UA-59049186-1 Western Conference Round 1, Game 4: Blackhawks 3, Predators 2 (3OT) - Good if it Goes

Western Conference Round 1, Game 4: Blackhawks 3, Predators 2 (3OT)

Tuesday night (and into Wednesday morning), the Hawks were once again on home ice for game four of their first round playoff series with the Nashville Predators. The Hawks would get a few nice looks early on, but none of these looks led to a goal. The Predators would get the game’s first power play just under ten-and-a-half minutes in after Bryan Bickell was sent off for hooking. The Predators converted 11:38 into the period on a redirect by Colin Wilson off a shot by Ryan Ellis. The Hawks answered just under a minute-and-a-half later on Antoine Vermette’s first goal as a Blackhawk. Both teams would have opportunities the rest of the way in the first, but neither would score. After twenty minutes, the game was tied at 1.

The second period saw back and forth action early on. We would see 4-on-4 play 8:41 into the period when Antoine Vermette was sent off for cross-checking and James Neal was sent off for embellishment. Neither team would score during the 4-on-4. The Predators would take the lead just over seventeen minutes into the period on a goal by James Neal on a turnover by Duncan Keith. This would be the final goal scored in the period and after two, the Predators led 2-1.

The Hawks would get a couple nice looks early in the third, but would still be looking for the tying goal when Niklas Hjalmarsson was sent off for slashing just over four-and-a-half minutes into the period. Seventeen seconds into the Nashville power play, Filip Forsberg was sent off for hooking Brandon Saad, and we went to 4-on-4 play. Neither team would score during the 4-on-4 and the Hawks would come up empty in the 17 seconds of power play time remaining from the Forsberg penalty. The Hawks would go back to the power play just under seven minutes into the third when Gabriel Bourque was sent off for interference. The Hawks would be unable to get anything going and would come up empty on the man advantage. The Hawks would tie the game just over eleven minutes into the game on a goal by Brandon Saad. The Hawks would control the action the rest of the way in the third, but were unable to score again, and we would head to overtime tied at 2.

The Hawks would get the better of the chances in overtime, though the Predators had a few of their own. Nothing got past either goaltender, though, and we would head to a second overtime.

The Hawks went to the power play 1:16 into the second overtime period after Matt Cullen was sent off for tripping. The Hawks would get a few nice looks, but come away empty on the power play. The Hawks would get another chance on the man advantage 15:21 into the period when Forsberg was sent off for delay of game. After 1:16, Andrew Shaw was sent off for slashing, and we would go to 4-on-4 play. Neither team would score during the 4-on-4 play and then the Hawks would kill off the remainder of the Shaw penalty. Neither team would score in the remainder of the period, and we would head to a third overtime.

After a good possession in their offensive zone, the Hawks scored one minute into the third overtime on a one-timer by Brent Seabrook to win 3-2 and take a 3-1 lead in the series.

My picks for 3 stars:

★★★ Pekka Rinne, G, NSH (45 SV, 3 GA)

★★ Brent Seabrook, D, CHI (1 G (GWG))

★ Scott Darling, G, CHI (50 SV, 2 GA)

Twitter: @KSchroeder2325

E-mail: schroeder.giig@gmail.com

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