Some Blackhawks figure to get a little more rest than others during their scheduled extended time off that begins Sunday.
“I’m going to take the break and enjoy it and try to get as much rest as I can — as much rest as I can chasing my kids around Disney World,” defenseman Brent Seabrook said before the Hawks routed the Oilers 5-1 on Saturday night at Rogers Place. “I’m going to have fun doing that.”
After their stop in Edmonton that completed a six-game trip, the Hawks were headed to their first-ever NHL-mandated time off — in this case six consecutive days — to rest, recuperate and relax.
The break was put into this season’s schedule after the players’ association agreed to the three-on-three format in the NHL All-Star Game. In what likely seemed a good idea at the time, the break — coupled with the World Cup of Hockey that kicked off the season — has resulted in a condensed schedule that has had teams playing games at a breakneck pace.
“It’s always nice to get some days without doing anything and just kind of regroup and get back at it again,” defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson said. “At the same time, it would have been nice to maybe not have as crazy of a schedule that we’ve had. It’s the same for every single team in the league, though.”
The Hawks entered the break on a winning note — five of them to be exact — as the victory over the Oilers was their fifth straight. Richard Panik notched two goals and an assist, Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists while Trevor van Riemsdyk and Artem Anisimov also scored. Backup goaltender Scott Darling made 29 saves to earn the victory. The Hawks finished their six-game trip with a 5-1 mark and stand at 35-17-5 on the season.
“It seemed like we got better and better over the last five games,” defenseman Duncan Keith said. “It’s a lot more of the team game that we’re going to need going forward. I think we’re starting to show some of our potential.”
After the Oilers took a 1-0 lead early in the opening period on a goal by Patrick Maroon, it was all Hawks.
“I thought the guys played great (Saturday night),” Darling said. “(The Oilers) are a super-talented team with a lot of skill. They came out flying and we weathered the storm and took over the game. We had some great goals and great plays and (played) 200-foot hockey to help give me an easier night.”
Added coach Joel Quenneville: “I liked our trip. It was very positive. That’s probably the best four-line rotation that we’ve had all year long. In the last five games the wins, it’s all positive.
We are definitely improving our team game. It’s tough to win five games in a row on the road.
Some NHL teams already are past their scheduled break, while others, including the Hawks, are up next. That will make for different situations for players who aren’t used to midseason time off.
“That might be a little weird when you’re going down to bed at night and turn on ‘SportsCenter’ and there are a bunch of hockey games going on,” Seabrook said.
The Hawks will scatter during the time off, but all will have the same intention of healing from what has been a grueling schedule. Their just-completed six-game trip came on the heels of the All-Star Game, in which Kane, Keith, Jonathan Toews and Corey Crawford saw action. Those players, and many other Hawks, also participated in the World Cup of Hockey in late September.
“I think it’s important,” Kane said. “I look at the four of us who went to the All-Star Game and (then) you have three games on the road, you come back for a day and then you have three more games on the road. It comes at a perfect time. All of us are looking forward to it, getting some time away and resting, relaxing, rejuvenating for the stretch run. It should be good for a lot of us.”
Photos of the Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane, who became the first American to win the Art Ross Trophy in 2016.
When the Hawks return, it will be an all-out sprint to the finish to the regular season as they will have 25 games remaining to try to catch the Wild for the top spot in the Central Division and Western Conference.
“We’ve played a ton of hockey in December and January and leading up to this break, so I think for us it’s something we’ll definitely take advantage of,” Toews said. “Looking at the remainder of the season, you come back from this break and really just pour it on, heading into the playoffs.
“We know it’s going to be tough hockey. Not only for us but for other teams that are really pushing in that playoff-points race every single night. We’re going to have to be ready for that speed, and obviously we want to keep improving as we get closer to the playoffs.”
Healing bodies won’t be the only objective as it’s also a time to recharge mentally.
“There’s no doubt it’s both,” Toews said. “Physically, for sure, getting a break helps you, whether it’s bumps and bruises or you need to get in the gym and work on some stuff that’s hard to do when you’re playing every other day for a couple of months. So you take advantage of it that way.
“Sometimes it’s good to get your mind off the game a little bit and come back and just be hungry. You play a lot better when you’re really, really excited to be at the rink. It definitely makes a difference in that sense.”
ckuc@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @ChrisKuc
Chris Kuc’s three stars
1. Richard Panik, Hawks: Winger notched his 13th and 14th goals of the season and added an assist.
2. Patrick Kane, Hawks: Extended his points streak (four goals, five assists) to five games.
3. Trevor van Riemsdyk, Hawks: Broke open a close game in the second period with his third goal of the season.
Up next
Vs. Oilers at 6 p.m. Saturday; WGN-9.
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