Everything Else

Well that wasn’t exactly what we expected, was it? Even in our preview of the game, we imagined that the Predators would come out hard to try and fight for their playoff dreams and the Hawks would have to fight them off desperately in the first. If the Hawks survived that barrage, they would have to make sure they drew first blood and then held on tight to survive the third, where all too often they seem to take their foot off the gas.

Instead, the Predators came out weak in the first and were thoroughly outplayed by the Hawks. The Hawks outshot the Preds 17-7 in the period but of course one sloppy pass led to a turnover and a tie game after one. The second was more of the same, as the Hawks outshot the Preds and carried the play but again found themselves in an even game after 40. The third seemed to be heading down a familiar road before Saad and Toews found the net to take the win. Patrick Kane adds to his point total to ice it and the Blackhawks find themselves the first team to secure a spot in the post-season for the year. Not a bad way to end the week.

Everything Else

to-catch-a-predator vs oldschool

Game Time: 6:00PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, WGN-AM 720
Smash & Dash: On The Forecheck

With the Hawks’ win at the Tire Fire yesterday, they now stand on the precipice of being the first team in the league to officially clinch a playoff berth. The 9th place Coyotes currently sit at 40 points with 10 games left to play, which would max them out at 60 points. However, if the Coyotes were to win out in regulation and were the Hawks to lose out in regulation, they’d be tied but the Yotes would have more regulation and overtime wins. However, all of that is rendered immaterial today with a single point, and the Hawks will have officially gained entrance to the post season party, despite standing outside and waiting for it to open since mid-February.

Everything Else

In the first game of a back-to-back, the Blackhawks never had to take it out of third gear and still thoroughly outplayed the Nashville Predators. If it weren’t for Pekka Rinne, the Predators could have lost this game going away. So pretty much the exact same story as when the teams met on Monday and likely will be the same tomorrow. On to the bullets.