Predators at Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks cruised to the top seed in the Western Conference, clinching early enough to withstand a season-ending four-game skid. Whether that contributed to their slow start in the playoff opener remains to be seen when the Blackhawks host the Nashville Predators on Saturday night in Game 2 of their first-round series.
The eighth-seeded Predators rode the stellar goaltending of Pekka Rinne to steal home-ice advantage with a 1-0 victory Thursday night, but there was no sense of panic in Chicago's locker room. “We knew it was going to be a long series. They’re a good team," Blackhawks leading scorer Patrick Kane said. "I’m sure the building will be rocking Saturday night. It will be fun.” Chicago is only 3-6 in playoff openers since Joel Quenneville took over behind the bench, a span in which it has three Stanley Cups, but the Predators have a chance to take a commanding edge over an opponent that eliminated them in six games in a first-round series two years ago. While Nashville registered its first postseason shutout in postseason history, the team is well aware of the task ahead, with Rinne acknowledging: "Now the series is on."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC, Sportsnet, TVAS2
ABOUT THE PREDATORS: The 29-save performance of Rinne was huge for obvious reasons, especially given the fact that Chicago piled up 18 goals in winning the last four matchups his season. "If you are going to make a deep playoff run, everyone is going to have to be great," Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis said. "But your goalie is going to have to be your best player because there are going to be times where he is going to have to be the difference maker and tonight he was phenomenal." Nashville's top line delivered the lone goal, with Viktor Arvidsson converting on a pass from Filip Forsberg.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: With Chicago going nearly 14 minutes without a shot on goal in the first period of Game 1, rookie Nick Schmaltz found himself on the bench for a brief time -- a move that could translate into Game 2. Fellow rookies Ryan Hartman and John Hayden both took turns on the line with captain Jonathan Toews and Richard Panik during Friday's practice while Schmaltz was moved to Marcus Kruger's line, which was missing Marian Hossa (rest). "I don’t know if I was nervous or what I was, but I just felt like I was just getting rid of the puck when I had it," Schmaltz said after practice.
OVERTIME
1. Arvidsson had scored four goals in his last four games versus Chicago.
2. Kane has not been held off the scoresheet in back-to-back games since Jan 29-31.
3. Nashville has killed off 12 straight penalties this month while Chicago is 2-for-27 on the power play in the last nine games.