NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Chicago Blackhawks finally came into the playoff form that they showed last season and soundly defeated the Nashville Predators in a 3-0 shutout. The win evened up this Western Conference Quarterfinals at two games apiece and returns home-ice advantage back the Chicago.
Antti Niemi got his second playoff shutout in the series stopping all 33 shot he faced. The last time that a Chicago goaltender won two games with a shutout in the same series was back in the 1974 Playoffs with Tony Esposito in net.
This game finally saw the resurgence of the stars of the team as they figured highly in the game. Head Coach Joel Quenneville knew that this was a do-or-die game. He needed some more physical play in the game and someone to crash the net and make plays happen. Defenseman Brian Campbell returned to the lineup after suffering a broken clavicle at the hands of Alexander Ovechkin. That move sent Dustin Byfuglien back to wing where he is more comfortable around the net. Adam Burish also returned to the lineout after being out a long time and he also adds an extra push around the crease.
As for the Nashville Predators, they were still without Patric Hornqvist who was a game time decision.
In the first period, it was obvious that the Blackhawks had extra bounce to their step. No one knew exactly how they would react after a lackluster loss that they suffered in the last game. But they got on the board first. Nashville’s Francis Bouillon, who has been a little agitator in the series was called for interference and sent to the box.
The Blackhawks, now on the power play, worked the perimeter well. Defenseman Duncan Keith fired the shot on net, and Jonathan Toews tried to sweep it in. Now with three Blackhawk players around the net, Toews shot missed but right wing Patrick Kane took two shots at the Predators Pekka Rinne but it was the other Patrick as in Sharp who took the wrist shot in at the 10:57 mark.
Late in the period the Blackhawks got another boost as they were on the short end of the 5-on-3 for more than 1:50. They held ground and didn’t allow the Predators to get close.
For the middle frame, that is where the Blackhawks put the Predators away with two goals to finish the scoring for the game. The second goal of the game was a first for a few. Left wing Brian Bickell played his first ever playoff game took the puck on the rush in the far lane and in the neutral zone backhanded the puck across the ice to right wing Marian Hossa at the near circle who collected the puck after seeing a defender slide across on his belly and shot it towards the net. Rinne made the save but the rebound fell right to Toews who shot it in for his first goal of the playoffs at 12:55.
With 3:43 left in the period it was Sharp again. After receiving the puck from his defenseman a little outside of the red-line, Sharp skated on in going north to south towards the net. He passed three defenders who looked like the stationary rod-hockey players and broke on in with a writer to the back of the net for his second of the game.
Rinne was pulled with 2:30 left in the game for the extra attacker but the Predator could not make a dent in the goose-egg that appeared under their name. The Nashville netminder stopped 27 of the 30 shots he faced. The shots were fairly even seeing 11s all over in each frame except for the third where the Blackhawks only had eight.
Chicago converted on one of the three power play opportunities while Nashville went zero for six.
The series now goes to the United Center in Chicago for game five.
Three Stars of the Game: Jonathan Toews (Chicago), Third Star with a goal and and assist; Antti Niemi (Chicago), Second Star stopping 33 shots for his second playoff shutout; and Patrick Sharp (Chicago) with two goals in the game.
Western Conference Quarterfinals (best-of-7) W2 Chicago Blackhawks vs. W7-Nashville Predators Game 1 – Friday, Apr. 16 – Nashville 4 at Chicago 1 Game 2 – Sunday, Apr. 18 – Nashville 0 at Chicago 2 Game 3 – Tuesday, Apr. 20 – Chicago 1 at Nashville 4 Game 4 – Thursday, Apr. 22 – Chicago 3 at Nashville 0 *Game 5 – Saturday, Apr. 24 – Nashville at Chicago, 2:00 *Game 6 – Monday, April 26 – Chicago at Nashville, TBD *Game 7 – Wednesday, Apr. 28 – Nashville at Chicago, TBD
Series Tied at 2 Games
Contact Matt.Chin@prohockeynews.com
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