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On this date in Blackhawks history: Chicago rallies past Predators to advance to 2nd round

With the NHL on pause and the World Championship tournament canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Second City Hockey will look back at Blackhawks playoff games since 2010 with an “On this date in Blackhawks history” series.

The Blackhawks had a chance to win their first-round series in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Predators in Game 5, but Filip Forsberg scored a hat trick to force a Game 6 in Chicago.

Nashville kept the momentum going early in Game 6 with James Neal scoring 1:10 into the first period and on the power play at 8:09 for a 2-0 lead.

Patrick Sharp cut the deficit to 2-1 at 10:37 with a shot on a rebound, but Matt Cullen made it a two-goal game again with a shot off the right post at 11:36.

Chicago coach Joel Quenneville then replaced Scott Darling, who allowed three goals on 12 shots, with Corey Crawford in net. The move ended up being permanent for remainder of the playoffs as Darling didn’t play again.

Sharp’s shot deflected off Jonathan Toews’ left skate on the power play to pull Chicago within 3-2 at 12:14. The Blackhawks weren’t done as Brad Richards won an offensive-zone faceoff against Paul Gaustad, Duncan Keith tapped the puck to Patrick Kane, who fired a shot from the top of the left circle past Pekka Rinne to tie it with six seconds remaining in the first period at 3-3.

After an exciting six-goal first period, Crawford and Rinne kept the game at 3-3 after the second period.

It was the Toews and Keith connection that prevailed at 16:12 of the third period for Chicago. Toews sent a backhand pass up the left wall to Keith, who walked the blue line then faked a shot before firing a wrist shot from the left point past a screen from Hossa into the net for a 4-3 win to clinch the series 4-2.

Keith and Toews each had a goal and two assists, and Kane and Sharp had a goal and an assist apiece. Crawford made 13 saves in relief.

Other games

The Blackhawks went 2-1 in playoff games on April 25 this past decade. Aside from the game above, Chicago split two games against the Blues in St. Louis. In 2014, Toews scored on a breakaway for a 3-2 overtime win in Game 5. Two years later, former Blackhawk Troy Brouwer scored at 8:31 of the third period, Brent Seabrook’s shot went off both posts with 4:05 remaining and Brian Elliott, who made 31 saves, and the Blues held off the Blackhawks for a 3-2 win in Game 7 to eliminate Chicago from the playoffs.

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