Blues never do things the easy way, but still can close out the Blackhawks

Let’s be honest, Blues fans.

You didn’t really think the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks were going to fade quietly away and drop out of the opening round of the playoffs after only five games.

Surely you didn’t believe this proud bunch of Blackhawks and a dressing room filled with talent like Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Marian Hossa and Corey Crawford was ready for the post-series handshake line.

Sure the 3-1 series lead for the Blues was nice, but let me take an informal poll from fans on either side of the rink who believed the Blues would win both games in Chicago to take control of the series.

That’s right. Only the most gushing of the “Bleed Blue” crowd would have dropped some of their hard-earned money on that happening.

As I told someone earlier during the series, the Blackhawks are the Zombie-Vampires of the NHL.

With three Stanley Cup titles in six seasons and as strong of a postseason pedigree as any team in the league, Joel Quenneville’s ‘Hawks are not out of a series until their opponent drives a wooden stake through their heart, fires a silver bullet into their brains and then sets fire to their rotting corpse before it jumps up again to strike for another overtime goal.

It may take a couple passes with a lawnmower as well. And a flamethrower.

Don’t forget Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong’s memorable quote from 2014 following a first-round playoff loss to the ‘Hawks. That year, the Blues won the first two games only to lose four in a row on their way out of the playoffs.

“We need that killer instinct, we need to be able to — when you have a team down 2-0 — you need to take the knife and jam it through their eye into their brain and kill them.”

The Blues are obviously capable of finishing the ‘Hawks off as early as Game 6 on Saturday at the United Center. That’s the raucously loud arena where anthem singer Jim Cornelison flashes those Stanley Cup rings on his microphone hand while belting out one of the best national anthems you’ll ever hear.

“We are still up 3-2,” Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. “It’s going to be fun here to win in Chicago and that’s the plan now.”

The Blues have outplayed the ‘Hawks for stretches of each game and came from behind to win both Games 3 and 4 in Chicago. Are they capable of winning a third time on enemy ice to close out the series?

I think it’s possible.

As most fans will readily admit, this team isn’t just facing the Blackhawks on the ice this season. While players, coach Ken Hitchcock and team management talk about each series being a fresh start, the cold fact remains that the Blues haven’t exactly been a playoff juggernaut in the past couple decades.

There have been huge, emotional wins to be sure and the Blues did reach the Western Conference finals in 2001. But three straight first-round playoff exits the past three years and only one second-round playoff appearance since 2002 may have even Blues fans wearing Kelly Chase and Tony Twist jerseys a little concerned at the spark of potential momentum created by Kane’s double-overtime goal early Friday morning that won Game 5.

The stage was set for a Blues celebration at Scottrade Center, a chance to vanquish a bitter arch-rival and defending league champs before a revved-up sellout crowd. Instead, Kane scored his first goal of the series and breathed new life into his teammates in the process.

The Blues must continue to hammer away at every turn, force more pucks and traffic toward Crawford and also need to tighten down their defensive coverage. Chicago’s three-goal second period in Game 5 was Exhibit A for that.

The Blues are deeper up front and on defense while the Hawks’ are riding their experienced stars of playoff victories past. Cashing in on power-play chances is another obvious plus.

Look at the way Blues rookie Robby Fabbri stepped up in Game 5, scoring a goal and setting up another to help force overtime. If a rookie can make that kind of impact, Blues veterans need to follow his lead.

The Blues have two chances to close out the Blackhawks, but would much rather do it Saturday night in the Windy City than venture back home for the winner-take-all Game 7 on Monday at Scottrade Center.

A Blues team that has battled adversity and injuries all season now has another hurdle to clear. That hurdle wears red sweaters with an Indian-head logo and dances to the tune of “Chelsea Dagger” each time a goal is scored.

“The Hockey Gods are testing us right now,” Pietrangelo said after the double-OT loss in Game 5. “I still thought we deserved to win the game. The puck ends up right back on (Kane’s) stick somehow, and he finds an open net.

“I thought we played one of our better games. We deserved to win and we will get ready for the next one. It’s still 3-2.”

(Norm Sanders has covered the Blues for the Belleville News-Democrat since 1995).

This story was originally published April 22, 2016 at 1:46 PM.