Games
Chicago Blackhawks 4 - Nashville Predators 3 (OT)
Nashville started off the game on a physical foot, basically hitting any Chicago player the saw. Colin Wilson opened the scoring just over six minute in, as he wristed a shot over the shoulder of Corey Crawford. It took a little while for Nashville to find the back of the net again. Late in the first, Crawford misplayed the puck behind the net, giving Viktor Stalberg the chance to take it and put it into the empty net. Wilson added his second of the game on a powerplay, tipping a Seth Jones shot. The Predators ended the first period up 3-0. Scott Darling replaced Crawford to start the second. Thanks to a Matt Cullen penalty with seconds left in the first and a Marian Hossa penalty early in the second, both teams would play 4-on-4 for over a minute. This ended up benefiting the Blackhawks, as Teuvo Teravinen, from behind the net, fed a streaking Niclas Hjalmarsson in the slot, who beat Pekke Rinne. Chicago's play noticeably picked up later in the period, leading to a couple of powerplay opportunities. A 2-man advantage for Chicago lead to a Patrick Sharp goal to pull the Blackhawks to within one. Another powerplay chance saw Chicago tie the game, as Jonathan Toews jammed the puck home from beside the net. The third period saw play shift from the Blackhawks favour to the Predators. Late in the third it was the Darling Show, as he made a couple of spectacular saves to keep the Blackhawks in the game. Overtime was needed for this game, and not just one overtime would do. A Duncan Keith point shot would find its way past a screened Rinne, as Chicago won the first game.
Chicago Blackhawks 2 - Nashville Predators 6
The goal-fest continued in the second game, and once again it was Nashville kicking it off. Wilson tucked it over Crawford's shoulder just minutes into the game to put the Predators up 1-0. Nashville kept the pressure up, but Chicago would tie the game late in the period. Sharp received a pass in the slot, spun around, and lifted the puck past a sprawling Rinne. Roman Josi, with seconds left in the period, would skate into the Blackhawks zone, carry the puck rink-wide, and snapped a shot that beat a screen Crawford to put the Predators back in the lead. The tables turned in the second, as Chicago put the pressure on Nashville. They capitalized on a line change, as Keith slap-passed to Kane, who took a couple of strides into the Nashville zone and beat Rinne glove side to tie the game. Nashville would once again take the lead. Cody Franson had his point shot blocked and the puck would bounce in the slot. It was Craig Smith who had the final whack at it, causing it to sail past Crawford to put Nashville up 3-2. The Predators kept up the scoring in the third, as Filip Forsberg, Smith, and Mike Santorelli all scored in the later half of the period. The win allowed Nashville to tie the series 1-1.
Nashville Predators 2 - Chicago Blackhawks 4
The Blackhawks made a switch in goal, as Darling was put in for his first career NHL playoff start. It took a bit for the first goal to be scored. Andrew Desjardins' initial shot was blocked, but he would regain the puck and quickly shot it, beating Rinne. Only a half a minute later, Ribeiro responded for the Predators, as he wired it past Darling. The goals came quick in the second period. Just 36 seconds in, Toews and Hossa worked some magic. Hossa would enter the Nashville zone and drop it for Toews, who would beat Rinne from the top of the faceoff circle. Chicago's lead did not last long. A faceoff win in the Chicago zone show the puck go from Smith to Ellis to Mattias Ekholm, who then blasted it past a screened Darling. The tie lasted less than three minutes. Brandon Saad would capitalized on a misplayed puck by collecting it, skating from his own zone to the Predators, and beat Rinne with a shot at the top of the faceoff circle. The Blackhawks extended the lead later in the period. Toews skated from behind the Predators net and fed Seabrook in the high slot, who one-timed it into the back of the net. Chicago held on the rest of the way to win the game and regain the series lead.
Nashville Predators 2 - Chicago Blackhawks 3 (3OT)
A powerplay opportunity midway though the first helped Nashville take the lead. Ryan Ellis' shot from the point beat Darling. Chicago did not take long to respond. Antoine Vermette redirected a pass from Michal Rozsival, which fluttered past Rinne and into the net. Both teams raked up the shot attempts, but the game would remain tied until late in the second. James Neal managed to whack a bouncing puck past Darling to once again put the Predators in the lead. The Blackhawks controlled most of the third, and it paid off midway though the period. Hossa dropped the puck for Saad, who beat Rinne clean to tie the game 2-2. The score stayed that way for the remainder of the period, meaning overtime was needed. Not one, not two, but three overtimes was needed for a winning goal to occur. Just a minute into the third overtime, Seabrook wired a point shot past a screened Rinne, ending the marathon game. The win gave Chicago a 3-1 series lead, pushing Nashville towards elimination.
Chicago Blackhawks 2 - Nashville Predators 5
The Predators controlled play early in the game, but it shifted to Chicago later in the period. It lead to the Blackhawks striking first, as Brad Richards scored his first of the playoffs. Nashville would response just over a minute later. A faceoff in the Chicago zone saw Nashville lose the draw, but Forsberg would sneak behind the Chicago center and roof it over Darling's shoulder to tie the game. It took a while, but the Predators would take the lead. Early in the third, Neal received a pass from Stalberg, skate around the net, and scored on the wraparound. The Predators added to the lead minutes later, as Wilson (on the powerplay) and Forsberg scored to put Nashville up 4-1. Chicago only managed one goal in response, but it was a nice one. Kane entered the zone, skated to the slot area, spun around a defender and passed it to Versteeg, who finished it off by one-timing the puck into an empty net. Forsberg capped off his hat trick with an empty net goal, as Nashville won the game and extended the series one more game.
Nashville Predators
Chicago Blackhawks
The Predators struck early in this game, as Neal collected the puck, deked into the slot, and swept it past Darling. Seven minutes later, Neal struck again. Positioning himself in the slot on the powerplay, Neal would tip in Franson's point shot to extend Nashville's lead. Chicago answered back a few minutes later. Keith's point shot ricochet off the boards right to Sharp, who beat Rinne before he had the chance to get in position. Matt Cullen replied for the Predators less than a minute later, once again putting Nashville up by two and causing a goalie change for Chicago. Less than a minute from that goal, the Blackhawks would respond. On a powerplay, Toews redirected Sharp's shot to claw Chicago to within one. Kane capped off the scoring in the first with seconds left in the period, as he wired it past Rinne to tie the game 3-3. Both goalies steadied after the first, as Rinne and Crawford shot almost every shot. The only shot to beat either goalie happened in the third period. From the point, Keith would pump-fake a shot twice before letting a half-hearted slapshot go. The shot beat a screen Rinne, and put the Blackhawks in the lead for the first time this game. That ended up being enough as the Predators did not have an answer. The win gave Chicago the series, as they defeated Nashville in six games.
Three Thoughts on the Series
- What happened to Rinne in this series? Seems like he should have been better.
- Too bad the Preds could not hold on against Chicago. That team could have had a decent run.
- On the bright side for Crawford, he finished what he started.
Technically after the series, but graphic fails are usually a guarantee for this spot.
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| (picture via Deadspin) |
Highlight of the Series
What an assist by Patrick Kane.
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