When we last looked in on the Chicago Blackhawks playoffs chase, they were eight points out of the last wild card spot and fading into another playoff free summer. They had several teams ahead of them and were facing a tough schedule the last week of February.
Chicago Blackhawks Playoffs Chase
In our last look, we stated that the Blackhawks would need 16-18 wins out of the remaining 22 games on the schedule. While the dramatic turnaround wasn’t impossible, it was definitely a long shot for a team that had gone 2-6-2 in its last 10 games.
February’s remaining schedule also featured four road games against teams that were in the playoffs and a home game against another team also in the Wild Card hunt. The five teams they faced had a combined record of 167-96-34. Impressively, the Blackhawks lost only twice to end February on a high note.
The Blackhawks ending the week 3-2 helped keep them in the Wild Card mix. This mini-resurgence would bring hope to the disappointed Blackhawks faithful who watched their team trade away Robin Lehner and Erik Gustafsson on February 24th. While the Gustafsson trade was a good move, Leher’s departure was met with a social media meltdown. We will cover the trades and their impact on the team and its fans in a later piece.
February Results
- 2/21 Home – Nashville Predators – Win 2-1 (OT)
- 2/23 Away – Dallas Stars – Loss 2-1
- 2/25 Away – St. Louis Blues – Loss 6-5
- 2/27 Away – Tampa Bay Lightning – Win 5-2
- 2/29 Away – Florida Panthers – Win 3-2 (SO)
March Begins
The Blackhawks playoffs chase then went into March facing 11 games at home out of 15 on the schedule. Only five out of the 14 teams were currently “in the playoffs” which gave hope to the playoff hungry squad.
Blackhawks Playoffs Chase Gets Life
The Blackhawks started March off in style by winning their first two games. The surprising four-game winning streak would breathe life into a distraught fan base and brought them within six points of the final Wild Card spot. The team itself seemed more confident and was playing with a lot more passion. They were still giving up a ton of shots against but their offence was clicking. Corey Crawford was once again the main man in net and was playing outstanding despite the nightly barrage of shots.
March Disaster
Then came last Friday night. In what can only be described as the “Disaster In Detroit” the Blackhawks playoffs chase suffered a telling blow. They lost 2-1 to the Red Wings who are the absolute worst team in the NHL. The team with only 15 wins on the season would stifle and frustrate the Blackhawks’ potent offence for win number 16. The same team that has given up the most goals a game on average (3.7) would only give up one goal. The team that is dead last in goals scored this season (136) would get two goals past Crawford who again played outstanding in net.
To call the result a disaster is an understatement. The Blackhawks who need every point available to get into the playoffs lost a game they had to win. The two points could have put them within four points of the final Wild Card spot. Instead, they fell prey to what is known as a “trap game” in the NHL.
The Blackhawks have a huge marquee nationally televised matchup against the Blues on Sunday. In honour of International Women’s Day on March 8th, the game will be produced and called by an all-female crew. The game has been hyped tremendously by the team, the NHL, and NBC Sports.
Were the Blackhawks thinking too far ahead and not focusing on the Wings? It appears that way but only the team leaders and coach can answer that question.
March Results
- 3/3 Home – Anaheim Ducks – Win 6-2
- 3/5 Home – Edmonton Oilers – Win 4-3
- 3/6 Away – Detroit Red Wings – Loss 2-1
Blackhawks Playoffs Chase Continues
Here is the remaining schedule for the Blackhawks. We have listed the games with the date, home or away, their opponent’s current record, as well as capitalizing the teams currently in the playoffs.
There are 12 games to go in March against 11 teams with nine of the games at home. Also, only four of these teams are currently in the playoffs. To say the table is set for the Blackhawks would be true but also very bold based on their recent loss in Detroit.
Two games to definitely circle on the calendar are March 17th and 19th against the Wild. The Wild are currently one point away from a Wild Card spot and five points ahead of the Blackhawks. Back-to-back wins against the Wild will go a long way as the team chases a playoff spot. March 22nd against the Predators also has a chance to be another huge game as the Blackhawks will have to pass them in the standings too.
- 3/8 Home – St. Louis Blues – 40-18-10
- 3/11 Home – San Jose Sharks – 29-34-4
- 3/13 Home – Ottawa Senators – 24-32-12
- 3/14 Away – Washington Capitals – 40-20-7
- 3/17 Away – Minnesota Wild– 34-26-7
- 3/19 Home – Minnesota Wild – 34-26-7
- 3/21 Away – Buffalo Sabres – 29-30-8
- 3/22 Home – Nashville Predators – 33-26-8
- 3/25 Home – Pittsburgh Penguins – 39-21-6
- 3/27 Home – Dallas Stars – 37-22-8
- 3/29 Home – Los Angeles Kings – 26-35-6
- 3/31 Home – Montreal Canadiens – 31-29-9
April Games
- 4/2 Away – New York Islanders– 35-23-8
- 4/4 Away – New York Rangers – 36-27-4
Playoffs Or No?
The Blackhawks playoffs chase will come down to their home games. With a record of 31-29-8, they have 70 points this season. They are going to need 22-23 of the available 28 points to get close to securing a Wild Card spot. That means winning at least eight of their nine home games left. They then will have to win three of the five remaining road games to get near 92 points.
Their hopes may come down to the last two games in April in New York. That two-game road trip has the potential to have huge playoff implications. Interestingly, the two New York teams are currently battling against each other for a Wild Card playoff spot. Two points separate them currently as they chase Columbus and try to stay ahead of the Panthers and Hurricanes. It would be wise for the Blackhawks to not wait until this last road trip to get the 92-93 points they need as neither New York team will be easy to beat at home.
It is time for the Blackhawks core to step up and lead their team to victory. They cannot have any further disasters like in Detroit. A great start would be by beating the Blues on Sunday. A victory against a bitter division rival will help them get back on course and put the Detroit loss far behind them. They have shown they can beat anybody in the league. It is time to play like they can from here on out. It has to be one game at a time, one victory at a time with no room for errors.
