For the second year in a row, the Blackhawks return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Last year on TMS, as Arcturus, I brought you recaps via the Gist on Ice. Now as Goreo, I present to you Exile on Madison, which is essentially the same thing, only with a snazzy new name.


The Cubs were in attendance for Game 1 vs. the Nashville Predators, which might explain why the Hawks lost the game late. The first period was scoreless as both Finnish goalies-Pekka Rinne for the Predators and rookie Antti Niemi for the home side-were solid. Patrick Kane managed to poke one past Rinne in the second period, much to the delight of the towel-waving Carlos Zambrano. The wheels fell off in the third as J.P. Dumont scored twice, the first coming on a slow bouncer that fooled Niemi and the second in the midst of a mad scramble around the Hawks' goal. The Preds would add two empty-netters in the final few minutes as the Hawks pulled Niemi in a bid to even the score. The final score would be Nashville 4, Chicago 1.


The White Sox showed up to watch Game 2, which started exactly the same way as the first, with neither side gaining an advantage in the first period. In the second, Patrick Kane struck again, putting the puck on Johnny Toews's stick, who then passed to Davey Bolland, who lifted it above the sprawling Pekka Rinne to give the Hawks the lead. Kane would add a goal of his own early in the third period, which was all the Blackhawks needed as Antti Niemi delivered the whitewash, stopping 23 shots on goal. Final score Nashville 0, Chicago 2.

The series continues on Tuesday, April 20th, as the Blackhawks head down to Nashville.