Chicago Blackhawks Exit Playoffs With 4-1 Loss to Nashville

The Chicago Blackhawks fall to Nashville 4-1 Thursday night and exit playoffs after disappointing four-game sweep.

In a fiercely contested must-win matchup against Nashville Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena, the Chicago Blackhawks’ lofty playoff expectations came crashing down with a bitterly disappointing 4-1 loss to the Predators. The defeat sent the ‘Hawks home with a first-round playoff loss for the second consecutive year, when just seven days earlier many observers were hailing the ‘Hawks as a sure-fire favorite to make it to the Stanley Cup Final. Instead, they’ll be clearing out their lockers, making end-of-year media statements, and scheduling tee-times this weekend.

With the Blackhawks trailing 1-0 but pressing hard midway through the third period, the game turned on a bizarre “own goal” when Corey Crawford inadvertently put the puck into his own net, not knowing it had become lodged in his blocker.

You have to see it to believe it, so here it is:

The Preds would score again 90 seconds later to put the game out of reach at 3-0 before Jonathan Toews finally scored his first (and only) goal of the series on a powerplay tally, and Viktor Arvidsson ended the ‘Hawks’ agony with an empty-netter to make it a 4-1 final score.

Preds’ intensity, speed rule the day

In an unexpected turn of events that persisted throughout the series, Nashville dominated play in all three zones with speed and intensity that the Blackhawks simply could not match. The Preds won the majority of board battles and 50-50 pucks to prevent the ‘Hawks from getting any sort of cycle going, and jammed the neutral zone to kill plays and cutoff odd-man rushes.

‘Hawks fail to bury chances

Still, the Blackhawks had plenty of chances to grab an early lead or tie the score later after falling behind. But just like their previous three losses, the ‘Hawks couldn’t light the lamp when it still mattered. In the first period, Artem Anisimov fanned on a point-blank open net shot, and Artemi Panarin missed the net off a fabulous 2-on-1 breakaway chance with Patrick Kane. Michal Kempny, who struggled badly in the first period, was stoned by Pekka Rinne on a close-in grade-A chance in the second, and Marian Hossa missed the net entirely early in the third when the ‘Hawks were buzzing.

Loose ends

Corey Crawford actually played pretty well, stopping 22 of 25 shots, and deserved a better outcome, but like the rest of the team, really didn’t play his best hockey of the year when it mattered most – in the playoffs.

The Blackhawks lost the faceoff battle, winning 49 percent of their draws, but the one that hurt the most was when Marcus Kruger lost to Ryan Johansen and the puck ended up in the net for Nashville’s 1-0 lead in the second period.

Wait ’til next year

Like every team, the ‘Hawks are bound to lose a few players this summer to the expansion draft, free agency and salary cap limitations. But with their core group of stars mostly headed to the wrong side of 30, one has to wonder if the so-called Stanley Cup championship window might already be closed on this generation of Blackhawks.

Next: Chicago Blackhawks' Youngsters Have Gone Missing

I’d like to sound a more optimistic note after the ‘Hawks put together such an inspiring regular season, but tonight’s season-busting loss brings the following words to mind:

“Ain’t never gonna be what it was.”

‘Little Big Roy’ (HBO’s “The Wire”, Season 2 premiere)

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