Connor Murphy, Nikita Zadorov show they can be shutdown pair for Blackhawks

In the first period of the Blackhawks’ first game against the Red Wings, Connor Murphy’s pairing with Nikita Zadorov looked completely dysfunctional.

By the third period of the second game, Murphy and Zadorov were wrapping up a dominant performance.

The equally dysfunctional opponent means their transformation should be taken with a grain of salt, but Murphy’s near-perfect game with Zadorov on Sunday nonetheless revealed the potential for that duo to evolve into the Hawks’ shutdown defensive pair.

“Just two bigger guys that are going to take pride in defending,” Murphy, 27, said after the 6-2 victory. “Tonight we seemed to do a better job of closing guys down on whoever’s side of the ice it was, and then being close to support each other to try to make good plays out of our zone.”

The Hawks had more attempts than the Wings (14-7) and more chances (8-5) during the pair’s ice time.

That possession advantage translated into zero Wings goals and three Hawks goals, including Murphy’s second-period top-shelf snipe that shifted the momentum.

Murphy, in particular, was in optimal form.

He maintained excellent gap control and positioning in his own zone and also won the puck back numerous times, made clean plays to jump-start transition attacks and jumped into the play himself at the right times.

The goal extended his point streak to four games, the longest of his career. Previously never much of an offensive threat, Murphy ranks fifth in points among all NHL defensemen this season.

“[Murphy is] so strong in battles and getting on the right side and [being] physical,” coach Jeremy Colliton said. “He helps us get out of the D-zone. His puck play has continued to improve. He’s making a lot more clean plays on the breakout once he does get the puck back, and that helps. He’s also willing to join as a fourth or fifth guy on the attack.”

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Sunday’s excellence demonstrated how much Murphy and Zadorov, who didn’t know each other until roughly a month ago, have jelled since first being put together Jan. 19 in Florida (three games ago).

Their first two outings together were subpar, with opponents generating more attempts than the Hawks (29-25) and more chances (15-11) during their ice time. And in the aforementioned first period Friday against the Wings, Murphy had to motion to or yell at Zadorov several times to get in the right position.

After spending more time together, though, their communication improved dramatically Sunday.

“That’s always going to happen when it’s someone that’s new on a team, and then especially new as a pair,” Murphy said. “You seem to develop chemistry on certain plays, whether it’s neutral zones or even off draws or in the O-zone. You know where a guy’s going to be at a certain spot on the ice.

“I didn’t even know that I was completely open on a couple of ‘D’-to-‘D’ [passes], and he’s got a good view on his peripheral . . . to be able to see me and snap it over.”

Their rapid improvement together is especially encouraging because of how nicely their unity allows the rest of the defensive pairs to sort out.

Duncan Keith and Adam Boqvist possess strong chemistry after spending much of 2019-20 together, and an ultra-veteran partner like Keith is probably most beneficial for Boqvist as he goes through his current growing pains. Calvin de Haan and Ian Mitchell, meanwhile, are fast developing a similarly fruitful relationship.

If Murphy and Zadorov can translate their breakout game into a consistent run of shutdown defense — something the Hawks haven’t experienced much in recent seasons — the Hawks will benefit and young Boqvist and Mitchell will, too.