After weeks of starving for goals, the Blackhawks finally feasted at a fitting time Wednesday.
Taylor Hall recorded his first hat trick in more than a decade, Connor Bedard snapped his 12-game goal drought and Louis Crevier buried his first career NHL goal as the Hawks demolished the Stars 6-2 on the night before Thanksgiving.
The Hawks' offensive struggles have been caused by a variety of factors, most within their control, and they can only hope that Wednesday's explosion helps them build enough confidence to begin fixing and overcoming some of those issues moving forward. It will be a lengthy process.
But bad luck has also been a factor: Opposing goalies had posted an otherworldly .935 save percentage against them over the last three weeks. That trend wasn't going to continue forever, and Stars backup Casey DeSmith — making just his second start since Nov. 3 — singlehandedly destroyed it Wednesday.
DeSmith allowed an innocent shot by Hall just 17 seconds into the first period to slide through him, and things didn't get any better after that. A lively holiday crowd of 19,144 at the United Center got to celebrate frequently throughout the night.
Bedard's snipe into the top corner on a power play early in the second period was followed by an expression of immense relief. Teuvo Teravainen, who had scored just twice in his last 18 games, joined the party shortly thereafter. Hall, who had scored just twice in 20 total games this season, extended the lead to 5-1 with his first three-goal outburst since 2013 with the Oilers.
Calm Martinez
Young defenseman Alex Vlasic has taken over the bulk of Seth Jones' responsibilities with the Blackhawks, but veteran Alec Martinez's timely return from injury right before Jones exited has also helped.
Martinez, who made his 10th appearance of the season Wednesday, has nonetheless felt some rust since returning to the lineup.
"I've felt a little bit better as it has gone on, but little plays are the last thing to come — little dinks and plays in the 'D'-zone," he said Monday. "The little plays [are] often the difference between getting the puck out and not."
Coach Luke Richardson offered a more positive appraisal of Martinez's play.
"He's just calmness," Richardson said Wednesday. "He's got some composure [when] breaking pucks out. And sometimes it's under duress, taking hits and still staying in the play and making a play."
Off side
Making matters more challenging for Martinez is the fact he's currently playing the right side, his off side as a left-handed shot. That's because the Hawks have only two healthy right-handed defensemen on the roster right now: Connor Murphy and Crevier.
Martinez estimated it has been about six years since he last regularly played the right side back in his Kings tenure.
"There's certain areas of the ice where it's nice, and there's other areas where it's just not," he said. "It takes a little bit extra [thought]. Often when you're opening for a pass in the neutral zone or in the 'D'-zone, the forecheck is in your blind spot, so you have to do a lot of head checks, taking pictures all the time. And then stick position is big, too, on rushes."
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