The Blackhawks have had a roller coaster of a season. The ups have been exciting. The downs have been maddening. The ride has been exhausting.
There was a glimmer of hope after they strung together four consecutive wins going into the weekend, even though the math said they still had a long way to go. All they wanted was a chance.
But after back-to-back regulation losses to Detroit and St. Louis, the Blackhawks took a real punch to the gut and so did their playoff hopes, which are all but over at this point.
The Blackhawks won't admit it publicly, but reality is starting to sink in that postseason hockey won't be played in Chicago for a third straight season.