That time it was the St. Louis Blues doing the sweeping, and that series is most remembered for Blackhawks goalie Ed Belfour losing his marbles over a goal against. He was the story of Game 1, stopping 51 of 52 shots in the Blues' 2-1 overtime victory at Xcel Energy Center, and he never faltered after that, delivering key saves at key times to keep the Blues in the lead for the majority of the series.
The Blackhawks were the top seed in the Western Conference after winning the Central Division with 50 wins and 109 points, but that fantastic regular season was tarnished by the No. 8-seeded Predators, who for the vast majority of the series made it look like the seedings should have been the other way around.
St. Louis at Minnesota, 2 p.m.
One of the things that the Blackhawks have done consistently under the tenure of Joel Quenneville is make adjustments as series have worn on. With an experienced core of players signed for the foreseeable future and promising talent on the rise, the team has the potential to defend their status as one of the most competitive and elite National Hockey League teams for years to come.
Considered a dynasty - after capturing three Stanley Cups in the past six seasons - the Hawks' core isn't what it was when they won the Cup in 2010, but that was seven years ago, and whether we want to admit it or not, some of those players aren't getting any younger.
Nashville Predators coach Peter Laviolette talks to his players during the third period in Game 4 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, April 20, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. Patrick Kane said it was "the worst feeling we've had after any season". "Getting off and on those flights all the time and bodies being sore and guys being beat up, it was hard". The Predators returned to the ice Sunday morning for a high-tempo practice.
William Karlsson and Boone Jenner scored for the Blue Jackets, but Sergei Bobrovsky stopped just 27 of 32 shots to finish a forgettable series. The Blackhawks fell in their last four games of the regular season and started to look like they were maybe a little less put-together than it had previously seemed.
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The Chicago Blackhawks entered the postseason as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, and they have been eliminated after just four games. "They are much like us".
Or maybe the Blackhawks cooled off at just the right time for Nashville. He also drew the eye of opponents which opened up space for linemates like Richard Panik, who's scored a career-best 22 goals already this season. Only that final meeting, on April 2, came after the Blues fired coach Ken Hitchcock and replaced him with Mike Yeo, and the team awoke to go 26-9-2 the rest of the way. Rinne allowed just three goals - two on the power play and one at even strength - in four games played against Chicago in the first round. Chicago still has Panarin for at least the next two seasons.
Those adjustments have been hard to see in the Nashville series, but there are still areas that they can potentially clean up in order to be successful. "We have a long summer to get ready and be ready and prepared better for next year".
Nashville forward Colin Wilson, who missed the entire first round because of a lower-body injury, was a full participant in Sunday's practice.
"With Toewser, I think at the end of the day it's mind over matter", Tootoo said.
On how the Blackhawks can get back to be a puck-possession team: "It's probably a question for Joel more than me".
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