When the Chicago Blackhawks fell behind 2-0 to the Seattle Kraken on Sunday, it was the exact position they found themselves in during the previous two games. But this time it felt different.
In those earlier games, the Hawks matched their opponents’ intensity and waited for things to break their way — which they did as the Hawks rallied for wins against the San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings.
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But against the Kraken, “we were disconnected and we weren’t willing to put the work in that Seattle does,” coach Luke Richardson said after the Hawks came back twice for a 5-4 win. “We were lucky it wasn’t 4-0 or 5-0.”
During that first period, Richardson urged the players: Get in front of puck carriers in the neutral zone, be more physical and finish checks.
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Standard stuff. But sometimes it’s not what you say, it’s the way you say it.
And players credit Richardson for keeping the same level whether the Hawks are leading or trailing or whether they’re following up a win or a loss.
“Not too up, not too down, very even keel the whole time,” Patrick Kane said before Tuesday’s home game against the Florida Panthers. “If it’s been a good game for us, it kind of brings us back down to earth a little bit. Or a bad game, he might say it’s not that bad.
“He’s been stressing a lot of the same things since camp, and we’re just trying to dial those in a little more.”
The Hawks entered Tuesday’s game where few outside observers expected them to be: above .500 at 3-2-0 and riding a three-game winning streak.
Kane admitted he’s “a little bit” surprised himself.
“I mean, it’s definitely been a pleasant surprise,” he said. “But at the same time, the point we’re at now, we have a lot of confidence in this group.
“There’s a lot of depth, there’s contributions from everyone right now, which has just been great. And a lot of good vibes in here.”
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Several players said Richardson and his staff — former interim Hawks coach Derek King, who runs the forwards now, and defensive assistant Kevin Dean — keep a chill but fun vibe.
“It’s a lot more fun this year,” Tyler Johnson said. “Guys have smiles on their face. They want to come to the rink every day and compete and work. And it’s been huge.”
Jonathan Toews believes Richardson leans on instincts from his playing days. Richardson was an NHL defenseman for 21 seasons before going into coaching.
“He knows what it’s like to be a player and everything that it takes to play well and help your team,” Toews said.
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During the preseason, Toews said, “we weren’t scoring and we were giving up a lot and we might’ve won one game. (But) you don’t panic.
“You could tell he was just calm, and he knew that if we keep things simple and everyone’s on the same page, things would start to turn our way. So we’ve seen that so far in the last five games.”
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Asked Tuesday if he ever gets angry, Richardson joked that he does “on the outside.”
“It was the end of the (Kraken) game, when they had that flank shot and (Hawks goalie) Alex (Stalock) had a great glove save, I thought it was in the net,” he said. “I don’t think I was too calm at that moment.”
All jokes aside, Richardson isn’t even-keeled by nature but by design.
“Players tend to have a feeling of what’s going on behind them (on the bench), and they take on that personality,” Richardson said. “If you’re going bananas all game and too emotional, whether it be referees or on players or situations, I think the players get off their game. You’re taking them out of their concentration.
“It’s about the players and I just try to give them an environment to shine the best they can.”
