Hawks fall in OT, trail 3-0 in series
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Twenty minutes.
That's all that stood between the Chicago Blackhawks and a potential series-turning victory Monday night, but a pair of Filip Forsberg goals in the third period erased a 2-0 lead, and Kevin Fiala scored in overtime to give Nashville a 3-2 Game 3 victory to put the Hawks on the verge of a stunning first-round exit.
The Hawks trail the series three games to none, with Game 4 in Nashville on Thursday.
“It's tough right now,” Patrick Kane said. “Let this one sting a little bit tonight.
“We have two (days) in between, so get rested, come back feeling good. Take it one a time. I know that's cliché and things you have to say, but at the same time win one game. See what happens after that.”
Dennis Rasmussen and Kane scored 10 minutes apart in the second period to give the Hawks that 2-0 lead, Corey Crawford stopped the first 31 shots he saw and the Hawks appeared well on their way to victory.
But it was not to be.
“No excuses,” Kane said. “We didn't get the job done.”
The Predators made it 2-1 when Forsberg scored at 4:24 of the third period. After a shot took a crazy bounce off the glass behind Crawford, Forsberg shot the puck home. Forsberg proceeded to tie the game with 5:52 remaining when he banged home a loose puck about 20 feet in front of Crawford. The Hawks challenged goaltender interference, but the goal stood.
“We had a good second period there and you kind of get in that defensive mode,” Kane said. “We were just kind of sitting back. …
“I mean, first goal, lucky bounce. … Second goal you can say maybe Crow gets interfered with. Just a couple bounces that didn't go our way.”
Fiala potted the game-winner when he got in on Crawford and tucked the puck home with 3:16 left in overtime.
Crawford made 46 saves, while Pekka Rinne made 34.
Of everyone on the Hawks' roster, Rasmussen is among the last you would pick to end a nearly 178-minute postseason goal drought and to finally solve Rinne. Rasmussen (8 goals in 112 career regular-season games) scored 65 seconds into the second period by muscling a shot past Rinne after taking a feed from Marcus Kruger, who was behind the net.
At 11:15 of the second, Kane whistled a shot past Rinne with the Hawks on the power play to make it 2-0. It was just Kane's third goal in his last 17 playoff games.
The Hawks will now attempt to emerge from a hole that only four of 182 previous teams have managed to climb out of - a 3-0 series deficit. Jonathan Toews, Kane and other can possibly draw on the experience of 2011 when they came back from down 0-3 to Vancouver to force a seventh game. They ended up losing Game 7 in OT.
“We know it's possible,” Toews said. “We've just to win the next one. … We've got to find a way to find a new level.”
Fiala nearly won the game with 6:04 left in overtime, but Crawford turned away his one-timer with his left leg. He didn't miss on his next chance and the 20-year-old was mobbed by an overjoyed bunch of Predators.
“That's a good team,” Toews said. “They want it and they're pushing themselves to the limit. But we have no choice - we've got to find a way to put pressure on them. We've got to make them realize that winning that fourth game is the toughest for any team in any series.”