They could’ve been out of the playoffs.
But, after three straight wins, the Chicago Blackhawks are past the Detroit Red Wings in a hard-fought seven-game series and there are certainly lessons to be learned heading into the Western Conference final against the L.A. Kings.
Adversity was something people may think the Blackhawks didn’t face in the regular season, on their way to a Presidents’ Trophy.
But the Red Wings gave them everything they can handle.
Jonathan Toews, an Olympic gold medalist, Stanley Cup champion and World Junior champion, admitted his club didn’t always have the most positive of vibes, when facing elimination, against the Red Wings.
“You have certain negative thoughts that kind of creep in. You try not to think about them, that you’re up against a tough team and the odds are against you. But we stayed positive. We stuck with it,” Toews told reporters.
“We just had that attitude that you take it one shift at the same time, you win one game at a time, anything can happen.
“I think we’re taking a lot of confidence out of that experience. So just goes to show, any situation we may come into in this next series, we’ll welcome the challenge.”
The challenge is the defending Stanley Cup champions, the L.A. Kings.