The Chicago Blackhawks Attempt to stay Alive against the Vancouver Canucks

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The Chicago Blackhawks Attempt to stay Alive against the Vancouver Canucks

The Chicago Blackhawks are in a 3-0 hole and will have to work to get back to the Stanley Cup Finals this year.

Raffi Torres returned to the Canucks lineup for Game 3 in Chicago on Sunday eager to join the hit parade.

However, after missing the first two games of the first-round playoff series serving the end of a four-game suspension for his high hit on Edmonton's Jordan Eberle late in the regular season, Torres admitted he'd have to be cautious. All that pent-up energy from sitting out would have to channeled to avoid physical play from becoming penalty problems.

Staying out of penalty trouble was the most remarkable part of outhitting Chicago 92-61 the first two games, and Torres doesn't want to change that. But the hard-hitting third-line winger with a reputation as a bowling ball on skates knows he might have to walk an even finer line after suspension, even if it was the first of the NHL career.

He did and the only thing Torres fell into was the penalty box. He took a charging penalty for a reckless hit he didn't even land in the first period, and another on a head shot to Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook that could draw another suspension from the NHL under the new rules surrounding blindside shots to the head.

The call also cost the Canucks the tying goal before rallying for a 3-2 win and a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, so even though coach Alain Vigneault tried to insist it wasn't even worthy of a suspension, the Canucks have shown they can win without Torres. The coach barely played Torres in the third period, and not having him for Game 4 Tuesday wouldn't be the end of the world.

Four penalties in the first period allowed the Blackhawks to take the lead, and Chicago did add its second goal on the power play to tie the game midway through the second period en route to a 2-for-7 night on the power play Sunday. This is the reason that the Canucks have had a stranglehold on the series, and the same reason that they will win the series, sweeping out the Blackhawks.

Hockey Picks: Vancouver Canucks

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