Game Recap: Hawks vs Kings 3/15

Well, there you have it, the Hawks decided to do some regressing towards the mean and lose 5-0 to the Kings. It didn't take long either as it only took a few minutes into the game for the Kings to score. And no, this was not on Arvid Soderblom. As we'll see, the defense was putrid.

And don't worry, I'm keeping this one short with a lot of pictures.

Thoughts

• The second goal is a good example of what the Kings do best in the offensive zone. They play a 2-3 OZ setup, get the puck deep, then work it low-to-high to get the defense out of position.

• Of all the goals the Hawks let in, I think the 3rd one is the best example of Blackhawk defense at its worst. Sure. Soderblom shouldn't be out that far. Let's get that out of the way. Kurashev gets to the corner with Megna to pressure the puck carrier. He should've stayed inside the dots to cover the shooting lane left for Byfield. It left a lot of space open, as you can see below.

• Connor Bedard is also not where he needs to be. Yes, skilled players like Bedard tend to cheat up in the d-zone or anticipate a turnover on the backcheck, but Bedard needs to know that this team won't provide those kinds of opportunities. He needs to stick to his assignment.

• The Hawks' powerplay did not look bad considering they were up against the best PK in the league. No PP goals, however, they put up alright numbers. 16 shot attempts, 11 shots on goal, and 7 scoring chances.
• Watch this clip Powers posted and compare it to the images of what a Box+1 defense is supposed to look like.

• If you stick to your zone, this is the easiest defense to execute in the NHL. But here we are and this is the kind of trouble you find yourself in when you puck watch.
• Seth Jones also had a pretty bad night, defensively. The 4th goal saw some pretty terrible coverage by him. I'll forgive the rookies for making the same mistake, but Jones' decision was not the best. Sure, maybe Vlasic is to blame for moving to the same side that Jones is already on, but not a good look either way.

• To end on a positive note, Landon Slaggert played alright in his first NHL game. He didn't mess up and that's all you can hope for. He had 2 shot attempts, 1 takeaway, 1 hit, and 1 shot block.

No game preview or a recap for Sunday's game.

Let's Go Hawks!