On a night when the Blackhawks were yet again in “must-win” mode against the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago answered the bell behind Malcolm Subban’s 29-save shutout effort, coming away winners, 4-0 over Detroit in the final meeting of the season.
The Blackhawks finished the season series with a 6-2-0 record over their long-time rival Red Wings. Along with the regulation win for Chicago, the Nashville Predators lost to the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 tonight. Entering the three-game series coming up between Nashville and Chicago, the Blackhawks have to overcome just a two-point gap to get back into a Stanley Cup Playoff position in the Central Division.
Despite the uncharacteristic amount of penalties and time on the penalty-kill for the Blackhawks tonight, they were able to handle their business while on the kill and were six-for-six while down a man. The Blackhawks used each successful kill to build momentum and capitalize on chances following the penalty-kills.
Two guys who were active and fed off those bits of momentum tonight were Patrick Kane and Vinnie Hinostroza. Multi-point efforts from each of them tonight, two assists from Hinostroza and a goal and an assist to Kane, they powered the Blackhawks counter-attack on the night.
Vinnie ➡️ Geno #CHIvsDET @NBCSChicago Plus 📲 https://t.co/xqft6TZlqM pic.twitter.com/UukvaXAg6q
— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) April 17, 2021
Both were involved in the highlight-reel worthy goals from the Blackhawks tonight, with Wyatt Kalynuk burying the 3-0 goal, his third of this season. Hinostroza also assisted on the 4-0 empty-net goal as well.
Original Six barn burner on @NBCSChicago 🔥 🔥 https://t.co/xqft6TZlqM pic.twitter.com/qHg5xmdTp7
— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) April 18, 2021
Hinostroza is playing like a man who does not want to play anywhere but Chicago next season. Acquired from the Florida Panthers for Brad Morrison, a player who was an AHL/ECHL tweener, Hinostroza has five assists in six games with the Blackhawks after having no points in nine games in Florida.
Malcolm Subban was a brick wall in net tonight, stopping 29 shots and earning his fifth win of the season. It was his first game action in nearly three weeks, but you wouldn’t have known it from Subban’s aggressiveness and sharpness in between the pipes. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Subban.
After getting the much-needed two points tonight, the Blackhawks approach their biggest series of the season now with three games coming up against the Nashville Predators. This is the make or break series for Chicago’s playoff hopes. The first game is on Monday night in Nashville, followed by two games back at the United Center in Chicago.
Hold onto your butts, folks.
Find the full box score here.