NHL Playoffs 2012: Hit on Hossa Will Be All the Blackhawks Need to Motivate Them

The Blackhawks will be ready to play Game 4 against the Phoenix Coyotes Thursday night.

The Hawks find themselves shorthanded once again, with superstar winger Marian Hossa recovering from that nasty hit in Game 3.

But it won't matter, the Blackhawks will find all the motivation they need to beat this Coyotes team by channeling their anger into the game.

When asked how the Blackhawks would play without Hossa on the ice, winger Michael Frolik said it's hard to tell (via the Chicago Sun-Times).

"

Hopefully he’s going to be all right. It’s a sad thing to see that. . . . We said in the room, we have to try to play for him.

"

That's not to say that the Blackhawks will play undisciplined in Game 4; going around, picking fights and taking cheap shots at other players will get them nowhere.

Instead, the Hawks will look to shut down the Yotes by playing stand-up defense and forcing turnovers along the boards.

It should give the Hawks some satisfaction that Raffi Torres was suspended indefinitely, pending a hearing Friday with the NHL. 

But the Hawks should be as hungry as ever now, and with one of their star players down, they should be out for the perfect revenge—to win the series.  

Losing on home-ice is also going to leave a sour taste in their mouths—goalie Corey Crawford will have to rebound after giving up a soft goal to give the Coyotes a series lead. It will all accumulate into the perfect storm for the Blackhawks.

Captain Jonathan Toews is known for his never-quit attitude and for his ability to win games by his determination and grit. Toews is sure to be pumped for Game 4, and so are his teammates looking for some payback.

It will be a must win game Thursday night, and the United Center will be sold-out with fans screaming for blood. The Hawks will surely be motivated; look for nothing less then a win and a very physical game.

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