Blackhawks at Predators
The Chicago Blackhawks stumbled to the finish line during the regular season but will head into the playoffs on an upbeat note after learning that All-Star forward Patrick Kane will return to the lineup for Wednesday's playoff opener at the Nashville Predators. Chicago scored only five goals during a season-ending four-game skid to finish in third place in the Central Division - two points behind the Predators, who enter the postseason riding a six-game losing streak.
Kane was tied for the league lead in scoring and was among the front-runners for MVP honors when he suffered a broken collarbone on Feb. 24 - an injury that was expected to sideline him for 12 weeks. "He was having an MVP-type of season," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "Getting him back just makes you have so many more options. His versatility in all areas certainly enhances our team." Nashville owned the league's best record for much of the season and was running away with the Central until dropping 15 of its last 21, a stretch that featured a pair of six-game slides. The Predators have lost nine of 11 (2-6-3) at home in that span, including four in a row.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports, TVA, CSN Chicago
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (48-28-6): Kane had 27 goals and 64 points in 61 games prior to his injury and his absence had a noticeable effect on Chicago's offense, which was limited to one goal or fewer nine times over the final 21 games. Captain Jonathan Toews, who has led the Blackhawks to a pair of Stanley Cup titles over the previous five seasons, notched team highs of 28 goals and 66 points and paces a balanced attack that features eight players with at least 10 tallies. Goaltender Corey Crawford, who shared the Jennings Trophy with Montreal's Carey Price after each team allowed a league-low 189 goals, finished 32-20-5 with a 2.27 goals-against average.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (47-25-10): Goaltender Pekka Rinne and Nashville's defense have faltered since late February, with the team surrendering 24 goals in the final six games while allowing at least three tallies in 15 of its final 21 contests. Rookie Filip Forsberg scored five times in his last nine games to finish with 26 goals and is joined by 20-goal scorers James Neal, Craig Smith (23 each) and Colin Wilson (20) for a team that could feature as many as nine players making their playoff debuts. Captain Shea Weber anchors a defensive corps that also is potent at the other end of the ice, leading the league with 55 goals and finishing second with 193 points.
OVERTIME
1. Chicago, which won three of four versus Nashville this season, knocked off the Predators en route to seizing the Stanley Cup in 2010.
2. Despite the late-season swoon, the Predators still led the Western Conference with 28 home victories.
3. Kane has averaged nearly a point per game in the postseason with 37 goals and 54 assists in 93 games.
SERIES PREDICTION: Blackhawks 4, Predators 2