The Chicago Blackhawks will have an opportunity to defend their Stanley Cup title after squeezing into the final spot of the playoffs.
After losing 4-3 against the Detroit Red Wings early on Sunday, the fate of the Blackhawks laid in the hands of the Dallas Stars. A win for the Stars would have ended the Blackhawks’ season. Instead, the Stars choked against the Minnesota Wild, sending the Blackhawks into the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference playoffs.
Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said that his team’s current status is the result of a sluggish performance early in the season.
Tomorrow, the eighth-seeded Blackhawks will play the first of seven games against the conference’s top-ranked Vancouver Canucks.
Pat on the back…