Preview : Ain’t No Party Like A Game 7 Party

Date	Score	W. Goal
May 29 ’13
May 27 ’13	CHI 4 at DET 3	M. Frolik
May 25 ’13	DET 1 at CHI 4	A. Shaw
May 23 ’13	CHI 0 at DET 2	J. Kindl
May 20 ’13	CHI 1 at DET 3	D. Miller
May 18 ’13	DET 4 at CHI 1	B. Smith
May 15 ’13	DET 1 at CHI 4	J. Oduya

Chicago Blackhawks Tickets

You’ve heard all the tiresome cliches and all the “mind blowing” analysis so I will spare you from any of that. The Blackhawks have forced a Game 7 because their Top 6 have out performed the Wings’ Top 6 and they have pressured the Detroit defense into mistakes the last two games. If this happens again tonight, it will be on the next round where the defending Stanley Cup Champions await. I am usually a quivering ball of nerves by this time on a game day like today, but that isn’t the case. at least not yet. I have more of a cautious confidence heading into Game 7, and why not? The Hawks are coming off a 3rd period comeback, in their building, to play the final game of this series in front of a crazy United Center crowd. Yes, the Wings won Game 7 in the first round in Anaheim, but these aren’t the Ducks they are facing tonight. Mike Babcock used the typical coach speak whem he hit us with the BS about if you told him, at the beginning of the series, that they would be playing in a Game 7 he would have been happy. That might be true to some extent, but I am sure this is not the way he wanted to get to a Game 7. Especially 20 minutes away from closing out the series at home and coming up short. Tonight we will either see the completion of an upset or a major collapse.

So as we get either nervous or excited for tonight’s showdown, here are some numbers to chew on, not that they will have any baring on tonight’s game.

Blackhawks all time Game 7 record : 4-6, 3-3 at home, 1-3 on the road

Red Wings all time Game 7 record : 14-9, 11-5 at home, 3-4 on the road

All time head to head Game 7 record : 1-1, road team won both games

Joel Quenneville’s all time Game 7 record : 1-3, 0-1 at home, 1-2 on the road

Mike Babcock’s all time Game 7 record : 3-2, 1-1 at home, 2-1 on the road

Corey Crawford’s record in games where his team can be eliminated : 6-2, 3-0 at home, 3-2 on the road

Jimmy Howard’s record in games where his team can be eliminated : 7-5, 4-1 at home, 3-4 on the road

All I ask is that no matter what happens tonight, win or lose, please remain classy fellow Blackhawks fans. Represent our team well in victory or defeat.

Probable Blackhawks Lineup:

Fowards

Patrick Sharp – Jonathan Toews – Patrick Kane

Bryan Bickell –Michal Handzus – Marian Hossa

Brandon Saad – Andrew Shaw – Viktor Stalberg

Marcus Kruger – Dave Bolland – Michael Frolik

Defensive Pairings

Duncan Keith – Brent Seabrook
Michal Rozsival – Nick Leddy
Johnny Oduya –Niklas Hjalmarsson

Goaltender

Corey Crawford 7-4, 1.78 GAA, .935 save %, 1 S)

Leading Scorers