As Blackhawks’ top pairing faces adversity, Duncan Keith must lead Adam Boqvist

Duncan Keith’s pairing with Adam Boqvist struggled in the Blackhawks’ Game 2 loss. | AP Photos

The pairing of Duncan Keith and Adam Boqvist has been a staple atop the Blackhawks’ defensive depth chart since December.

Despite their radically different personalities — Keith is deadpan at his best and prickly at his worst, while Boqvist radiates goofiness — and even more different ages, they’ve developed strong chemistry off the ice, too.

But up against the lethal Oilers duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — and with only two, maybe three, games left to solve them — the Keith-Boqvist pairing is being tested more than ever.

“Experience is important, but those two guys are a big part of our team and we need to get them going,” coach Jeremy Colliton said Tuesday. “We addressed some things we didn’t like and reminded each other the things we need to do have success in the next [game].”

In the Hawks’ Game 1 win, Keith-Boqvist actually excelled. In the 10 minutes they were on the ice together at even strength, the Hawks out-shot the Oilers 10-0, out-chanced them 7-0 and outscored them 1-0. That was in spite of them facing the Draisaitl line for three and a half of those minutes and the McDavid line for another three minutes.

In the Hawks’ Game 2 loss, however, Keith-Boqvist struggled mightily. In their 11 minutes together at even strength, they were out-shot 10-6, out-chanced 6-5 and out-scored 3-0.

Their woes started on the game’s opening shift when Keith passed in the wrong direction while dealing with an Oilers dump-in, Boqvist got caught sleeping on the wrong side of the ice and McDavid scored easily.

“We talk a lot about...how we want to play certain situations,” Keith said. “It’s always easy to second-guess things when they score a goal. To me, it’s a bang-bang play, it’s in the net.”

Keith and Boqvist, seen here colliding with Andreas Athanasiou, were out-scored 3-0 by the Oilers on Monday.

This is where the 37-year-old veteran and 19-year-old rookie’s strong friendship and mentorship will prove crucial.

Keith garnered some laughs during a training camp interview when he admitted Boqvist often helps him out during practices. Keith apparently struggles to understand the different drill instructions Colliton provides, so he’ll turn to Boqvist — affectionally nicknamed ‘Bokey’ — for a simpler explanation.

Now, as the Hawks prepare for Game 3 on Wednesday, Keith’s ability to repay Boqvist in the form of battle-tested postseason advice is being utilized.

“In the playoffs, there’s lots of talk, there’s a little more media attention — obviously we’re doing these press conferences and things like that,” Keith said. “You can get a little bit wrapped up in it as a young guy if it’s your first time. But at the end of the day, it’s still hockey. It’s something you’ve done your whole life.”

“[Boqvist is] at his best when he’s confident and he’s really good with the puck... When we’re moving the puck, we’re skating, making good plays out of the zone, through the neutral zone, in their zone — that’s when we’re at our best and the team is at our best... The focus on that is the stuff we’ve talked about together.”

Keith, after three Stanley Cups and 128 playoff appearances (and counting), has indeed seen just about everything.

He was in one of his deadpan moods Tuesday, and confidently called the Hawks’ 1-1 series tie a “good position” to be in. At this point in his career, it’s impossible to argue against his assessments, including that one.

He just needs to impart that same confidence and unflappability on his mentee.

“It’s playoffs. There’s going to be ups and downs,” Colliton said. “Sometimes it’s going your way, and sometimes they have a night... [You] can’t get too high or low.”