It’s official: Blackhawks fans get to root for a playoff team this year!

Although the team in Chicago hasn’t finished this low in the standings since the fifties, fans will still be checking in on their version of a playoff team: the Rockford IceHogs.

Clinched!

After a tight race for the last spot in the Central Division for the AHL Playoffs, the IceHogs secured a win over the Milwaukee Admirals Sunday night to become the fifth seed in their bracket. Rockford didn’t waste any time, getting on the board just 2:31 into the first period. They added two more goals before the period was over. Both offenses went quiet throughout the second, but Milwaukee finally broke into the scoring column early in the third period. The IceHogs eventually punched in an empty-netter to secure a crucial 4-1 win. Goaltender Arvid Soderblom, who is expected to be the Blackhawks’ future #1 goalie as soon as next season, had an excellent night, saving 27 of his 28 shots over a full 60 minutes on the ice.

Playoff Outlook

With the win Sunday, the IceHogs are slated to face off against the Iowa Wild to open the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Wild also clinched their spot in the playoffs with a 5-2 win over the Texas Stars, and have the same amount of points as the IceHogs, only they hold the tiebreaker. As such, they are the fourth seed this postseason. Rockford will host game one of the best-of-three series in the BMO Center on Wednesday at 7 p.m., then games two and three will be in Des Moines. If the IceHogs win the series, they will move on to the division semifinals, where they will play a best-of-five against the Texas Stars.

Reichel & Co.

Rockford’s playoff berth is a testament to their strong prospect pool, one that ranks in the top ten in most expert lists. Conversations about young talent usually start with Lukas Reichel and for good reason. In his time on the Blackhawks this year, he looked like a true star and possibly the best player on the ice. He was brought back to Rockford last week to help their chances in the playoffs, and quickly made an impact. He logged an assist in Sunday night’s game and has been productive on both ends of the ice in his recent games in Rockford, despite not showing up much in the scoring column.

Arvid Soderblom

Soderblom also seems to be coming into his own between the pipes, with another strong outing in Milwaukee. After a brief stint with the Blackhawks that quickly went south, he returned to Rockford with his confidence rattled. The 23-year-old has slowly returned to his former self this spring, and he’s been a crucial part of the IceHogs’ playoff run.

Despite a rough season, Blackhawks personnel have to be pleased with this playoff berth. It’s no secret that the team is attempting to rebuild through their young prospect pool, and a spot in the playoffs to compete for a Calder Cup is a testament that things are headed in the right direction. Additionally, the upcoming games give young players like Reichel and Soderblom valuable postseason experience, which will prove vital if and when the Blackhawks make a return to playoff contention. Blackhawks fans may have run out of things to root for at the NHL level, but they can take solace in the fact that one of the teams in their organization could be in line for a strong playoff run.