Blackhawks open playoffs on Thursday vs. Nashville

The Chicago Blackhawks will launch the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the team's ninth consecutive appearance in the postseason, when they face the Nashville Predators in the best-of-seven First Round series beginning with Game 1 at the United Center on Thursday, April 13, at 7 p.m. and Game 2 on Saturday, April 15, at 7 p.m.
Games 3 and 4 will be held at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Monday, April 17, at 8:30 p.m. and Thursday, April 20, at a time to be announced. If necessary, the Blackhawks will host Game 5 on Saturday, April 22, the Predators will host Game 6 on Monday, April 24, and Chicago will host Game 7 on Wednesday, April 26 (times TBD). All times listed are Central. Gates to the United Center for all playoff home games will open two hours before puck drop.

The Blackhawks finished the 2016-17 regular season with a 50-23-9 record (109 points) and earned the top seed in the NHL's Western Conference. It also marked the 16th division championship in franchise history as the Blackhawks took home the Central Division crown. Chicago has reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs for nine consecutive seasons and currently holds the second-longest active postseason appearance streak (Pittsburgh, 11). The Blackhawks are the only team to post seven 100-point seasons since 2008-09.
Chicago posted a 4-1-0 record against the Predators during the 2016-17 regular season. This marks the third Stanley Cup Playoff matchup between Chicago and the Predators; the Blackhawks won their most recent series in the 2015 Western Conference First Round 4-2. In 2010, Chicago topped Nashville in the Western Conference Quarterfinals, 4-2. Below is a complete game schedule of the Blackhawks First Round series. Game 2 will be televised nationally by NBC, while Games 1, and 3 will air locally on CSN, streamed live online at CSNChicago.com (CSNChicago.com/BlackhawksStream) and the NBC Sports App (television coverage for Games 4-7 is TBD). All seven contests are available on WGN Radio AM-720, WGNRadio.com and the WGN Mobile App. The Blackhawks Media Relations Department will release updated practice information each day throughout the series.