The mood in the Staples Center dressing room after the Blackhawks were hammered in a third straight loss to the Kings on Monday night was unusually calm.
On Tuesday afternoon, as the realization that the team is on the brink of elimination set in, the Hawks possessed a mix of emotions.
The words Brent Seabrook and Bryan Bickell used to describe the state of the team ranged from angry to upbeat to excited to disappointed to focused.
Most of all, the Blackhawks said, they are desperate for a victory as they head into Game 5 of the Western Conference finals Wednesday night at the United Center.
"I don't think we're trying to be so cool about it," defenseman Seabrook said Tuesday. "We don't want to be down 3-1 in a series ever. So, we're going to be a desperate hockey team tomorrow night."
They better be one.
The Kings lead a best-of-seven series 3-1 for the fifth time in their history, holding a 4-0 record in such series. Three of those came in 2012 when they became the first No. 8 seed to win the Stanley Cup.
The Blackhawks are 1-11 when trailing 3-1, but of course they only have to look back to last season to find that lone instance of a three-game comeback when they turned around the series to beat the Red Wings.
The Hawks have been hampered by atypical play, coach Joel Quenneville said.
"We've let in some uncharacteristic goals in that we probably haven't seen all year or in the playoffs, for sure, that we think are preventable," he said. "We shore that up, and we'll keep ourselves in the game and find a way."
The most obvious oddities in the Hawks' play has been on the defensive end, where they have provided little assistance for goaltender Corey Crawford, who has given up 13 goals in the last three games.
"Where pucks (are) going through us or (we're) not recognizing the coverage, that's around the net," Quenneville said. "(The Kings have) some guys who make some blind plays. Around the net, they have quick sticks and they have some good shooters as well. We have to make sure we're going to be defending around our net better than they are at their net. It could be the difference."
Seabrook acknowledged as much after being on the ice for the first two Kings goals in Game 4 as they took an early lead on the Hawks.
"I have to be better," he said. "It doesn't just start with the penalty kill. It's in every facet of the game. We all have to be doing things that are going to make us win a game. Some things happened last game that are uncharacteristic, but you have to give L.A. credit. They're forcing us into different situations, but we have to be better and we will be better."
As the Blackhawks try to sort out their tactical approach to Game 5, they also are sorting out their emotional approach.
"(We're) angry that (we) could've easily been tied (in) this series or up," Bickell said. "We let some games slip away. We just need to focus on tomorrow and bring that 60 minutes of purpose every shift and do whatever it takes. Do the right things."
Or else?
"Or else our season's over," Seabrook said.
sryan@tribune.com
Twitter @sryantribune
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