Niklas Hjalmarsson News

The Detroit Red Wings are up 2-0, with goals by Nyquist and Miller, against the Chicago Blackhawks Monday night in game 3 of the playoffs, round 2, at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, May 20.

The Red Wings were clearly the better team Saturday in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals, trouncing the Blackhawks, 4-1, and evening the best-of-seven series 1-1. Jonathan Ericsson's stretch pass found Franzen behind defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson.

The top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks asserted their will over the Detroit Red Wings, dominating play on their way to a 4-1 win in the first game of their second round playoff series.

The Chicago Blackhawks took some time to warm up in Round 1, but they certainly resembled the NHL's best team by the end of the series.

Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith had little trouble shutting down Minnesota Wild stars Zach Parise and Mikko Koivu in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Chicago Blackhawks advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2010 when they defeated the Minnesota Wild 5-1 on Thursday night.

MAY 7: Duncan Keith #2 of the Chicago Blackhawks clears the puck away from Kyle Brodziak #21 and Zach Parise #11 of the Minnesota Wild during the second period of Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xcel Energy Center on May 7, 2013 in St Paul, Minnesota.

The term "special teams" is a common one in a certain sport, but there may not be a group more deserving of the moniker than the penalty killing unit of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Minnesota coach Mike Yeo made it clear before Game 3 on Sunday what his team needed to do to get back in the series with the Blackhawks.

Niklas Hjalmarsson and Duncan Keith defend the goal against Minnesota left wing Jason Zucker as goalie Corey Crawford scrambled back into position Tuesday in Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round playoff series.

The Masterton Trophy candidate was spectacular for Wild stopping 35 shots, but took a 2-1 overtime loss Tuesday at the United Center.

The playoffs start tonight and if we learned one thing from last year, it's that any team can win, regardless of their seed.

The record-setting 24-game run to start the season without a regulation loss and the hoopla that surrounded it was nice.

Curious thing, the William M. Jennings Trophy. It's an award given to a goaltender - sometimes to multiple goaltenders - for what's really a team accomplishment.

March 31, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford makes a save in the first period against the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena.

This month it has seemed as if a Blackhawks defenseman was reaching a milestone for career games played every other day.