A temporary reprieve or a sign of things to come?
The answer didn't seem to matter to the Chicago Blackhawks after a 7-1 win over the Washington Capitals, one that snapped an eight-game losing streak and featured an offensive outburst that captain Jonathan Toews said was "a long time coming," per Mark Lazerus of the Sun Times.
The sentiment was shared by head coach Joel Quenneville:
Joel Quenneville: "Certainly feels 100 times better than coming in and trying to explain why we had a lead and were unable to sustain it."
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) February 18, 2018
The win, while encouraging, still leaves the Blackhawks with quite a hole to climb out of. Through 59 games, Chicago has posted a 25-26-8 record with a minus-1 goal differential, and there remains an 11-point gap between the Blackhawks and the Minnesota Wild, who hold the second wild-card spot in the West.
Quenneville, for one, remains hopeful:
Joel Quenneville: "Lot of hockey left."
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) February 18, 2018
Chicago's next game is Monday against the Los Angeles Kings.
