It's a 10-game, 19-day sprint to the end of the regular season for the Blackhawks, and their potential playoff pairing remains up for grabs. As they chase St. Louis and fend off Colorado, here's what to expect from the final five-plus-five.
TUESDAY
After a terrible effort against lowly Nashville, expect an angry team to destroy Dallas. Finnish phenom Teuvo Teravainen should make his NHL debut, and your buddy with far too much spending cash will have TT's No. 86 jersey before the weekend comes. CHI 5, DAL 1.
THURSDAY
Returning to Boston for the first time since they lifted the Cup last summer, the Hawks will run into a buzzsaw of a Bruins team. Crawford sits and Antti Raanta gives up four. Everyone panics. BOS 4, CHI 2.
FRIDAY
Ottawa's going to miss the playoffs in the Eastern Conference, so the Senators are a special kind of bad. Marian Hossa spent seven years here; he'll score a "but." (That's French for "goal.") CHI 3, OTT 1.
SUNDAY
Pittsburgh is an elite team in the East, but the Hawks will wear their Stadium Series jerseys to remind the Penguins of their 5-1 drubbing at Soldier Field. History repeats, because that's science. CHI 5, PIT 1.
APRIL 3
Returning home for a tilt with Minnesota, the Hawks are bummed when they see the snow still hasn't melted and it's friggin' April. MIN 3, CHI 2 (SO).
APRIL 4
The Blackhawks have beaten Columbus 12 straight times, last losing to the Blue Jackets on Feb. 18, 2011. Maybe next year is your year, Columbus. CHI 4, CBJ 1.
APRIL 6
Chicago will enter three points behind division-leading St. Louis. Corey Crawford will have his best game of the season, outdueling Ryan Miller. Blues captain David Backes will cheap-shot Teuvo. CHI 2, STL 1.
APRIL 9
The classic letdown game, the Blackhawks come out flat in the regular-season home finale. Somehow, David Backes lays a cheap shot on Teuvo as the Blues travel from St. Louis to Minneapolis. Montreal scores more buts. MON 4, CHI 3.
APRIL 11
With the division out of reach but first-round home ice secured, multiple Hawks rest and playoff-bubble Washington steals two huge points. That's important for star Alex Ovechkin, who needs them to extend his personal streak to seven embarrassing early exits in the Stanley Cup playoffs. WAS 3, CHI 1.
APRIL 12
Stupid Nashville. The game will mean nothing to the Hawks, so expect nothing more than a bunch of Rockford Icehogs fighting. But hey, the playoffs start next week! NSH 5, CHI 2.
Final 10 games record: (5-4-1), 108 points, 2nd place in the Central.
RedEye special contributor Alex Quigley can be heard from 1-3 p.m. weekdays on 87.7 FM The Game.
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