Potential Pitfall Games on the Chicago Blackhawks' 2014-15 Schedule

The Chicago Blackhawks are an elite team, no matter which way you look at it.

Barring another miraculous start like the one they had in the lockout 2012-13 season in which they did not lose a game in regulation through their first 24 starts, the regular season will be filled with ups and downs as they prepare for the playoffs.

However, head coach Joel Quenneville's team will get tested at various points throughout the season as it will have to prove itself against the best teams in the league.

Whether it's a tough game on the road against the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings or holding their own against a very angry St. Louis Blues team, the Blackhawks will be tested.

The way they handle those examinations could have a long-term impact on their psyches. Even though they are a championship-caliber and battle-tested team, bad losses or significant victories in key matchups could help make or break this team for the long run.

Here are five games that represent potential regular-season pitfalls for the Blackhawks.

Nov. 29: Blackhawks at Los Angeles Kings

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Nearly two months into the season, the Blackhawks will be tested by one of their longest road trips of the season.

After facing the Dallas Stars at the United Center Nov. 16, the Blackhawks will leave for a two-week swing that will take them to Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Colorado, Anaheim and Los Angeles.

The last two games of the trip are against the Ducks (Nov. 28) and the Kings the following night.

It seems quite unlikely that the Blackhawks will be at their best for the last game of the trip against the reigning Stanley Cup champions.

A win in that game will be very hard to come by because the Kings will have two full days off prior to facing off with the Blackhawks, and they should be quite fresh.

The question for the Blackhawks is whether they can compete in this game for 60 minutes, or will they use fatigue as an excuse and get blown out. A close loss in this game might sit very well with Quenneville, although he would never admit it.

The Blackhawks will be in a tough situation in this game, and a respectable showing might be all they can expect against Anze Kopitar and the powerful Kings.

Dec. 11: Blackhawks at Boston Bruins

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Shortly after the Blackhawks return home from that six-game road trip that concludes with that tough test against the Kings, they will go back on the road for an Eastern road swing that will include games against Nashville, New Jersey, Boston and the New York Islanders.

The Dec. 11 game against the Bruins figures to be the toughest matchup of the four. While the Blackhawks will have fond memories of their 2013 meeting with the Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final, they are sure to see a determined opponent. When the Blackhawks went back to Boston last year, the Bruins pasted them 3-0.

The Bruins feature reigning Vezina Trophy winner Tuukka Rask, and their one-two punch of center Patrice Bergeron and defenseman Zdeno Chara make them a formidable opponent. 

The Bruins won the Presidents' Trophy last year, and they should have an excellent chance of putting another outstanding regular season together. The Bruins look at Chicago as a serious test, and they should be primed for one of their best games against the highly regarded Blackhawks. 

Quenneville needs to make sure his team is ready for a physical, grueling battle against one of the biggest and meanest teams in the Eastern Conference.

Jan. 4: Blackhawks vs. Dallas Stars

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The Dallas Stars appear to be one of the up-and-coming teams in the NHL. The Stars made the Stanley Cup playoffs last year after failing to make the postseason during the previous five years.

Start with the explosive combination of Tyler Seguin (37 goals, 84 points last year) and Jamie Benn (34 goals, 79 points), and that's a strong reason for the Stars' resurgence. As both players approach their prime, they should only get stronger in the years to come.

The Blackhawks may have a difficult time focusing on the Stars. Prior to this game, they will play in the Winter Classic on the road against the Washington Capitals. The HBO cameras will follow the Blackhawks around for more than a month prior to the game, and once that glamour game in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area is completed, the Blackhawks could suffer a letdown.

Players like Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Patrick Sharp usually say all the right things to help the team avoid those kind of problems, but it's only natural to have peaks and valleys in the season. If the Blackhawks are fortunate enough to win the outdoor game, they may have a difficult time focusing once they come home to face the Stars.

Feb. 8: Blackhawks at St. Louis Blues

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The Blackhawks and the Blues have had a significant rivalry since Chicago was taken out of the East Division following the 1969-70 season and placed in the West Division the following year.

While the enmity between the two teams has waned when one of the two teams was strong while the other was weak, it is one of the most ferocious rivalries when both teams are of similar stature.

That's been the case for the last six seasons. The two teams met in the first round of the playoffs last year, and the Blackhawks added to the Blues' recent postseason frustrations when they came back from an 0-2 deficit to take the series in six games.

When the Blackhawks travel to St. Louis Feb. 8, this game could go a long way toward determining first place in the Central Division of the Western Conference.

The Blackhawks know how to play and win on the road, but it seems likely that the Blues will summon their best effort at home in this game. This is one that both teams will want to win badly, and it could be a nasty, physical game that drains both Chicago and St. Louis.

March 30: Blackhawks vs. Los Angeles Kings

When the Kings come to Chicago March 30, both teams will be competing in this game with an eye toward the playoffs.

This game is less than two weeks before the end of the regular season, and after losing the Western Conference Final to the Kings in overtime of Game 7 in 2014, the Blackhawks have had the Kings on their minds since.

These teams may be on a postseason collision course once again, and it would be in the Blackhawks' best interest to send a message that they can impose their will on the Kings.

However, the schedule maker did not do Chicago any favors. The team is in Winnipeg the night before, and it won't arrive back home until very early in the morning.

Meanwhile, the Kings will be waiting comfortably in Chicago, since their previous game is March 28 at Minnesota.

Despite the travel difficulties, the Blackhawks cannot let this game slip away.