Deploy Plan C?

Sam Gagner celebrates a goal in tonight's 8-4 win
against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks.
Gagner's 8-point performance was the first in 23 years.

The Chicago Blackhawks have hit a snag in their season.

Despite the fact that they are tied for 5th in the Western Conference with St. Louis, Chicago is in the throes of a four game losing streak marked by poor defense and poor goalie play.  This poor goalie play came to a head in an 8-4 loss to Edmonton, in which Centre Sam Gagner posted a franchise-record 8 points.  Repeat:  THE EDMONTON OILERS!

Fun Facts:
-Hawks starting Goalie Corey Crawford, is not in the top 30 in Save Percentage and Goals Allowed Average among all Goalies on pace to play in 27 games.

-The Hawks rank 19th in the league in Average Goals Allowed and 28th in Penalty Kill Percentage with 2.8 and 77.9% respectively.

-Gagner's 8-point game boasted 4 Goals and 4 Assists.  Coming into tonight, he had registered 5 Goals and 17 Assists on the season.  His 8-point performance against Chicago was more than the 7 points he scored in all of January.

-Tonight, Gagner posted the NHL's first 8-point individual performance in 23 years.

-Roughly 17.8 percent of the Oilers goals this season have come in the 4 games they have played against the Blackhawks.  They are 3-1 on the season series, boasting 9 and 8 goal games.

-Edmonton has one of the best Power Plays in the league.  The Blackhawks have one of the worst Penalty Kills in the league.  Despite that fact, the Oilers were 1-7 on Power Plays and gave up a Shorthanded Goal.

-The Blackhawks are 11-3 under backup  Goalie Ray Emery, who did his part tonight, giving up up 3 goals.

After assessing those facts, I feel that Ray Emery does indeed, deserve a crack as an everyday Goalie.  The last time the Hawks switched goalies midway through the season, they won a Stanley Cup.  As for any potential third option, they will probably have to look outside of the organization.  Carter Hutton, Alexander Salak and Alec Richards have all split time at Rockford.  Hutton has put up better numbers and Richards has played in three more games.  That being said, there is not reason to call up a third goalie based off of merit.  Therefore, the Hawks need to go with whichever one of their guys is mentally ready to play the position or look make a deal for another Goalie.

All of that being said, it would be a damn shame if they could not fix their issues in net or on defense.  Their offense has been something to marvel at this season.  In particular, Marian Hossa.  He is finally showing everyone why he was given a 10-year deal.  At the rate he is going, he will finish with one of his finer offensive seasons.  When healthy, the trio of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp have been as productive as usual.  Toews and Sharp are in back the lineup this week, now the Hawks need the wins to start coming.

As for Edmonton, Gagner's 8-point game serves as a shining moment in a season that has become progressively disappointing.  After a hot start, the Oilers have settled in the Fourteenth Place in the Western Conference.

The Hawks are in Calgary to play the Flames tomorrow night so we will not have to wait very long to see if the Chicago's goalie goalies is are ready to play a mentally sound game.  If not, tonight could have marked the beginning of a long spring in Chicago.