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Blackhawks Locker Room: ‘Tonight, it was ourselves against us’

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Luke Richardson, Chicago Blackhawks

CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks lost 4-2 to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night, giving up two first period goals to Buffalo. For the Hawks, starting the game poorly ended up costing them the two points, according to head coach Luke Richardson.



“I thought the first period we didn’t skate and match the intensity,” Richardson said. “Kind of like that first period of the year, we just didn’t play well at all, so that cost us the game tonight.”

The Blackhawks first period in Utah to start the season was also rough, as Richardson mentioned. The Hawks gave up two first period goals that night as well, and while Chicago played aggressive and chased the game, they weren’t able to get the win.

The Hawks chased the game well tonight, outplaying the Sabres throughout much of the second and third period. While sometimes a bad bounce might cost a team the game, Richardson said it was the Blackhawks who beat themselves tonight.

“If you have 82 games, there might be a game that you just don’t have it for whatever reason,” he said. “Maybe some legs on three or four nights of travel, you have to account for something that’s going to go against you, But tonight I think it was ourselves against us.”

Blackhawks forward Craig Smith registered the Blackhawks two lone goals – both assisted by Lukas Reichel.

“I think he did a great job tonight,” Smith said of Reichel. “You could see it with his legs, he can definitely create. It was nice to see him get rewarded.”

Reichel only played about a minute and a half in the first period. He finished the game with 8:21 minutes of ice time. After the loss, Reichel spoke of the mental battle that comes with playing only a few shifts per period.

“Mentally it’s definitely tough,” he said. “We talk a lot. We talk about every shift with [Donato] and [Smith] and that keeps you in the game. We try to talk a lot and even on the ice if another line is on the ice, we yell and that keeps us in the game.”

While the game didn’t go their way, Reichel and the Blackhawks fourth line did have some good scoring chances – when they were on the ice of course.

“I think our line was pretty good today,” said Reichel. “We were both checking hard and skated hard. We got two goals which is good, but at the same time we are disappointed because we didn’t win and at the same time we gave up two goals.”

When asked about the play of Reichel tonight, Richardson praised the Blackhawks entire fourth line and the energy they brought to the game.

“I liked the whole line,” Richardson said. “I thought they used their speed, they forechecked well in the second period and moved the puck very strongly forward and advanced it quickly. They played together as a line.”

Craig Smith and Lukas Reichel are in two different positions. Smith, 35, is a veteran of the league. He understands how things work and can offer advice to someone like Reichel, a young three year pro still trying to find his game.

“This an opportunity league so opportunities are small or big depending on who you are,” Smith said. “You gotta make the best of them when you get in.”

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