power play, specifically the 5-on-3 debacle, they easily could have won that game.
So what’s wrong with the power play?
Everything, poor puck handling on the blue line, not enough shots on goal, no one posting up in front of the net, wasting time fending off short-handed opportunities, not winning the face-offs and terrible play in the neutral zone.
Almost everything that can go wrong on the power play does go wrong for the Blackhawks.
Joel Quenneville on the power play and puck management after tonight's overtime loss to the Oilers. #CHIvsEDM https://t.co/aHTnENbWkr
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 20, 2017
How do the Blackhawks fix the power play?
The Blackhawks need to go back to the drawing board for the power play. Scoring chances need to be coming from the middle of the offensive zone. Setting up on the outside clearly isn’t working as teams have quickly caught on.
More shots instead of passing back and forth could help turn things around and finally, the Blackhawks need more movement to get penalty killers to shift positions.
With more practice, the Blackhawks can remedy the stagnant power play.
Thankfully the Blackhawks don’t have a problem scoring at even strength and the penalty kill has been much better this year. It’s almost like the Blackhawks are so good on the penalty kill that they forgot what a power play is.
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