How about those No. 12 seeds, eh? But in the wake of the Chicago Blackhawks’ stunning victory and subsequent 2-1 lead in their qualifying series over the Edmonton Oilers, the number that really stands out is three.
The Hawks are leading this series and could oust the Oilers in their own arena Friday evening because of a confluence of factors. The Blackhawks are getting some very surprising contributions, both up front and on a much-maligned defense and are proving that despite being the second-worst regular-season team in this year’s playoff tournament, that they can run with the Oilers in a short series.