For the fifth time in seven years, the Chicago Blackhawks will play in the Western Conference Final. For the third time in as many years, the Hawks ended the Minnesota Wild season and this time with a 4-3 victory in Game 4 to complete a sweep Thursday at Xcel Energy Center.
Eight down, eight to go for the Hawks.
Here’s the latest news:
Hawks
**Hawks sweep Wild, advance to conference final (SCH)
**Michal Rozsival leaves Game 4 with lower-body injury (SCH)
**You’ve got to see Niklas Hjalmarsson’s celebration (SCH)
**Five things from Hawks-Wild (CSN Chicago)
**Hawks drawing strength from dominance at the dot (Sun-Times)
**Wild’s flaws get exposed by skilled Hawks (Star Tribune)
Central Division
**Predators GM Poile doesn’t want to see free agent Mike Fisher to leave (The Tennessean)
**Blues boast plenty of talent for 2015 Prospect Awards (Hockeys Future)
NHL
**Canadiens avoid sweep with win against Lightning (NHL)
*Lance Bouma to return to Flames‘ lineup? (Matchsticks and Gasoline)
**Hansens’ group gets ‘green light’ to build Seattle arena (Pro Hockey Talk)
**Flyers interest in Russian defenseman Nikita Zaitsev is no-brainer (Broad Street Hockey)
**Final Nassau Coliseum clean items up for auction (Lighthouse Hockey)
**Dion Phaneuf to Red Wings chatter begins (Fox Sports)
Hockey world
**Belarus upsets United States at Worlds (NHL)
**(Too) frequently asked questions about sexism, NHL (Pension Plan Puppets)
**Mario Lucia returning to Notre Dame for senior season (SBN College Hockey)
**Preds’ Ekholm bloodied after nasty hit at Worlds (Pro Hockey Talk)
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