Morning Box Score: Blackhawks Clinch Playoff Spot
By Tim Bearden in News on Apr 1, 2012 2:00PM
The Blackhawks are in the playoffs for the fourth straight season following their win Saturday against the Nashville Predators. Saturday was the first game this season the Hawks have been able to beat Nashville, who won the series this season 4-1-1. Patrick Sharp and Dave Bolland scored two powerplay goals, something the team struggled with this season, to put the Hawks in the advantage early and were up 4-0 until midway through the second period. Nashville fought back to tie the game at 4-4 in the third until Brent Seabrook scored his ninth goal on the season giving the Blackhawks the final one goal edge. Patrick Kane and Viktor Stalberg also had goals against the Predators.
It seems fitting the Hawks beat the Predators for a playoff position, seeing as how the Hawks' loss to them on January 24 started a skid that put them in jeopardy of missing the postseason all together, had it not been for the point advantage the Hawks held early in the season. The Hawks are now battling both Detroit and Nashville for home-ice advantage in the final three games leading into the playoffs.