April 12--DENVER -- The Blackhawks will begin the first round of the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Predators at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Nashville, Tenn.
The Hawks learned their opponent a few hours before they took the ice for their final game of the regular season. When the St. Louis Blues defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-2 on Saturday afternoon, the Hawks were locked into third place in the Central Division. That made the Hawks' 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night at the Pepsi Center merely a tuneup for the postseason.
Game 2 of the series against the Predators is set for Friday at 8:30 p.m. in Nashville. The series will shift to the United Center on Sunday, April 19 for Game 3 at 2 p.m. and on Tuesday, April 21 for Game 4 at 8:30 p.m.
If necessary, Game 5 will be played April 23 in Nashville, Game 6 on April 25 in Chicago and Game 7 on April 27 in Nashville, with times to be determined.
"When we play Nashville it's always been tough games," Hawks defenseman Duncan Keith said. "They've got speed, they've got skill, they've got size and they've changed their system around a little bit. It seems like they're trying to play a more offensive, up-tempo-type game. We know they've got great goaltending (with Pekka Rinne). It's a fun place to play in Nashville in their building."
In four meeting this season, the Hawks topped the Preds in three of them. The teams have not met since Dec. 29 when the Hawks won 5-4 in a shootout.
"Defensively, they're very sound," Hawks captain Jonathan Toews said. "They have a great goaltender, they have a good power play and they really play well at home as well. Those won't be easy games. You can say that about anybody, I think, at this point. It's so tight that whatever matchup you get it's not going to be easy."
