Blackhawks blasted by Oilers as Gagner records eight points

EDMONTON, Alberta (MCT) — In a couple of months when the Blackhawks look back on how the Western Conference postseason race unfolded, they just might focus on their efforts against the Oilers this season.

And they likely will cringe, shake their heads and wonder “What if?”

The Hawks fell to the Oilers for the third time this season as Sam Gagner had an historic night with eight points, including four goals en route to his first career hat trick, in leading the Oilers to an 8-4 victory Thursday night at Rexall Place.

It was nearly as embarrassing as the Hawks’ last visit to Edmonton when the Oilers walloped them 9-2 on Nov. 19, and their fourth straight defeat certainly was more damaging in the battle for positioning in the Central Division and conference.

“We just didn’t do the right things at all,” Hawks captain Jonathan Toews said. “We let them do whatever they wanted. Tap-in goals, left and right. We hung our goaltenders out to dry. It comes down to us. The attitude we came in with is all we’re thinking about is scoring goals and we’re not worried about our own end.”

The Hawks actually held a 2-0 lead in the game early in the second period and were tied at 3-3 after two. Then the wheels fell off as the line of Gagner, Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle took control. The trio combined for 16 points in making Hawks starting goaltender Corey Crawford’s night miserable.

Crawford was yanked in the third period after yielding five goals on 28 shots in favor of Ray Emery, who gave up three scores on 13 shots.

Gagner’s eight-point effort tied an Oilers record for most in a game, shared with Wayne Gretzky (twice) and Paul Coffey.

“We had a chance to win going into the third period even though we didn’t play so well in the first two,” Toews said. “It came down to our defensive play and our lack of commitment there. We just gave them everything. We made it so easy. We didn’t make it difficult for them for one shift. That same line came out shift after shift scoring tap-in goals on us. It was ugly.”