Blackhawks suffer another close loss in Anders Sorensen's coaching debut
The systems looked slightly different but the result looked exactly the same for the Blackhawks on Saturday.Interim coach Anders Sorensen's NHL debut ended in a 4-2 loss to the Jets, the Hawks' fifth straight regulation defeat."We’re going to have to keep working at this," captain Nick Foligno said. "It’s not just going to turn around in one day. Obviously, we would like it to. It would have been nice to get him that first win. But we’re going to find a way to get it in New York."Sorensen's promise to open up the Hawks' offense was backed up by some noticeable tactical changes, but those changes didn't actually translate to more offense — at least not against one of the league's stoutest opponents. The Hawks were outshot 29-14, including 12-3 in the third period, and were credited with just two high-danger scoring chances compared to the Jets' 14."They hemmed us in because there were a lot of shots and [they were] recovering a lot of pucks, and we got back on our heels," Sorensen said. "We had to turn around and try to find pucks constantly. It’s a tough way to play."We wanted to get our forwards skating more, especially coming out of our zone, so we can get on our horse and pressure the puck more. There were times it looked good. But it’s new, so it’s a little bit of a process."Sorensen encouraged Hawks defensemen to be more aggressive jumping up in rushes or pinching in from the offensive blue line, counteracting former coach Luke Richardson's emphasis on avoiding risks in those areas in order to limit odd-man rushes against.That tactical change looked effective Saturday. Defensemen Alex Vlasic and Alec Martinez — before the latter got injured — scored both of the Hawks' goals, and Martinez's goal specifically occurred when he jumped up on a rush. Vlasic generated another good chance in the second period by doing so.Sorensen also switched the Hawks' forecheck from a 1-2-2 to a 2-1-2. The primary difference between those systems is the Hawks' "F2" — their second forward on the forecheck — will now be more aggressive. That alteration didn't immediately yield much, though."It gives us a little more opportunity to break pucks up rather than making [our opponent] dump it in," forward Jason Dickinson said. "There's still some quirks that we need to iron out. I know I felt a couple [plays] out there that were a little unnatural for me, some of the positioning that I was taking. That's just habits that were formed over a couple years of playing a certain way that I need to kick quickly."The Hawks will probably spend more time hashing out the 2-1-2 nuances in practice Sunday before traveling to face the Rangers on Monday."We’re there, we turn pucks over, but then [we're] still throwing pucks in, not quite understanding where the reads are yet on how to create offense from it," Foligno said. "When we did, we would have some bursts of speed through the middle and [create] some opportunities, but not consistently enough."Backup goalie Arvid Soderblom, who replaced injured Petr Mrazek, allowed Jets captain Mark Scheifele to give the visitors a 3-2 lead with 9:42 to play when he spit out a juicy rebound on a sharp-angle shot.The Hawks have been terrible in six-on-five situations all season long, and they yet again allowed an empty-net goal immediately after pulling Soderblom for an extra attacker.For Sorensen, his wife, two of his four kids and his mother-in-law were among the family members in attendance at the United Center for his debut as the first Swedish-born coach in NHL history."There were some nerves but good, nervous energy," Sorensen said. "The guys did a great job bringing me in."
The systems looked slightly different but the result looked exactly the same for the Blackhawks on Saturday.
Interim coach Anders Sorensen's NHL debut ended in a 4-2 loss to the Jets, the Hawks' fifth straight regulation defeat.
"We’re going to have to keep working at this," captain Nick Foligno said. "It’s not just going to turn around in one day. Obviously, we would like it to. It would have been nice to get him that first win. But we’re going to find a way to get it in New York."
Sorensen's promise to open up the Hawks' offense was backed up by some noticeable tactical changes, but those changes didn't actually translate to more offense — at least not against one of the league's stoutest opponents. The Hawks were outshot 29-14, including 12-3 in the third period, and were credited with just two high-danger scoring chances compared to the Jets' 14.
"They hemmed us in because there were a lot of shots and [they were] recovering a lot of pucks, and we got back on our heels," Sorensen said. "We had to turn around and try to find pucks constantly. It’s a tough way to play.
"We wanted to get our forwards skating more, especially coming out of our zone, so we can get on our horse and pressure the puck more. There were times it looked good. But it’s new, so it’s a little bit of a process."
Sorensen encouraged Hawks defensemen to be more aggressive jumping up in rushes or pinching in from the offensive blue line, counteracting former coach Luke Richardson's emphasis on avoiding risks in those areas in order to limit odd-man rushes against.
That tactical change looked effective Saturday. Defensemen Alex Vlasic and Alec Martinez — before the latter got injured — scored both of the Hawks' goals, and Martinez's goal specifically occurred when he jumped up on a rush. Vlasic generated another good chance in the second period by doing so.
Sorensen also switched the Hawks' forecheck from a 1-2-2 to a 2-1-2. The primary difference between those systems is the Hawks' "F2" — their second forward on the forecheck — will now be more aggressive. That alteration didn't immediately yield much, though.
"It gives us a little more opportunity to break pucks up rather than making [our opponent] dump it in," forward Jason Dickinson said. "There's still some quirks that we need to iron out. I know I felt a couple [plays] out there that were a little unnatural for me, some of the positioning that I was taking. That's just habits that were formed over a couple years of playing a certain way that I need to kick quickly."
The Hawks will probably spend more time hashing out the 2-1-2 nuances in practice Sunday before traveling to face the Rangers on Monday.
"We’re there, we turn pucks over, but then [we're] still throwing pucks in, not quite understanding where the reads are yet on how to create offense from it," Foligno said. "When we did, we would have some bursts of speed through the middle and [create] some opportunities, but not consistently enough."
Backup goalie Arvid Soderblom, who replaced injured Petr Mrazek, allowed Jets captain Mark Scheifele to give the visitors a 3-2 lead with 9:42 to play when he spit out a juicy rebound on a sharp-angle shot.
The Hawks have been terrible in six-on-five situations all season long, and they yet again allowed an empty-net goal immediately after pulling Soderblom for an extra attacker.
For Sorensen, his wife, two of his four kids and his mother-in-law were among the family members in attendance at the United Center for his debut as the first Swedish-born coach in NHL history.
"There were some nerves but good, nervous energy," Sorensen said. "The guys did a great job bringing me in."
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