NHL: Can the Chicago Blackhawks Grind Out a Weekend Sweep of Nashville?

The Chicago Blackhawks hope to keep their current three-game win streak going this weekend, but I wouldn't expect the smooth sailing we saw in their previous two games.

A home and home with the likes of the Nashville Predators can definitely make a team seasick.

The Hawks are Tennessee-bound as they visit the pesky Predators Saturday night, and the two teams then come to Chicago on Sunday.  Nashville currently sits two spots ahead of the Blackhawks in the Western Conference standings.  They are a point ahead of us with two games in hand.  They also hold a 2-1 edge in the season series between the two teams.

A sweep would turn the tables on the Predators. Is that too much to ask?

Chicago's recent play indicates that they could claim four points this weekend.  However, tangling with Nashville is seldom a walk in the park.

Here are a few keys to success against the Predators:

Get Out In Front Early

This seems obvious, but Nashville is tough to come back against once they have the lead.  Taking the lead early forces them to come out of their defensive shell and take some chances, leading to a lot of goal opportunities.

Stay Patient And Take Advantage Of Limited Opportunities

The Predators play very close to the vest, clogging the middle of the ice and preventing a lot of scoring chances.  They seem to be looking to win games 1-0 with a late third period goal.  Clogging the neutral zone is not a new strategy, but the Hawks have found the going difficult when playing teams that employ this style.

Chicago needs to avoid pushing too hard for offense and playing into Nashville's game.  How can they stay patient and get out to an early lead?  That's the tough part about taking on the Predators.

Keep Pekka Rinne On The Move

Both Nashville goalies are huge and cover a lot of net.  The key is to get Rinne moving.  He doesn't change direction well and tends to end up out of position.

Anders Lindback has faced the Blackhawks twice this season.  He won early in the season but did not play well in Chicago's 4-1 defeat of the Predators on December 22.

Rinne has won five of his last six starts, so I wouldn't be surprised if he was in goal for both games this weekend.  If Nashville puts Lindback in Sunday in Chicago, the Hawks need to take advantage of rookie mistakes.

Get Jack Skille Some Minutes

Skille has seven goals on the year.  Four have come at the hands of the Predators.

Skille has two-goal games in each of the last two Chicago-Nashville contests.  He seems to know how to hit the twine against this team.  I wouldn't mind a Skille hat trick in either game.

Coming out of the weekend with at least one win is crucial for the Blackhawks as they try to keep the momentum going.  If they can continue to play as they have recently and remember the formula for success against Nashville, the Blackhawks could take both ends of the home and home and leave the Predators looking up at Chicago on Monday.