Blackhawks lose in Tampa, extending skid to five games

The Chicago Blackhawks lost their fifth straight game on Thursday, falling 4-1 to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The defeat ended a streak in which the team had won its last three visits to Tampa.

General manager Kyle Davidson traveled with the team for both Florida games this week. He is now facing the decision of whether the current roster can turn its season around. A more immediate question involves backup goalie Arvid Soderblom.

Soderblom is 0-3-1 this season with a .846 save percentage. Last year, he posted an 8-13-3 record with an .880 mark. In Thursday's loss, he allowed three of the four Lightning goals. One shot beat him through the five-hole, and another went over his glove. Both shots came from low-danger angles near the left circle.

Coach Jeff Blashill defended his goaltender after the game. He stated that the team wins and loses together and must stick to its process. The Blackhawks generated fewer high-quality chances than the scoreline suggested. According to Natural Stat Trick, the expected goals were 2.79 for Tampa and 2.14 for Chicago.

The team's offense has been quiet in recent weeks. Ilya Mikheyev scored two goals for the Lightning, doubling his season total in one night. The Blackhawks recorded a season-high 31 hits, with the fourth line contributing 16 of those. Cole Smith said the team is working to increase its physical play.

Connor Bedard praised Blashill's coaching methods. He said the staff provides the right messages and formula, and the players need to execute better for all 60 minutes. Blashill has also discussed the team's internal analytics in interviews. He admitted it is unfair to cite stats that the public does not have access to. The team tracks chances manually using criteria developed by video coach Matt Meacham.

The Blackhawks will look to break their losing streak in their next game. The schedule becomes lighter after the current Florida trip. Prospect goalie Drew Commesso is currently playing for the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL with an .890 save percentage.