Hawks maintain slim hopes

How about this for a difficult assignment?

In order to have any chance of making the playoffs, the Blackhawks must win their last three games and hope that three teams ahead of them -- Vancouver, Nashville and Edmonton -- stumble.

Winning out might be the hardest part for the Hawks since it means beating the Detroit Red Wings twice, starting with tonight's game at the United Center.

The Red Wings still own the NHL's best record at 52-20-7, although 4 of those losses have been to the Hawks.

"We have to believe that we can go out there and play with them," Jonathan Toews said. "We've beat them more than just a few times this year, so we've got to have that in the back of our heads."

There can be no more slip-ups by the Hawks, no 1-point games. Only victories will do.

"We don't have any leeway anymore. We've got to sweep," Hawks coach Denis Savard said.

While there was a lot of scoreboard watching Tuesday night, whatever the Canucks, Predators and Oilers do won't matter if the Hawks don't win out.

"You keep your fingers crossed that things go your way," Toews said, referring to the teams in front of the Hawks. "But the only thing we can do is play our best hockey. We have to put pressure on ourselves to play our best."

The Red Wings really took it to the Hawks in their last meeting March 11 in Detroit. The Hawks were 3-1 losers, but it was only close because rookie goalie Corey Crawford made 44 saves.

"We know we're facing the best team in the league here," Savard said. "For us, it will be very important to execute the game plan to have any kind of success against them."

That means dealing with Detroit's defensemen, starting with Nicklas Lidstrom, putting bodies on them on the forecheck, and containing them.

"Detroit has lots of experience on defense and they beat our players up ice a lot the last two games, and we have to be aware of that," Savard said. "If we control their defense, we're going to give ourselves a chance. We've got to limit them to 15 scoring chances or less for us to get a good result."

With the Red Wings being the highest-scoring team in the Western Conference, holding them to 15 scoring chances won't be easy.

"They're the best, and there's no better way to get in (the playoffs) than to beat the best," Brent Seabrook said. "We're very capable of doing that.

"We know how big these three games are, so we have to come up with a big effort."

As of Tuesday, the Red Wings still were looking to put away San Jose to clinch the President's Trophy for first place overall. Savard doesn't expect to see a Red Wings team coasting into the playoffs.

"They're going to come and play, no question," Savard said. "I don't think you go in the playoffs just walking in there. You have to be sharp. You rest guys here and there, and maybe they will, I don't know that, but we have to come and play and have our 'A' game."

• Duncan Keith (12 goals, 30 points, plus-28) was named the season's MVP by the Hawks Alumni Association. Keith will play tonight despite leaving practice Tuesday after taking a James Wisniewski stick in the mouth and losing several teeth.

• Dave Bolland (ankle) and Jason Williams (charley horse) likely will play even though Savard called them game-time decisions.

Tonight's faceoff

Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings at the United Center, 7:30 p.m.

TV: Comcast SportsNet

Radio: WIND 560-AM

The skinny: After winning the first four games of the season series, the Hawks have dropped the last two to Detroit by scores of 3-1. The Red Wings still have the best record in the NHL at 52-20-7 but are banged up with the playoffs only a week away. Brad Stuart (broken finger) and Dan Cleary (broken jaw) are out, while Tomas Holmstrom and Mikael Samuelsson are doubtful with groin injuries. Holmstrom, out since March 5, might return Thursday against Columbus. Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said Dominik Hasek would start in goal tonight and in Sunday's season finale against the Hawks.

Player to watch: Johan Franzen. The Red Wings forward had 14 goals and 4 assists in 13 games in March.

Next: Nashville Predators at the United Center, 7:30 p.m. Friday

-- Tim Sassone