By Jon Fromi
The Chicago Blackhawks had a chance to close out their Western Conference quarterfinal in Nashville Thursday night. Thanks to a hat trick by Filip Forsberg and a trio of Predator goals early in the third period, that didn’t happen.
Nashville broke open a tight affair and cruised to a 5-2 victory over Chicago. The Hawks still own a 3-2 series advantage but the Preds showed they have the resolve to extend the series to at least six games.
First Period-Patrick Sharp was the recipient of an ill-advised hit by Ryan Ellis, who was sent to the box for tripping 3:06 into the game. The Hawks had a few chances early in the power play, but Nashville wound up with possession for most of the second minute of the penalty.
The action was back and forth until Scott Darling turned away a wide open Paul Gaustad and Ellis on the same shift in the tenth minute. Andrew Shaw came up with a turnover in the Predators zone but Pekka Rinne got enough of the shot to send it off the mark.
Chicago got on the scoreboard first via Brad Richard’s first goal of the postseason. Brent Seabrook got the play started with a pass out of his zone to Bryan Bickell. Bickell hit Richards coming into the Nashville zone along the left half boards and the veteran center slipped a shot through Rinne’s defenses at the 13:27 mark.
The Predators evened it up quickly after winning an offensive zone faceoff a little over a minute later. Forsberg took a whack at an on-edge puck, sending it past Darling 14:42 into the opening frame.
A potential 3-on-1 for Nashville was halted when James Neal was whistled for holding Seabrook with 1:29 left in the first. Marian Hossa, Duncan Keith and Sharp all got pucks to the net but none got past Rinne. Going into the locker room, both teams had a goal and the Blackhawks still had 31 seconds of the man advantage.
Second Period-Rinne had to make a point-blank save of an Andrew Shaw shot as the Chicago power play expired. He also knocked away a Richards attempt in the opening minute of the second period. Down at the other end, Darling absorbed a hard slap shot off the stick of Ellis in the third minute. He also handled a long shot from Mike Ribeiro a minute later without giving up a rebound.
Hossa forced a turnover at the Nashville end and Antoine Vermette had the puck in the slot. Unfortunately, neither Vermette nor Brandon Saad was able to get the biscuit in a position to fire on net. The action continued to flow up and down the ice.
Nine minutes into the period, Darling kept the puck out of the net during a scramble in front of the net. Seabrook was called for a slash of Matt Cullen and the Predators went on their first power play. Darling snuffed an attempt by Craig Smith and Johnny Oduya came up with a big block of a Roman Josi shot as Chicago killed the infraction.
The action picked up in the 13th minute. Colin Wilson whiffed on an open net off a Ribeiro setup; Bickell had the puck on an odd-man rush but fired high of the net.
The only thing that could slow the pace of the contest was a section of the glass came loose and had to be repaired. After 40 minutes, the score stood at 1-1.
Third Period-The Predators took the lead 47 seconds in when Neal tucked in a wraparound attempt inside the right post, off Keith’s skate, and into the net. Two and a half minutes into the final period, Michal Rozsival was tagged for interference behind the Chicago net. Nashville made it hurt right away. Ribeiro passed to Wilson, who stickhandled into position and fired past Darling at the 3:02 mark.
Seconds later, the Blackhawks left Forsberg open in the slot. Mike Fisher got him the puck and Darling could only watch as the puck slammed into the net. In the blink of an eye, a close game had been blown open by Nashville, who now led 4-1.
The action was tilted to the Hawks zone for the next few minutes. When the Hawks finally got back to attacking, Shaw was called for goalie interference on a drive across Rinne’s crease 6:37 into the third period. Nashville didn’t convert this time, but the damage had already been done.
Kris Versteeg scored at the 14:52 mark to close the gap to a pair and Darling was brought to the bench in the closing minutes. Forsberg added an empty netter to give the rookie a playoff hat trick and keep his team alive in the series.
Three Stars-Rinne (third), Neal (second), Forsberg (first).
Thoughts
-There is much to contemplate following Game 5. Who starts in goal in Chicago Saturday night? Does coach Joel Quenneville make any lineup changes? Is Shea Weber going to join Fisher in returning to the Predators lineup? Can Chicago hold serve and end the series? Ponder away if you want; for now I’m going to bed.
Lines
Saad-Toews-Hossa
Bickell-Richards-Kane
Sharp-Vermette-Versteeg
Desjardins-Kruger-Shaw
Keith-Rozsival
Oduya-Hjalmarsson
Timonen-Seabrook
Darling
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Jon Fromi
