Chicago Blackhawks look to earn 2016 playoff berth

The Chicago Blackhawks started to slide down the standings through the month of March, but they’re still a near guarantee for the 2016 post-season – and now, they’ve got a chance to secure their playoff berth as early as tonight.

If the Blackhawks earn at least one point in their game this evening against the Vancouver Canucks – which will take place on the road at Rogers Arena at 5:00 PM PST tonight – they’ll guarantee themselves a post-season berth with six games left to spare. If they lose in regulation, they’ll have to wait for their next game for a chance to seal the deal.

The good news for Chicago is that this may not be their hardest game; the Canucks are coming into their Sunday evening contest having lost four of their last five games in a shutout, including one to the St. Louis Blues earlier this weekend that saw the Pacific Division club only take 15 shots over the course of the entire game. They’re currently ahead of only the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference, and that’s due to a four game in hand deficit they have over their divisional rivals; they’re currently sitting at just 67 points through 74 games, and 12 of those have come through overtime or shootout losses.

The bad news here, though, could be that the Blackhawks will have a desperate team facing them when they take the ice in a few hours – and that could quickly see them fall behind if they aren’t careful. The Central Division club is currently sitting just two points out of a Wild Card spot, and they’ve gone 3-5-2 in their last ten games; only the Canucks, who have gone 2-7-1, have been worse.

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