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  By beating the Flames 4-1 Monday to clinch the series, I must admit the youthful Chicago Blackhawks proved me wrong.

  It was Feb. 5 just after the Hawks had beaten the Flames 5-2 in the 52nd reg-season game for both that I made an assessment.

  “This is a team you wouldn’t mind playing in the playoffs.”

  It wasn’t a put down of the Hawks. In fact it was said they’d be an NHL power in the future but lacked the playoff experience for round one.

  At the time, despite the loss, the Flames were comfortably in first place in the NW Division holding a 10-point lead over Vancouver.  The Canucks would rally and nab top spot dropping the Flames to #5 seed in the Western Conference and a first round set with the Hawks. Chicago had home ice advantage but still the Flames, despite injuries, had experience and size on their side.

  The young Hawks defensemen, especially Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith, were great in the Hawks 6-game series win over the Flames.  Their outstanding young forwards — Toews, Kane, Versteeg, Sharp, Byfulien – weren’t awed about where they were and able to handle the heavy going. Goalie Nikolai Khabibulin was his normal spectacular self against the Flames, especially in the 6th game.

  The first four games were closely contested leaving the series tied 2-2 as it should have been.  The Hawks dominated the pivotal 5th game with the Flames admitting they were “terrible”.

  The Flames performance was much better in the 6th game outshooting the Hawks 44-16 despite having star defenseman Dion Phaneuf join the defense injured list. But the Chicago PP was better scoring 2 timely goals with the man advantage. The Flames failed on 3 PP chances and were a mere 2-of-18 in the series.

  To be sure injuries played a part in the Flames decline. After having a few over more than half the season, the injury hit hard down the stretch.  Perhaps the loss of Robyn Regehr was the greatest loss.  The shutdown defenseman missed the series with a knee injury suffered in the 4th last reg-season. The Flames were in 1st place at time.

    But the young and the handful of old Hawks get full marks for sending the Flames to the sidelines in the fjrst round for the 4th straight year.

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