Phoenix Coyotes Vs. Chicago Blackhawks, NHL Playoffs 2012: Complete Series Coverage

It was a long time coming. For the first time since moving to Phoenix in 1996, there is finally some postseason celebrating in the desert.

Smith established his stellar play when he faced 95 shots in the first two games of the series, and Phoenix came away with a split. The goalie didn’t see any fewer than 32 shots on goal in any of the six contests, and averaged more than 40 per night.

Note to camera people covering the NHL playoffs: show more indignant children!

Let’s freeze-frame that kid.

Over the past 13 months Torres has been suspended by the NHL twice for flagrant hits.

Stick with SBNation.com for full Coyotes vs. Blackhawks series coverage. For more from the Phoenix perspective, head over to the Five For Howling. For more on the Blackhawks, check out Second City Hockey.

Torres has been suspended indefinitely for his huge hit on Hossa, which caused the Blackhawks’ winger to be briefly hospitalized. Shaw will be serving the second game of his three-game suspension in Game 4 on Thursday.

No. 3 Phoenix Coyotes at No. 6 Chicago Blackhawks

8 p.m. ET Thursday -- Game 4, Western Conference Quarterfinals | Coyotes Lead 2-1

National TV: TSN, CNBC, RDS2 | Local TV: Fox Sports Arizona Plus, CSN Chicago

Four Game 4s dot the Thursday night schedule in the 2012 NHL Playoffs. And the early window will be crowded, with pucks dropping in three cities within an hour of each other.

No. 3 Florida Panthers at No. 6 New Jersey Devils

7 p.m. ET -- Game 4, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals | Panthers lead, 2-1

National TV: NHL Network US, TSN2, RDSI | Local TV: FS Florida, MSG+

Torres, meanwhile, will miss Game 4 as well. He could miss much more time after being suspended indefinitely by the league for the hit, but that will be decided at an in-person hearing on Friday in New York City.

Stick with SBNation.com for full Coyotes vs. Blackhawks series coverage. For more from the Phoenix perspective, head over to the Five For Howling. For more on the Blackhawks, check out Second City Hockey.

Video: Raffi Torres’ hit on Marian Hossa

Hossa was hospitalized following the hit, which occurred during the first period. It was a late hit in which Torres targeted Hossa’s head while leaving his feet -- the illegal trifecta, one might say.

Smith stopped 35 of the 37 Chicago shots he faced, and has now made 124 saves on the 132 Blackhawks shots for an impressive .939 save percentage in the series.

On Tuesday, Smith was at his best over the course of the final two periods of regulation and the overtime, when Phoenix was outshot by a 27-18.

The Blackhawks released a statement Tuesday evening:

Torres wasn’t penalized on the play, but the NHL may still levy punishment after reviewing the play.

Hossa was taken off on a stretcher, as we mentioned, and obviously will not return to the game on Tuesday evening. Amazingly, Torres wasn’t penalized for the hit, despite the fact that it violates about 19 different rules. (We’re exaggerating, but you get the point.) Hossa did not have the puck -- in fact, the puck was quite a ways away -- while Torres both left his feet and targeted Hossa’s head. Hossa’s head snapped backwards and appeared to bounce off the ice as well during impact.

Stick with SBNation.com for full Coyotes vs. Blackhawks series coverage. For more from the Phoenix perspective, head over to the Five For Howling. For more on the Blackhawks, check out Second City Hockey.

Phoenix head coach Dave Tippett said that Smith was “100 percent” following the game, but fell back on a vaguer statement that left his goaltender’s status in doubt. Smith did not practice Monday, but did take part in the team’s morning skate before the game Tuesday.

For more on Smith and the Coyotes, head over to the SB Nation blog Five For Howling. For more on the Blackhawks, check out Second City Hockey.

Smith is reportedly a game-time decision for Game 3 on Tuesday night at United Center in Chicago, despite the fact that he remained in Game 2 until its conclusion.

