ESPN.com presents Blackhawks http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/blackhawks 60 en-us Fri, 24 May 2013 16:13:55 webmaster@espn.go.com http://assets.espn.go.com/i/espn/teamlogos/lrg/trans/espn_dotcom_black.gif 110 110 CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks don't have to look too far back to recall a time they faced an uphill battle in a playoff series like they are now. In 2011, the Blackhawks dropped their first three games to the Vancouver Canucks in a Western Conference quarterfinal series. The Blackhawks rallied to win the next three games and ultimately fell in the series when they lost 2-1 in overtime in Game 7. Now down 3-1 to the Detroit Red Wings in their Western Conference semifinal series, the Blackhawks said Friday they hope to draw from that 2011 experience to assist them this season.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/blackhawks/post/_/id/4674564/hawks-turning-to-2011-playoff-experience Fri, 24 May 2013 17:17:54 EDT 4674564 CHICAGO -- As dire as it looks for the Chicago Blackhawks, it would be foolish to count them out of their playoff series with the Detroit Red Wings even though they're behind 3-1 in the series. And it would be very foolish to count them out of Game 5 on Saturday night at the United Center. You may not think it but Thursday's Game 4 gave hope for a comeback in the series. The Hawks are slowly climbing back up the ladder after bottoming out in their Game 2 loss.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/blackhawks/post/_/id/4674561/dont-count-out-the-blackhawks-just-yet Fri, 24 May 2013 17:06:45 EDT 4674561 CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks defensemen Brent Seabrook and Nick Leddy had little to say Friday about their lack of ice time in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals the day before. Leddy, who averaged 17:25 of playing time in the regular season, played a season-low 8:32 in the 2-0 loss on Thursday. Seabrook, who averaged 22:00 in the regular season, played a season-low 12:03. Seabrook steered clear of answering most questions about his diminished playing time.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/blackhawks/post/_/id/4674550/leddy-seabrook-silent-on-decreased-minutes Fri, 24 May 2013 16:25:56 EDT 4674550 CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews plans to be optimistic until the end. That end could come Saturday, but Toews is still hoping the Blackhawks can regain their form and rally from three consecutive losses and a 3-1 series deficit to the Detroit Red Wings in their Western Conference semifinal series. "What's there to be down about?" Toews said on Friday. "We're obviously not where we want to be in the series, but dwelling on that and feeling sorry for ourselves isn't going to do anything.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/blackhawks/post/_/id/4674556/blackhawks-captain-remains-optimistic Fri, 24 May 2013 16:17:20 EDT 4674556 DETROIT -- Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith likely summed up what his entire team was feeling after they dropped a third consecutive game to the Detroit Red Wings in their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series on Thursday. "We're working," Keith said. "I don't know. It's frustrating. I don't really know what to say right now. … I don't really know. You look at it. We competed. Obviously, it's still not good enough. We're going to find a way to get more.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/blackhawks/post/_/id/4674531/pleased-with-play-hawks-frustrated-by-loss Fri, 24 May 2013 00:12:03 EDT 4674531 DETROIT -- Even when Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews isn't scoring, he often finds plenty of other ways to be a game-changer. The Detroit Red Wings kept Toews' production to a minimum throughout the first three games of their Western Conference semifinal series, but they discovered Thursday there's one definitive way to shut Toews down completely -- get him to the penalty box. "We'd like to keep him in the box," Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson said.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/blackhawks/post/_/id/4674523/toews-has-night-to-forget-in-game-4 Thu, 23 May 2013 23:28:53 EDT 4674523 DETROIT -- Here's a quick look at the Detroit Red Wings' 2-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series Thursday at Joe Louis Arena: How it happened: The Red Wings continued to thwart the Blackhawks' offense. The Blackhawks were shut out for the first time all season, and they've been held to just two goals over the past nine periods. The Red Wings scored the game-winning goal when Jakub Kindl beat Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford from the left circle on a power play at 10:01 of the second period.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/blackhawks/post/_/id/4674515/rapid-reaction-red-wings-2-blackhawks-0 Thu, 23 May 2013 21:53:29 EDT 4674515 If Wayne Gretzky were coaching Jonathan Toews, he knows what he would tell the Chicago Blackhawks captain to help him snap out of his playoff slump, which has seen him score just three assists in eight games. "In my career I went through a couple stints where we'd be in a playoff series and I had a couple coaches pull me aside and say, 'We don't need a lot of production out of you. We just need you to score that one big goal whether it's early in the game or late in the game,'" Gretzky said on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/blackhawks/post/_/id/4674511/podcast-gretzky-empathizes-with-toews Thu, 23 May 2013 15:51:34 EDT 4674511 DETROIT -- Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews walked up to teammate Patrick Kane and NBC color commentator Eddie Olczyk while they were talking in the locker room following Thursday's morning skate. Toews stepped in between the two of them and said, “No more interviews," and all three broke out into laughter. The interaction was reflective of the mood of the Blackhawks entering Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/blackhawks/post/_/id/4674502/hawks-relaxed-heading-into-key-game-4 Thu, 23 May 2013 13:35:42 EDT 4674502 DETROIT -- Here are five things to watch for between the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series on Thursday: 1. Special teams: The Blackhawks and Red Wings both believe they're due for a power-play goal. If one team can break through, it could be the difference in a tight game. The Blackhawks are 1-for-9 on the power play in the series, and the Red Wings are 0-for-12. The Blackhawks' penalty kill hasn't allowed a goal on 29 tries in the playoffs.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/blackhawks/post/_/id/4674496/five-things-to-watch-in-game-4 Thu, 23 May 2013 13:15:36 EDT 4674496