TAKEAWAYS: Blackhawks Struggle in Offensive Zone in Defeat to Lightning

After opening up the scoring in the first period, the Chicago Blackhawks endured a loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning and their second straight defeat this week.

Chicago led 1-0 at the end of the first period, but Tampa came back early in the second period to take the lead. Despite a win in Tampa last week, Corey Perry admitted that the Lightning showcased some learning curves that the Blackhawks still need to practice on.

“The third goal kind of played right into [the Lightning’s] system and the guy lost in the back door,” Perry said. “Those are our learning curves throughout the season that we can learn.”

In the third period, Perry tied the game up at 2-2 in an effort to create some offensive chances for his team, but the Lightning continue to build of the Blackhawks’ zone struggles.

Although they created some good looks on the power play, Lukas Reichel knew it wasn’t enough for Chicago. He thought the team played more on their defensive side and struggled to find way to bring it back to the offensive zone. 

“I think we didn't play good enough in the offensive zone,” Reichel said. “[We play more like] defense all the time and we never like create from the D-zone to the O-zone.” 

Head coach Luke Richardson made a similar stated where the team simply could not hold onto the puck due to the way that Tampa outplayed them, especially in the second period. 

“We didn't have a lot of extended D-zone time,” Richardson said. “In the second period, I think it was a little bit of them probably turning it up and I think we saw that in the third. Especially, I thought, they had the puck way too much in our zone and we just couldn't get it back.”

REICHEL SCORES ON POWER PLAY 

In the first power play of the night for the Blackhawks, Lukas Reichel helped create the team’s fourth power play goal in their last seven games. For the young forward, he didn’t even realize it was his own goal until his teammates celebrated him. 

“I didn't even know that I scored,” Reichel said. “I thought Perry had a stick on it so I didn't.”

Over the last two practiced, Richardson shook up the power play units to help create more offensive looks along with some key players out due to injury. 

With their first game together, Perry brought the energy early and created more puck movement to put the team on the board. 

“[The first unit] looked good,” Perry said. “When you get a power play goal early, it's a good feeling and we moved the puck around pretty good.”