Chicago Blackhawks Morning Links- Nashville Revenge Tour

Good morning Chicago Blackhawks fans! Yes, I’m getting this out a little late since I’m on vacation and took the kids to a zombie paintball haunted house farm last night and slept in a little bit.  Anyways, the Hawks play the Nashville Predators tonight, and it will be the first time they have seen them since they swept them out of the playoffs in mid April. 

The Predators were on their way to an 0-3 start until they scored 2 goals in the final 2 minutes on consecutive 5 on 3 powerplays (one because of an offsides review by Philly gone wrong), and then they easily defeated everyone’s favorite to win the Central the Dallas Stars 4-1.

The Hawks were off to a pretty good start until they failed at an offsides review on Thursday night against the Minnesota Wild and they ended up being defeated 5-2 at home.

None of this matters to fans as the Chicago Blackhawks faithful will want to see pucks behind Pekka Rinne and Chelsea Dagger playing unlike anything that happened in April when the Predators swept the Hawks.

It’s scary that the Hawks look like a completely different team without Nick Schmaltz on the ice. With him the Hawks looked fast and fun, but without him they have been pretty boring and looking like they are skating in mud. Hopefully he will be back tonight in the lineup.

I will say I’ve seen the John Hayden Haymaker about 100 times on twitter the last day or so, it’s nice to have an enforcer that has skill skating around the ice.

Here are some morning links to kick off your weekend! 

No real surprise that Patrick Kane would win the good hands award for week #1 (Blackhawks)

Nick Schmaltz return should make the Chicago Blackhawks more dangerous (Tribune)

The Rockford Ice Hogs open on home ice this weekend (Second City)

Luc Snuggerud was assigned to Rockford on Friday (Committed Indians)

Some people don’t like fighting in hockey anymore (Faxes from Uncle Dale)

Why Predators fans hate the Chicago Blackhawks (Predlines)

Nathan MacKinnon is ok after taking a stick to the eye (Mile High Hockey)

Alex Ovechkin has never had a goal run like this before (Pro Hockey Talk)

Next: There is more speed in the AHL For Chicago

NHL Stars explain their favorite hockey traditions (SI)