Chicago Blackhawks (3rd, Central Division) At Nashville Predators (2nd, Central) 7:30PM Central NBC Sports/CSN Chi/TVA/FSTN
THE BUZZ
Throw out the records—Men’s League starts tonight.
Predictions? I’ve gone on record, taking the Hawks in 6. Most media and analysts are in that same place. But now you have to play the actual games and win them. And Nashville is no pushover.
They now play a more up-tempo, ice-stretching style under head coach Peter LaViolette. They’re built form the net out as most great teams are. They’re fast and physical. The Hawks will have their hands full.
For some nice analytics and stats, I refer you to the current blog from my HB colleague Paul McCann, found here:
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Paul-McCann/Playoff-Game-Night-in-Smashville---Gold-Everywhere-You-Look/24/67935
Both teams limped in to the playoffs, Nashville going 0-6 down the stretch, and the Hawks 0-4. But while Nashville has home ice, the Hawks got some mojo and strut back in the form of star winger Patrick Kane, cleared weeks ahead of schedule to return from injury.
To the extent Kane is (or an approximation of) his “old self… in the series, you can’t underestimate his impact. He is one of those players who not only makes those around him play better (thus improving the Hawks at even strength and giving them a second legit scoring line after Jonathan Toews-Marian Hossa), but adds an element on the power play, and has a knack for literally taking over the latter half of playoff series.
The pressure is all on the Preds tonight and in Game 2: they must defend home ice, and thereby stem any momentum or psychological advantage Chicago gets from regaining Kane. The Hawks know this: this is a team that clearly knows how to take care of business at this time of year.
But the proof is all in the doing.
THE LINEUPS (PROJECTED)
Chicago
Saad Toews Hossa Versteeg Richards kane Bickell Shaw Sharp Nordstrom Kruger Teravainen
Keith Hjalmarsson Oduya Seabrook Timonen Rozsival
Crawford
Nashville
Forsberg Ribeiro Neal Wilson Santorelli Smith Cullen Jarnkrok Stalberg Bourque Gaustad Beck
Josi Weber Ekholm Jones Volchenkov Ellis
Rinne
JJ
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