Video: Bad Bounce, Bad Power Play Help Send Predators Packing

While Jaroslav Halak was in the process of treating hockey fans to one of the finest goaltending performances of the postseason -- rivaled only by Craig Anderson's 51-save effort -- Pekka Rinne and Antti Niemi were doing the exact opposite in the first period of their Game 6 matchup in Nashville. The two goalies combined to give up seven of the game's eight goals in the opening 20 minutes, as Chicago pulled out a 5-3 win to advance to the second round of the Western Conference playoffs, eliminating the Predators.

One of the shots that found its way past Rinne turned out to be one of the craziest goals of the playoffs.

With the game tied, 1-1, after Duncan Keith and Shea Weber exchanged goals, Patrick Kane was credited with his fourth of the series when a Brent Seabrook shot from the neutral zone deflected off his skate, finding its way into the back of the net after Rinne had wandered out of his crease.

Blackhawks Win Series, 4-2
Blackhawks 5, Predators 3: Recap | Box Score | Series Page

Rinne was simply going to play a puck that he had to assume was nothing more than an innocent dump-in off the boards; and that's exactly what it would have been had it not deflected off of Kane's foot. And in a game that was decided by one goal before an empty-netter in the closing seconds, it turned out to be the difference. Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp and John Madden also tallied goals in the win, while Jason Arnott and Dan Hamhuis provided the rest of the offense for Nashville.

Of course, it wasn't all bad luck for Nashville. Its power play was MIA for the duration of the series, capping off a dismal showing with a 1-for-5 effort on Monday, including three consecutive scoreless attempts in the three period when the Predators still trailed by just a single goal. For the series, Nashville scored on just one of its 27 attempts.

The next step for Chicago is a rematch of last season's Western Conference Semifinals as it takes on the Vancouver Canucks in what should be a great matchup. Chicago eliminated the Canucks in six games last year, including a 7-5 shootout in the deciding game. The Blackhawks, as the No. 2 seed in the West, will have home-ice advantage for the series.

The Predators, meanwhile, have yet to find a way to escape the first round of the playoffs. This year's elimination marks the fifth time that they've gone out in the opening round in five attempts, with each series being decided in six games or less.