Things may be starting to look up again in Chicago, and I'm starting to get cautiously optimistic at this point. The Blackhawks picked up a win over St. Louis on Wednesday by a score of 6-1 (and the SCH Hawks Player Of The Game award goes to Patrick Kane) and then got a shoot-out win in Colorado last night, 2-1 over the Avalanche (And I'd give Kane the award in this one too). Patrick Kane had the lone goal in regulation for the Blackhawks, while he also scored in the shootout, and Robert Lang had the game winner in the SO. Patrick Lalime played great again, making 22 saves and earning another start for tonight's game in Phoenix. The Hawks now sit just six points behind the Avalanche for the 8th and final playoff spot in the West.

There's also been plenty of other news for the Blackhawks in the past few days:

• Jason Williams underwent hernia surgery this week and is going to be out for six weeks. I think it's good that he had this surgery done because it was clear his groin problems were not going to go away unless he did. Now he can just focus on trying to get back in the lineup sometime in March, hopefully.
• Patrick Kane was chosen to play in the NHL YoungStars game during the All Star weekend. Congrats for him, it won't be the last time he's involved in the all star festivities in his career.
• Patrick Sharp re-signed with the Blackhawks with a 4 year deal. I'm very happy to see Sharpie will be sticking around for a while, he's having a breakout season and is starting to hit his prime, and I think he will be a guy the Hawks can rely on for 25 goals or so every year.
• The Hawks acquired Craig Adams from the Carolina Hurricanes for future considerations, and I really do not know why. I don't see what purpose Adams fills because he's simply a 4th line winger, and the Hawks certainly don't have a need for that right now.