Blackhawks Postgame Chatter: ‘We Do That Job and We Get Rewarded for It’

CHICAGO – All season long, Blackhawks veterans have talked about the importance of building the culture into one that has been constructed from tough-minded resiliency. Jason Dickinson’s goal was the carbon copy of what that should look like.

“It’s one of those things that that we go out there in the last two minutes to do a job and we do that job and we get rewarded for it,” Dickinson said.  “That’s the mentality we’ve got to bring to everybody else to buy into that. Just say hey, when you’re given this opportunity, when you’re given these situations, good things can happen from doing the right things and being above pucks and playing it hard.”

And bought in they did. The Blackhawks could have crumbled after Connor Bedard’s goal was disallowed after an offside call negated what would have been his second goal of the night–and potentially the game winner. Staring down a ninth straight loss in the face, Dickinson kept charging and was rewarded after cashing in on his own rebound.  Chicago beat Ottawa 3-2 as a result.

He took a face full of ice for his efforts. But it was better than egg on the Hawks’ face after what could have been a ninth straight loss.

Instead, the efforts shown obliterated the losing streak and spoke to the culture head coach Luke Richardson and the coaching staff is trying to build.

“He stayed right in there until he got a shot, the second shot,” Richardson said.  “He’s a strong guy and he’s a good skater and sturdy on his feet. So, we need guys to emulate him and play more like him and he does a great example by leading by example in that area. He does all the right things but checking the best players and he’s got 17 goals this year. That’s pretty impressive.”

Blackhawks Gritty Effort Shows How The Message is Getting Through

The record doesn’t read well, but it’s a miracle that the loss total isn’t more. Petr Mrazek can be thanked for much of that after another sparkling performance that included 40 saves. But for a team that will likely pick in the top three for a second consecutive season, how they play opponents shows that the message is resonating.

On paper, they shouldn’t be winning games like this, whether it’s looking at the names or the numbers. But it’s a full team effort in every sense of the word as the veterans remind the “kids” that the fight doesn’t stop.

Whether it’s a one-goal deficit or a two-goal lead.

Mrazek has had one of his best seasons of his career and perhaps said it best when asked postgame.

“Yeah, I think it’s been one of the best seasons I’ve been part of personally,” Mrazek said. “We’ve still got 28 games left, so let’s keep it that way.”

It was a year ago today that the Blackhawks beat Ottawa 4-3 and set off a five-game winning streak. With a brief sojourn to Carolina Monday, Chicago comes home to a five-game home stand where if there’s ever a time to string some wins together, it’s likely easiest to start there.

But make no mistake, the return of Connor Bedard has already paid major dividends. It’s easier to dig deep when a constant goal scoring threat takes the ice.

But the rookie phenom speaks to the culture being built–and knows that it’s living on the ice what’s being preached off of it.

“We go into every game, every intermission with the mindset that we’re going to win,” Bedard said. Obviously we haven’t had too many, but we never are going into a third or whatever thinking we’re going to lose.”

Richardson spoke directly to that perseverance.

“We got the goal by Connor, it’s offside, we get it called back and it’s a letdown in the building, and I think we played some of our better hockey at that point in the game,” Richardson said.  “We didn’t let it [affect us] and we kept going and Dickinson got us a really big, important goal.”

The culture indeed is taking hold–even if the record doesn’t reveal it.

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