Pius Suter’s hat trick — minus hats — and Kevin Lankinen’s 2nd straight solid game in goal lift Chicago Blackhawks to a 6-2 win over Detroit Red Wings

For reasons that defy logic, the NHL decided to showcase two rebuilding teams in its Sunday afternoon “Game of the Week” slot on NBC, apparently hoping black-and-white highlights of Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull would override the current state of affairs for the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings.

But nostalgia is always welcome whenever two Original Six teams go head to head, and the Hawks weren’t about to throw away their shot to show a national audience that reports of the franchise’s demise were exaggerated.

Who knows how many more opportunities they’ll get in 2021?

At least they took advantage of the league’s benevolence Sunday, beating the Red Wings 6-2 behind Pius Suter’s hat trick and another steady performance from rookie goaltender Kevin Lankinen.

After losing their first four games on the road, the Hawks finally looked competitive in their brief two-game homestand as back-to-back wins over the Red Wings provided a much-needed confidence boost.

Yes, it’s the Red Wings. And no, the Hawks can’t play them again until next month.

Still, it was entertaining to watch, even if a hat trick without hats in a nearly empty United Center was a bit surreal.

The 24-year-old Suter, a 5-foot-9, 176-pound center from Switzerland, isn’t big enough to regularly park himself next to the crease like “Big Al” Secord did for the Hawks back in the 1980s. But he played like a mini-Secord on Sunday.

“It’s always been part of my game,” Suter said. “And when I went here I always scored a bit, so I kept doing it. It worked out well mostly.

“Sometimes it does, like today. Sometimes not.”

Connor Murphy called Suter a “crafty” player with great puck awareness.

“It’s impressive to see, just starting out in the NHL,” Murphy said. “We’re lucky to have him.”

Also impressive in the early going is Lankinen, the last of the three goalies to get a starting nod from coach Jeremy Colliton but the early leader as the heir apparent to Corey Crawford.

Colliton said before the game he’ll decide who starts in net on a day-to-day basis, with the goalies’ performance dictating who plays.

Sunday was Lankinen’s third straight start, so does that suggest he’s the guy for now?

“He’s the guy for today,” Colliton replied.

The Hawks got off to a quick start when Suter scored his first career goal 4 minutes, 42 seconds into the game, skating unescorted to Red Wings goaltender Jonathan Bernier’s front door and tapping in a rebound of a shot through traffic by Calvin de Haan.

Five minutes later Suter found himself in almost the exact same spot on a power play when Mattias Janmark skated around a fallen Red Wings defender and flipped a short pass to him for another easy tap-in.

The Hawks have started the season with six straight games with a power-play goal, turning a 2019-20 weakness into a strength, at least for now.

The Red Wings took advantage of a 5-on-3 situation 41 seconds into the second period, as Tyler Bertuzzi camped out beside Duncan Keith and beat Lankinen with a one-timer off a nice pass from Dylan Larkin.

Four minutes later, Larkin skated around 6-foot-6 defenseman Nikita Zadorov like a teenager maneuvering past a senior citizen on a moving walkway at O’Hare and had a golden chance to stuff one past Lankinen for the tying goal.

But Lankinen’s outstretched skate blocked Larkin’s attempt at the last second, saving Zadorov and the Hawks. The red-faced Zadorov tried to throw his weight around after the stoppage in play as if trying to make up for the play.

Murphy said “you can tell (Lankinen) wants to be the guy” to take his chance and run with it.

“There were times in the first where we were playing well but we gave up a couple Grade A chances in the slot that he seemed to just shoulder off,” Murphy said. “That reminds us of when we had Crow before. He seemed to do the same thing.

“That’s huge for us and we’re happy for him that he’s continued to grow this way. He’s a fun guy to have back there.”

Murphy gave the Hawks some breathing room at 17:18 of the second period with a wrist shot from the right circle over Bernier’s shoulder, and Janmark made it 4-1 a minute into the third, scoring on another tap-in off a perfect feed from Patrick Kane.

Suter secured the hat trick on a slap shot past Bernier at 12:28 of the third, with teammates yelling “shoot” to deter him from passing off to Kane on the 2-on-1 break.

Suter said he didn’t hear it, but of course he was going to take the shot with a chance for a hatless hat trick.

“I had some chances and at the end it worked out,” Suter said. “It’s a great feeling and fun, gave me some confidence too.”

All in all, the Hawks looked like a team tired of hearing how bad they’ll be in 2021.

If that’s what it takes, feel free to pile on.