WGN Sports: April 2010 Archives

* Marian Hossa scored his first goal of the 2010 postseason in overtime last game, giving the Blackhawks their second straight win and a 3-2 advantage in the series. Hossa now has 32 career playoff goals - fourth-most of any active skater since the 2001 postseason.

* Nashville failed to score a power-play goal for the sixth straight game (dating to the regular season) and is now just 1-for-53 with the man-advantage in its last 16 games overall (0-for-21 in the playoffs).
* Including 10 straight series victories, Chicago is 14-3 all-time when holding a 3-2 lead in a best-of-7. The last time Chicago lost a series when holding a 3-2 advantage was in the 1971 Stanley Cup Final vs. Montreal.
* Nashville has been down 3-2 in a best-of-7 twice all-time and dropped Game 6 both times (vs. Detroit in 2004 and 2008). With a win tonight, the Preds will make their first ever appearance in a Game 7 (on Wednesday, if necessary).
* Martin Erat scored twice in the third period on Saturday and now has four goals in this series - tied with J.P. Dumont (2007) for most of any Predator player in any postseason in Nashville's franchise history.
* Patrick Kane netted a shorthanded goal and had one assist Saturday, giving him six points (3g, 3a) in the first five games of this matchup - most on the team. Dating to the regular season, Kane has scored at least one point in nine of his last 10 skates overall.

* With its 4-1 victory in Game 3, Nashville is now leading a postseason series, 2-1, for the first time in franchise history. The Preds are looking to win three games in any playoff series for the first time in club history tonight.

* Including a 1-1 record last season, the Blackhawks are 8-16 all-time when trailing 2-1 in a best-of-7 series. That said, Chicago is 17-7 all-time in Game 4s when trailing 2-1 in a best-of-7 matchup.
* Nashville has outscored Chicago by a combined 8-4 in the first three games of this series despite going 0-for-12 on the power play. Dating to March 20, the Preds are just 1-for-44 (2.3%) with the man-advantage in their last 14 games overall.
* Patrick Kane has two of Chicago's four tallies in this series, while Patrick Sharp (25 regular-season goals), Marian Hossa (25 regular-season goals) and Jonathan Toews (24 regular-season goals) have yet to light the lamp vs. the Predators in their first three skates.
* David Legwand leads the Preds with five points (1g, 4a) in this series and now has 11 career postseason points overall - tied with J.P. Dumont for most in franchise history.
* The Blackhawks are averaging 12.7 takeaways per game in this matchup - most of any team in the 2010 playoffs. The Predators are averaging just 5.7 takeaways in the first three games vs. Chicago - second-lowest of all postseason participants.

* The Blackhawks beat the Predators, 2-0, on Sunday - their first postseason shutout since Ed Belfour blanked the Flames, 3-0, on April 19, 1996. Dating to the 2008-09 regular season, Chicago has won three of its last four games in Nashville.
* If they lose tonight, the Predators will be down 2-1 to the Blackhawks. Nashville has dropped two of the first three games in a best-of-7 four times and has never come back to win the series.
* Patrick Kane lit the lamp in the third period to seal the game for Chicago Sunday. Including one tally in each of his last three playoff games, Kane now has 11 career postseason goals (third-most among all Western Conference skaters since last year's playoffs).
* Still looking for his first postseason point, Jason Arnott had 19 regular-season goals in 2009-10 - the last 10 times that he's lit the lamp have been at home.
* Antti Niemi (1.01 GAA and .957 save pct.) and Pekka Rinne (1.53 GAA and .949 save pct.) are currently No. 1 and 2 in both goals against average and save percentage during the 2010 playoffs. 
* Nashville is averaging just 4.0 giveaways in its first two games of this matchup - tied with Phoenix for the fewest among all 2010 playoff teams.

* In the last meeting between these clubs on February 9, Chicago posted a 4-3 shootout victory at United Center. They had lost their first two against the Stars this season, however, each game was decided by just one goal.

* The Blackhawks have won each of their last three games and will be seeking their franchise-record 50^th win of the season.

* The Stars lost to St. Louis 2-1 on Saturday after scoring a total of 11 goals in their previous two contests (both wins). Dallas has earned points in six of its last nine games (5-3-1).

* Chicago's points leader, Patrick Kane, has been held without a point in each of his last three road games. Kane has recorded two goals in each of his last two games against Dallas.

* Brad Richards has three goals and five assists during his current five-game point streak. Richards has two points in each of his last two games against the Blackhawks.