The Blackhawks improved on everything that obviously needed improving on Thursday.
The Hawks’ 5-2 home victory against the Canucks wasn’t perfect, but it was arguably the most encouraging night of their season to date from the standpoint of executing the game plan.
‘‘[We] got a lot of pucks to the net, which was something we had spoken about being an issue,’’ coach Jeremy Colliton said. ‘‘We put some more pressure on their team, which I think was needed.’’
Those boxes — left glaringly unchecked Tuesday against the Sharks — certainly were addressed against the Canucks.
The Hawks were throwing every puck they could on Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom from the opening draw. That translated to 17 shots on goal in the first period and 37 for the game, tying for the Hawks second-most this season.
And those shooting opportunities were generated by stronger, more aggressive play in the other two zones.
‘‘We did a much better job of getting to loose pucks in ‘D’ zone coverage, and that allows us to get out,’’ Colliton said. ‘‘And then I thought our transition was much better, and it seemed we had a little more life offensively.’’
The final score embellished the impressiveness of the Hawks’ performance a bit — they were protecting a 2-1 lead for much of the third period and inflated their stats with two empty-net goals — but they deserved the victory they got.
‘‘We wanted to come out strong, get a lead and play with the lead,’’ wing Alex DeBrincat said. ‘‘We [have] just got to start the game well. It’s tough when you go down one or two goals right from the start. I think if we put pressure on them right away, it’s good for our confidence [and] hard on the other team.’’
Andrew Shaw and Patrick Kane scored on the power play, marking the Hawks’ first game with multiple man-advantage goals; Dylan Strome rediscovered his playmaking ways with three assists; and Corey Crawford stopped 36 of 38 shots.
Even United Center playlist classics ‘‘The Pretender’’ and ‘‘Ridin’ the Storm Out’’ returned for the second- and third-period introductions after being removed during the early seven-game homestand.
Thursday felt like the Hawks of old — the successful Hawks — were playing.
‘‘We got a few losses in a row, so the only way to get that back is a bunch of wins in a row,’’ Strome said. ‘‘I think we’ve got the guys in here to do it.’’
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