From just about every angle, the Chicago Blackhawks’ 2016-17 regular season was marked by spectacular triumph. With 50 victories, including five streaks of five or more consecutive wins and a franchise-record eight consecutive road wins, the ‘Hawks compiled 109 points to claim both the Central Division and Western Conference championships.
Sure, there were some bumps and injuries along the way, and the usual hand-wringing when the team ended the season with four straight losses. But the Blackhawks entered the playoffs radiating confidence that comes with being the top seed and having home-ice advantage. Eight days later, they were done, swept out of the playoffs in four straight losses to the eighth-seeded Nashville Predators.