Blackhawks Record Tying Point Streak

With their shootout win last night over the Vancouver Canucks, the Chicago Blackhawks have tied the NHL record for the longest point-streaks to start season at 16 straight games.The Hawks are still the only team in the NHL unbeaten in regulation, with a record of 13-0-3 on the season, good enough to not only lead the Central Division, its the best record in the NHL at the moment. Chicago joins the 2006-07 Anaheim Ducks as the only team to get a point in 16 straight games from the start of the season. There are a total of five teams to start a season on point streaks of more than 13 games. Those teams are the 1994-95 Pittsburgh Penguins with 13, 1943-44 Montreal Canadiens at 14, the 1984-85 Edmonton Oilers at 15, the 2006-07 Anaheim Ducks at 16, and now the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks at 16. Of the other four teams listed, three have gone on to win the Stanley Cup at the end of the season (the 94-95 Penguins were the only team who failed to do so).

Chicago won their first six games of the year, two of which were in overtime. The first blip on the screen came on January 31st in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild in Minnesota. Then it was followed with another loss in a shootout, this time in Vancouver to the Canucks by a 2-1 score. Chicago then followed up with four straight wins. Then another shootout loss, this time on February 12th to the Anaheim Ducks in Anaheim. The Hawks complete the 16 game swing with three straight wins. Chicago goes for 17 in a row with a point on February 22nd at the United Center when they play host to the San Jose Sharks.

There are a number of different elements which have lead to the Hawks great play in this stretch at the start of the year. First it has been great goaltending from Cory Crawford and Ray Emery. Crawford has a goals against average of under two and Emery has one under two and a half. Both goalies have save percentages well over .920. Hawks have had stable goaltending from the get go of the season and its been a big help. Also the Hawks have had a balanced scoring attack from the start of the year. There are only two skaters on teh team who don't have a point yet and they are Sheldon Brookbank and Brandon Bollig. everybody else has at least one point. Patrick Kane leads the way with nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points. Besides Kane, the Hawks have three other guys in double digits in pints, Jonathan Towes has 15 points, Patrick Sharp has 13 points and Marian Hossa has 12 points. So as you can see Chicago has been getting contributions from everybody. Although Marian Hossa left the game early last night after taking a hit to the head late. So his status for the next game against the Sharks is unclear at the moment.

Just for the fact that the Hawks have put themselves in this position speaks volumes about the Organization. There were some question marks coming into this year but Chicago has quieted the critics and in a very big way. The real question is can the Hawks maintain this level of play all the way through the rest of the regular season and the playoffs? As good as the Hawks have been to start the year, and they are the best team in the league at the moment, they need to be able to get hot and stay hot come playoff time. If Chicago can stay healthy the rest of the way and keep up this level of play then they have great chances at playing for the Stanley Cup come June. But first things first they have to get through the rest of the regular season. With they way they have played Chicago could be well on their way to a title!