I sure did not, but today, I write this blog and the Hawks head into the postseason with a 6-0-1 stretch to end the season.
Chicago must have read my most recent post, when I made the statement that they need to finish off the season well with at least one win over the Detroit Red Wings. They did just that and made it a weekend sweep today in front of another sellout crowd at the United Center. The players ended with the recent tradition of saluting the fans at center ice with their sticks held high. It is a sight to behold, and so is the entire game at the UC, from Jim Cornelison's national anthem to the three stars at the end.
The story of the timeouts during today's game may have been the "Ice Crew" Easter bunny costumes, but the story of today's game was the play of Khabibulin. He stopped point-blank shots, one-timers from center, slap shots near the blue line, and any other kind of shot imaginable that the Wings threw at him.
This is pretty good for a guy who was released in the offseason, and when nobody wanted him, the Hawks figured they should just keep him and see what happens. Something tells me that turned out well for Chicago.
Khabi has a Stanley Cup win in 2004 against Calgary and Miikka Kiprusoff. The two goalies will meet again this week in Round 1 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Khabi will certainly need to play well again for the Hawks to win the series with the Flames. He is ready, the team is ready, and Coach Joel Quenneville is certainly ready (if you look up "coach" in the dictionary, his face and voice should show up in the description.).
Blackhawk hockey is alive again in Chicago, and they are heading toward the playoffs on a good note. Now, after such a great regular season, let us see if they can continue the success. If they do, Khabibulin and 21,000-plus fans at the United Center should have a lot to do with it.
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