But not much has gone right. Before a 7-1 win against the Washington Capitals on Saturday, Chicago had lost eight games in a row (0-7-1). The Blackhawks (25-27-8) are 13 points out of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference, in last place in the Central Division and, with 22 games remaining, likely to miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
"It's been a new experience for the Blackhawks, for a lot of guys in here," said Sharp, who scored the Blackhawks' only goal in a 3-1 loss against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday. He has 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 51 games and has been a healthy scratch nine times "It's been challenging, that's for sure. But nobody's going to feel sorry for us as a team or as an organization."
Here are Five Questions with… Patrick Sharp.
Some of the veteran players in this room have been through a lot, have always been able to pull themselves out of funks. So, is it surprising it's been so tough to pull out of this?
"A little bit. You focus on the day, the task at hand, the present. Even more importantly, one shift at a time. We haven't played too poorly on this losing streak at different stretches; it's just one mistake here or there, and that's the difference in the game. But that's how I'd approach it: Don't look too far down that line. Just worry about day to day."