The Blackhawks appeared headed for a similar fate to so many games this year last night in Detroit -- they blew a third-period lead and the game went to overtime. On top of that, they had an apparent goal waved off in the second period.
This time, Marian Hossa, a former Red Wing, came to the rescue with a power-play goal less than a minute into overtime. The two points gave the Blackhawks 90 coming into tonight's game. The Ducks, however, kept pace by coming from behind to defeat the Avalanche. So the Blackhawks remain in eighth place, a point behind the Ducks, but three points ahead of the ninth-place Flames (with two games in hand) and four ahead of the tenth-place Stars (who have a game in hand on the Hawks).
The Blackhawks took advantage of a Red Wings team that has been better on the road than at home this year. They may have a similar scenario tonight in Boston; the Bruins have been much better on the road (24-10-5) than at home (18-13-5) this season. The Bruins are still jockeying for playoff position, currently third in the Eastern Conference and as a division leader, so far in position to have home ice in at least one series.
Every game is critical. That kind of goes without saying, actually. Tonight's game is again on Versus, at 6:30 p.m. CDT.