Finishing scoring chances is next step for Blackhawks forward Landon Slaggert

It has been a bit of deja vu for Blackhawks forward Landon Slaggert. He’s creating ample scoring chances but has struggled to finish.

Slaggert said he went through a scoring drought as a junior at Notre Dame (13 points in 35 games), something that has been instructive as he works to improve his finishing.

Take the game Thursday against the Hurricanes. In the second period, Slaggert created an opportunity after he flipped the puck toward the boards, retrieved it and sped past the defender. He didn’t score, but the play showed the confidence and skill Slaggert has been playing with lately.

While it isn’t Slaggert’s job to put up gaudy point totals, scoring a few goals would be a way for him to separate himself, given that the competition for playing time only will intensify in the coming years.

‘‘I think going through adversity is huge,’’ Slaggert said before the Hawks’ 2-1 shootout loss Friday to the Lightning. ‘‘I think you know that there’s light at the end of the tunnel but also that you can work and build your game and grow. I think that’s exciting, just to be able to [create all] these [scoring] chances.

‘‘If I start finishing a few of these off, it’ll help the team win. . . . It’s encouraging, more than anything.’’

Slaggert, 23, has found himself in a bottom-six role since being recalled Dec. 27 from Rockford as the Hawks were dealing with some injuries to their forwards. He also has been used on the penalty kill.

He’s better known for his physicality and net-front presence than for his stick skills.

‘‘My goal is just to get to the blue paint and cause some chaos down there,’’ Slaggert said. ‘‘It’s been working out.’’

Slaggert most frequently has been on a line with Colton Dach and captain Nick Foligno, but he also has bounced around a bit. No matter whom he’s skating with, however, he keeps his game the same and brings his trademark toughness and tenacity.

On Monday against the Jets, he skated on a line with rookies Oliver Moore and Nick Lardis. That line had a Corsi percentage of 58.82% during five-on-five play. Coach Jeff Blashill said he liked having Slaggert’s presence to create some disruption on the forecheck.

‘‘His speed, his aggression on the ice, it forces a lot of turnovers and kind of lets me, Moore and [Slaggert] dictate the play sometimes and create space out there,’’ Lardis said.

Entering the game Friday, Slaggert had created 19 high-danger scoring chances — ninth on the team — in 24 games. But he had only five points this season.

‘‘[I’m] working on some of those scoring skills after practice,’’ Slaggert said. ‘‘I’m just trying to be comfortable in those areas, especially around the net and being able to take an extra second to get it over the goalie’s pad or add a little deception to the shot.’’

Slaggert referred to his junior season in college when discussing why he’s confident he’ll start to convert some of his scoring chances. In the summer after that season, he focused on his scoring touch and scoring in tight areas. The work paid off during a senior season in which he led the Irish with 31 points.

Slaggert has been working with Hawks skills coach Brian Keane to identify where he is getting most of his scoring chances, then trying to re-create game scenarios after practice.

‘‘Then it’s just [about] reps,’’ he said, ‘‘so [that] when you do get that opportunity in a game, you’re comfortable in those situations and have that confidence.’’