Jan. 21--With their 4-1 victory over the Predators on Tuesday, the Blackhawks won their 12th consecutive game, setting a franchise record. There were many ways the Hawks got those 12 wins -- as the players and coach Joel Quenneville like to say, every game is different. But here are 12 reasons why the streak has endured.
1. Corey Crawford dominant in net.
Crawford is having his best season for the Hawks. He has already set a career high with six shutouts and is on pace to post a career-best save percentage at .931. During the streak, Crawford has upped his game, recording one shutout and a save percentage of .946. He has allowed just 17 goals in the nine games he has played during the streak. When Crawford hasn't played, Scott Darling has won each of his three starts, allowing just five goals in three games.
2. Patrick Kane dominant on offense.
Kane has scored a point in all but two games of the streak. His 30 goals match his career high and during the streak he has had nine goals and 12 assists, scoring two game-winning goals and five power-play goals. He also recorded his first regular-season hat trick against the Maple Leafs on Friday.
3. Andrew Shaw stabilizes top line.
Quenneville said just after Christmas that moving Shaw to the struggling top line with Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa was likely a temporary move. But Shaw's production and the line's production overall during the streak suggests there likely won't be a change there any time soon. The three have combined to score 13 goals (Toews has eight) over the 12 victories.
4. Erik Gustafsson in the fold.
When rookie defenseman Gustafsson had his first stint with the Hawks in November, he impressed Quenneville and general manager Stan Bowman. It seemed like just a matter of time before Gustafsson would be back up with the Hawks. Gustafsson's first game back was the victory that started the streak -- Dec. 29 against the Coyotes. Gustafsson has quickly earned Quenneville's trust and is averaging nearly 17 minutes per game during the streak and has shown an ability to move the puck with five assists.
5. Scoring first.
Opposing teams take note: Don't let the Hawks score first. The Hawks are 29-3-2 this season when scoring the first goal of the game. That has been a theme throughout the streak -- the Hawks have scored first in 11 of the 12 wins.
6. Scoring on power play.
The Hawks' power play has been perhaps more dangerous than it has at any time during the Quenneville era. The Hawks are converting 25 percent of their man advantages during the streak and are rank No. 3 in the NHL on the power play.
7. Killing penalties.
On the flip side, the Hawks' penalty kill has not had a letdown since losing one of the team's best penalty killers in Marcus Kruger. The Hawks have allowed just five short-handed goals during the streak (two in one game) and their kill is 10th in the league at 82.1 percent.
8. Phillip Danault's emergence.
With Kruger out, the Hawks have turned to former first-round pick Danault to fill Kruger's shoes. He and his linemates, Andrew Desjardins and Teuvo Teravainen, have been a key defensive unit for the Hawks. After the Hawks cycled through forwards from Rockford at the beginning of the season, Danault seems to have solidified his place on the roster.
9. Duncan Keith chugging along.
The reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner hasn't missed a beat since returning from knee surgery in November. Over the streak, Keith has averaged 25 minutes, 29 seconds of ice time and has two goals, 10 assists and has a plus-11 rating during the streak.
10. Russians keep rising.
If you talk to Artemi Panarin (through an interpreter, of course) Panarin will never say he is satisfied with his game. However, the Hawks certainly are happy with Panarin. He has six goals and eight assists during the streak. Meanwhile, Artem Anisimov continues to be the perfect complement to Panarin and Kane on the NHL's most dangerous scoring line.
11. Richard Panik fitting in.
The Hawks acquired Richard Panik during the streak in a trade with the Maple Leafs and after he was thrust into action when Anisimov was sick against the Predators on Jan. 12, Panik has stuck in the lineup. He has scored two goals in the last two games.
12. Staying fresh.
The Hawks are playing well during the busiest stretch of their season, a time in the schedule that has included multiple back-to-back games and road trips. Quenneville has made sure to give his team ample rest by not practicing on days between games. The Hawks have practiced just once in January.
chine@tribpub.com