There won’t be an elimination game in Tuesday night’s slate, but the last two Game 3s of the quarterfinals in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs will finally be played. And the No. 6 seeds in the Eastern and Western Conferences could take control of their respective matchups in these games.

In Detroit, the Red Wings had a chance to back up their road split in Nashville with a home win against the Predators on Sunday. Nashville prevailed 3-2, and the Preds will have a chance to take a 3-1 series lead back to Tennessee with a win in Tuesday’s Game 4.

You can find all of our coverage from this game in our Coyotes Vs. Blackhawks Game 2 StoryStream. For more on the Coyotes, check in with Five For Howling and SB Nation Arizona. For more on the Blackhawks, check in with Second City Hockey and SB Nation Chicago.

I’m getting a headache just watching it, but apparently Smith doesn’t. He stayed in the game after just a few minutes of rest and attention from the trainers. Let’s take a guess at how that conversation may have gone:

TRAINER: That didn’t look good, Smitty. You alright?

Things looked bleak for the Coyotes for a few minutes Saturday, after conceding a game-tying goal to Chicago’s Brent Seabrook with under 15 seconds left. But things came together in overtime: a goal by Martin Hanzal - his first in 24 games - in overtime gave Phoenix the 1-0 advantage as they seek their first-ever victory in a playoff series. The Blackhawks didn’t finish the opportunity to steal a win, but Chicago will have an opportunity to get even with a victory Saturday night.

No. 6 Chicago Blackhawks at No. 3 Phoenix Coyotes

10 p.m. ET Saturday -- Game 2, Western Conference Quarterfinals | Coyotes lead, 1-0

National TV: NBC Sports Network, TSN | Local TV: CSN Chicago

It remained to be seen if Phoenix’s decision to go with Smith as their main man was a wise one or if it was just another step towards mediocrity for the embattled franchise.

Smith was a perfect 11-0-0 with a 1.42 goals-against average and .952 save percentage during the month of February, deservedly earning the NHL’s First Star of the Month honors.

Stick with SBNation.com for full series coverage. For more on the Coyotes, check in with Five For Howling and SB Nation Arizona. For more on the Blackhawks, check in with Second City Hockey and SB Nation Chicago.

Toews announced the news to the media at Jobing.com Arena in Phoenix.

Stick with SBNation.com for full coverage of Blackhawks vs. Coyotes. For more from the Chicago perspective, check in with Blackhawks blog Second City Hockey, and for more from the Phoenix perspective, check in with Coyotes blog Five For Howling.

No. 7 Chicago Blackhawks at No. 3 Phoenix Coyotes

10 p.m. ET Thursday -- Game 1, Western Conference Quarterfinals | Series tied, 0-0

National TV: NBC Sports Network, TSN | Local TV: CSN Chicago, FS Arizona+

For more on the Coyotes, check in with Five For Howling and SB Nation Arizona. For more on the Blackhawks, check in with Second City Hockey and SB Nation Chicago.

The Coyotes were almost equally good on the road as they were at home -- 50 home points, 47 away -- but Chicago had a marked difference between playing at the United Center (27-8-6 for 60 points) and hitting the road (18-18-5 for just 41 points). Phoenix could very well take full advantage of that fact with four of the seven games being played in the Arizona desert. After the Blackhawks won the first meeting of the year, Phoenix took the last three matchups.

OFFENSE

We asked Travis Hair of Coyotes blog Five For Howling to answer a few questions about the team as they prepare for the postseason.

1) What’s the biggest reason you have confidence in the Coyotes heading into the postseason?

1) What’s the biggest reason you have confidence in the Blackhawks heading into the postseason?

Despite the Hawks earlier struggles, they seem to have found their footing as a team. The team isn’t far removed from their 9-game skid but they’ve found a way to finish off the season on a somewhat high note. In their last 20 games, they managed to grab 28 points.

For more on the Coyotes, check in with Five For Howling and SB Nation Arizona. For more on the Blackhawks, check in with Second City Hockey and SB Nation Chicago.

For more on the Blackhawks, check in with Second City Hockey and SB Nation Chicago.