Hawks 3, Wings 2, OT.
End-to-end action for most of the last two periods.
A textbook Hawks/Wings track meet. Master vs. Pupil, with the latter now seeming to have gained the psychological advantage.
A game fittingly ended in OT with a rifle shot over Joey MacDonald's glove shoulder by an ex-Wing, Marian Hossa.
And, quite possibly, a preview of one of the first round matchups in the Western Conference.
Would the Wings prefer to face the Hawks—a younger and perhaps healthier mirror image of themselves— or Anaheim, a team that is just plain scary right now, and gave the Wings all they could handle in the playoffs two years ago?
The Hawks and Ducks, of course, probably don't care. Both teams are scrambling just to get a ticket to the dance, though both helped their causes significantly with big wins last night.
And the Hawks showed last night, after a weak-kneed performance against the Ducks in their last outing, why they could be a very tough opponent in the playoffs—if they make it.
The Hawks are simply not going to check anyone out of the building. But they can also outskate just about any team in the NHL. What really impressed me last night was the way the Hawks used their speed and kept their feet moving in the third period, drawing penalty after penalty.
Patrick Kane was terrific. Duncan Keith had an outstanding game (after a miserable turn against Anaheim). Troy Brouwer, as expected, picked up right where he left off with Kane and Jonathan Toews, creating space, establishing net presence and assisting on a Toews' goal.
Hossa, as he has been for the last 15 games or so, was arguably the best player (among a number of future Hall of Famers) on the ice.
Tomas Kopecky and Nik Hjalmarsson, though neither gets much glory, continue to be the heart and soul soldiers who sacrifice their bodies night after night for the cause.
And Viktor Stalberg, of all people, has become a weapon. His speed is now causing huge problems for opposing defenders, especially late in games.
It's not time to fire up the old bandwagon. In fact, each game until the Hawks clinch a playoff spot (or get eliminated) is more important than the last. There will be no bandwagon. And, guess what, it doesn't get any easier tonight when the Hawks have to crank it up again against the Bruins in Boston.
After that, the Hawks conclude the 3-game roadie on Friday in Columbus. 4 points out of these two games would be very good. 3 points are nearly vital.
See you all tomorrow. Thanks for reading,
JJ
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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