Blackhawks: April Fools

Tommie Lee
Apr 2, 2015
3 min read

Time is running out in the regular season, and the Blackhawks are doing what they always do:

Messin’ with us.

In the last week we’ve seen the Proud Red-Clad Warriors take down some of the best talent in the NHL…and do it convincingly. Then…they turn around and get schooled by crappy teams that will not have any connection to the playoffs that doesn’t involve their TV Remote.

There are nights where the offense looks like they’re playing with special cheat codes. I swear, Captain Jonathon Toews had a goal the other night that looked like someone was holding a controller and hammering away at a Square, Circle, Square, Triangle, Top Left, X, Square combo. Then…the offense shows up on a milk carton, and we eke out a single goal at best.

Here’s the good news from Tuesday: The Predators lost in OT, only managing a point in their game against the Canucks. The Rangers beat Winnipeg, making the Jets slightly less of a going concern as we head into the final stretch.

Playoffs

At this moment the Central Division has Nashville in first with 103 points in 78 games. St. Louis has 99 points in 76 games for second, with Chicago only a point behind in the same number of outings. The Wild have six games remaining as well, and 95 points. Winnipeg has 90 points in 77 games for 5th place…still far better than anyone would have suspected at the beginning of the season, myself included. The Jets are also facing a possible sit-down for Dustin Byfuglien, who delivered a vicious-looking and completely stupid cross-check to the head of Rangers forward J.T. Miller, a player who was already down on the ice. The former Blackhawk defenseman may have crippled his team’s chances of staying ahead of the Kings in the race for the last playoff spot in the process.

In that Western Wild Card Race by the way, the ponies are as follows: Minnesota, 95 points & six games to go. Winnipeg, 90 points & five games to go. Kings, 88 points & six games. Dallas Stars, 84 points & five to go. It’s worth noting that the Arizona Coyotes, who have become something of a Hated Betty for Blackhawks fans in recent years, have a grand total of 54 points at the moment, with only Buffalo in their rear-view mirror in the league standings. The basement of the West is a nice spot for them.

Can Chicago catch Nashville? It won’t be easy. The Preds would likely have to lose two games and the Blackhawks have to pour on the points while keeping an eye on the Wild. And Minnesota is on freaking fire right now, winning 8 of their last 10.

Next up: The Hawks host Vancouver Thursday night, then travel to Buffalo Friday. Sunday the Blues travel to the Madhouse on Madison. The Hawks play them again next week in St. Louis. The road to third place isn’t an easy one.

Patrick Kane, and Time Travel

There was talk this week that Kaner was healing more quickly than expected, doing quite well. Coach Q is optimistic but says that he has no expectations that the timetable will change on his return.

Final thought: One year ago yesterday, according to my little Timehop app, the Hawks had lost three straight games by a combined score of 12-4 and were stumbling into the Second Season.

So, even with Patrick Kane being hurt, and the Hawks looking a little bipolar…things could be worse.

Go Hawks!