The Chicago Blackhawks are in first place, again. And with the Stanley Cup playoffs about a month away, the team is hoping to finish the season atop the Western Conference. After defeating the Atlantic Division-leading Montreal Canadiens 4–2 Tuesday night, the Hawks (44-20-5) jumped the Minnesota Wild (43-19-6) in the standings and proved to be at the top of their game as the regular season draws to a close.
Patrick Kane continued his stellar season with another big night against Montreal (39-23-8). His one goal and two assists moved him into a tie with Oilers captain Connor McDavid for NHL points leader.
With a goal and two assists against Montreal, @88PKane now leads the league with 76 points. #ThatsHockeyBaby pic.twitter.com/wQQ2D6SJdK
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 15, 2017
The game wasn't all smiles, however. Center Artem Anisimov suffered a left leg injury during Tursday's win, but Coach Joel Quenneville didn't seem to concerned about what he described as a day-to-day injury. "It's not the serious kind, so we'll see how he does over the next few days," he told reporters after the game.
With only 13 games left in the regular season, the Hawks are looking to finish the season with the best record in the West. But, it won't be easy. They still have to play the Ottawa Senators (39-22-7), Pittsburgh Penguins (43-16-9), Columbus Blue Jackets (44-18-6) and Boston Bruins (37-26-6), and only five of their remaining games are at home. Assuming they can hold on to first, the Hawks would likely play the St. Louis Blues (36-27-5) in the first round of the playoffs, which begin the second week of April.
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