Blackhawks grind out another win over Predators
Call this rivalry week for the Blackhawks.
The big one might be Sunday when Roberto Luongo and the Vancouver Canucks come calling at the United Center, but as far as Central Division rivals go, the Hawks have learned never to underestimate the Nashville Predators.
Remember the first round of the 2010 playoffs? The Hawks do.
While that journey for the Hawks ended in winning the Stanley Cup, the Predators were within seconds of grabbing Game 5 and taking a 3-2 lead in that series before the Miracle on Madison took place.
That was then, but even now the Predators play the same, even as their roster changes from year to year.
“I don't remember when we've had an easy game against this team,” Jonathan Toews said.
“One thing about Nashville, you know how they're going to play,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. “They're going to play hard, simple, be in your face, check well and try to frustrate you.”
The Predators were their usual pesky selves Monday, making the Hawks grind out a 5-4 win in overtime on Viktor Stalberg's second deciding goal in as many games.
Three times the Hawks had to battle back from 1-goal deficits.
“You know you're going to have to grind every one out against that team,” Quenneville said. “That's how you've got to play it, knowing it could take (65 minutes) or it could take a shootout.”
The Hawks did lose all-star defenseman Duncan Keith along the way with an upper-body injury, perhaps to his hand, but Quenneville wasn't saying if the problem was serious.
Patrick Kane had a dazzling night with 2 goals and an assist. Linemate Marian Hossa had 3 assists.
“He had the puck all the time on his stick and making plays,” Hossa said.
“He was special tonight, for sure,” Quenneville said. “He was a threat. He had the puck on his stick for a length of time. I'd like to know the length of possession time he had. It was a different level.
“He was great in a lot of ways. That trial of him in the middle is not a trial.”
Stalberg, who scored 2 third-period goals in Saturday's victory over Columbus, beat Predators goalie Pekka Rinne at 2:18 of overtime. Stalberg used his speed against defenseman Jack Hillen, stopped, cut to the middle and fired home a wrist shot.
“We were talking about it on the bench that I would just get out and skate with the puck if I get it,” said the speedy Stalberg. “I wish it was 4-on-4 all the time.”
The Hawks went 0-for-7 on the power play, twice failing on 5-on-3s, but part of the problem was Rinne, who was terrific in the third period.
The Hawks had 18 shots on goal in the third after getting just 14 through the first 40 minutes.
“I'd say if we had lost we gave it away, to be honest with you,” Kane said. “We had chance after chance after chance it seems like and the goalie kind of stood on his head.
“We dominated in the third period. It would have been a tough one to give away knowing all the chances we had to score goals.”