Since the Olympic break ended, the Chicago Blackhawks have collected 7 points over 7 games...

from Tracey Myers of CSN Chicago,

So the edict has been read, and heard, loud and clear: the Blackhawks’ usually strong work ethic has been absent, and it has to return ASAP.

“I don’t think he’s happy. We’re not happy, either. A lot of the things that are costing us games are preventable and it’s up to us to apply why Q’s talking about,” said Patrick Sharp, who wasn’t going down the excuse path for what’s gone wrong lately. “It’s easy to point the finger at those things. Mistakes we’re making aren’t from lack of energy or fatigue, if that’s what you’re getting at. It’s more the mental focus and doing the little things to be successful.”...

“The last couple of (losses) were definitely winnable hockey games. Those are the games that bother us, me more than anybody. We didn’t play the right way to give us a chance to win,” Quenneville said. “We didn’t challenge pucks, weren’t hard in the puck area, we were easy to play against. They outmanned us in puck areas and came up with all the loose pucks. When you don’t come up with loose pucks anywhere around the rink, you’re going to be chasing. We were chasing the game and score in both games.”

And as far as players trying to do too much, coach Joel Quenneville said it’s more the opposite of that.

“I’d like to see more of doing something,” he said. “Our speed, pace, puck support and work ethic have eroded a little bit, particularly in the last two games.”

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