The Winter Classic has become the — pardon the pun — Losster Classic for the Blackhawks . In the NHL’s biggest regular-season event, the Hawks entered winter with a whimper, falling 6-2 to the Blues on Tuesday in front of a crowd of 40,933 at Wrigley Field . Considering even the Hawks’ dynasty teams never managed to win a Classic, it would’ve been surprising had this last-place group broken the streak.
In more predictable fashion, however, the Hawks fell totally flat, and the franchise dropped to 0-5 in Classics and 1-6 in outdoor games. ‘‘I’m shocked at how we played,’’ said forward Taylor Hall, who appeared to be on the verge of tears in the locker room. ‘‘It’s really disappointing.
Our fans have been through so much this year, and they really came and supported us today. I really felt the energy before the game. For us to lay an egg like that, I’m really sad for the people that support us.
For us in here, it’s got to be a huge wake-up call of how hard we have to play.’’ The Hawks now have lost three consecutive games by four or more goals for the first time in 1987, exemplifying just how horrendous this first week out of the holiday break has been. Their 6-2 and 5-1 defeats to the Sabres and Stars on Friday and Sunday, respectively, might have been overshadowed somewhat by the anticipation of the festivities Tuesday.
But this woeful showing put their flaws on all-too-obvious display for a national TV audience. The Hawks haven’t merely fa.
