It has often been said thinking is overrated when it comes to playing sports. Blackhawks coach Mike Keenan wishes Adam Creighton, who hasn`t met Keenan`s expectations this season, would understand the meaning of that.
”He has to work first, think later,” Keenan said in discussing what ails his big forward, who had taken a surprisingly low number of shots (46)
for a second-line center going into Tuesday night`s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
”He gets so tied up thinking about everything that can go wrong, it will go wrong,” Keenan continued. ”He has to go with his instincts, play hard and everything else will follow. To be a professional, you have to prepare and play every day. Do a little at a time.
”He has to set short-term goals. Maybe tonight get three shots on net. Once he does that, set himself another goal. Make the effort to be in a position to do that.”
Lightning in a bottle: In Sunday`s 5-4 loss to Philadelphia, Dave Manson played what Keenan considered the best game the Hawk defenseman has had this year. He scored twice with screaming slapshots.
”He overpowered (goalie) Ron Hextall on those shots and I`m sure both would have clocked over 95 miles per hour,” Keenan said.
Despite possessing one of the hardest shots on the club, Manson has just four goals all year and is seldom a threat to score.
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”He has to bottle the things he did Sunday and don`t forget how to do it again,” Keenan said. ”But he`s going to forget and it`ll have to be repeated to him 1,001 times, and then 1,002. That goes for every player in the league except the great ones.”
Keep Andy unhandy: The next time the Hawks see referee Andy vanHellemond will be too soon. They are 1-4 this year in games vanHellemond has officiated and frequently have been disenchanted by his decision-making.