Struggling with consistency away from the United Center, the Chicago Blackhawks have encountered obstacles on the road with their away game record. Teams often wrestle with the pressure of unfamiliar arenas. In these venues, the few visiting fans are overshadowed by a sea of home-team jerseys, creating an intimidating atmosphere that intensifies the prediction for victory.
Navigating the Road Dynamics
Blackhawks Away Game Record
The 2023-24 season brought the Blackhawks a road record of just 7-32-2. The team faced a 22-game losing streak away from home, the longest in their franchise. The streak began on November 12, 2023, when the Blackhawks faced the Florida Panthers, the future Stanley Cup Champions. It stretched through a grueling winter and ended on March 5, 2024, with a 5-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes.
A losing streak of that size is never an advantage for any team. Even during weeks when the Blackhawks were on the road for several days, their struggles often affected their performance at home. While this does not accurately represent what the Blackhawks are known for, it does mark a new phase in adapting to their challenges. Identifying which arenas are particularly tough for the team can provide insights into their performance.
The Toughest Arena Stats and Overview
According to Blackhawk Up, TD Garden, home of the Boston Bruins, was ranked as the toughest road arena to visit in the NHL for the 2013-14 season. The United Center came in at number two. However, recent reports from The Hockey News and the NHLPA player’s poll have updated these rankings. T-Mobile Arena, the home base for the Vegas Golden Knights, is now considered the toughest arena. The Carolina Hurricanes PNC Arena is ranked second.
Chicago vs. Vegas
The teams have faced each other 23 times. The Blackhawks have won six of those, scoring 57 goals. The Golden Knights, in contrast, have secured 17 wins and scored 82 total goals. When playing away at T-Mobile Arena, the Blackhawks away game record shows a 23.1% chance of winning. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights have a 76.9% chance of defeating Chicago. On the road, the Blackhawks average only 2.4 points per game, while at home, they earn 2.6 points per game. On the other hand, Vegas records 3.5 points per game at home and 3.6 points per game when travelling to Chicago. Despite the apparent gap in performance between the two teams, particularly in road games, the Blackhawks could pinpoint the improvements needed for better results on the road.
Improving on the Road
The Blackhawks hold a face off win percentage of 46.3% Historically, they’ve been strong in this area, often gaining puck possession through dominant face off play. However, with the integration of three young players, winning face offs has become tricky. Face off wins are important, but they alone don’t guarantee a win. Even with a solid FOW%, it won’t translate into consistent victories if the team struggles to clear their zone. The Blackhawks away game record highlights how the lack of possession and execution on the road has contributed to a tough record. Improving away from home requires face off efficiency and zone clearing to go hand-in-hand.
The Blackhawks power play unit saw a slight improvement this season, increasing by just 0.2% from last season’s 16.4% to 16.6%. Despite the progress, this ranks them 28th in the league. Over the season, they scored a total of 39 power play goals. Nick Foligno and Tyler Johnson led the team, each contributing eight goals.
However, even with strong instincts on the power play, the dynamics between young talents Connor Bedard (four PPG) and Philipp Kurashev (six PPG), have led to predictable plays. According to Blackhawk Up, for the Blackhawks to improve, considering their struggles in road games, being less predictable on offence is important. With the team ranked 27th in the power play opportunities, reaching the league average of approximately 21% (20.8%) could boost the Blackhawks away game record. Implementing different approaches to the power play could increase their percentage. This, in turn, would create more scoring when the Blackhawks have an advantage against their opponents on the ice.
Building on the Road
This isn’t about envisioning a turnaround that guarantees a playoff spot for the Blackhawks. However, there is a potential blueprint for improvement over last season, even if it means an increase of 0.2%. Ideally, the team hopes for more. The Blackhawks have taken the steps securing contracts and supporting their core plays, including Connor Bedard, Kevin Korchinski, and Petr Mrázek.
Last season, the team showed some early promise on the road. In their first eight away games, they managed a 4-4-0 with a -7 differential. According to NBC Sports Chicago, Tyler Johnson noted,
“When you play on the road, you don’t get your matchups, so you have to play a simple game—a little bit grittier, a little more barbaric game where you’re just trying to get the pucks at the net and trying to go.”
Jason Dickinson acknowledged the challenge of pinpointing what changes on the road. However, he stressed that focusing on small details can make a big difference. Head coach Luke Richardson echoed this statement. He emphasized the importance of professionalism regardless of circumstances. “There are no excuses,” Richardson said. “Every team faces injuries, schedule changes, and travel issues.”
Richardson also highlighted consistency for execution.
“Your best in this league is to execute. And there’s really nothing accepted less than that. We’re happy with a lot of parts of the game tonight but we’ve got to be pushing for more.”
Main Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
