Hawks determined to extend series

So close has the series between the Phoenix Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks been that one little bounce of the puck, one fumble along the boards or one faceoff win can be the difference between celebrating a victory and swallowing a loss.

Five straight games have been de-cided in overtime and who would dare say it won’t go to six when the teams meet again tonight with the Coyotes leading 3-2.

It’s so even and unpredictable that both teams have triumphed twice on the road with Chicago’s 2-1 victory Saturday night in Glendale, Ariz., sending the series back to the United Center.

“We’re going home, which is going to be good, and try to get a lift from the fans and try to get a big win,” Chicago defenceman Brent Seabrook said after Game 5.

“We got to push it to the seventh and try to come back here, but at the same time we’re not looking too far past the next game, we got to come out with a good start and play a full 60.”

The series is tight and it’s been testy. Each team has had a player suspended — Chicago’s Andrew Shaw three games for running into Phoenix goalie Mike Smith and knocking him down in game 2. and coyotes forward Raffi Torres, who was slapped with 25 games for his shoulder-to-head blast on Marian Hossa in Game 3, one that saw the Blackhawks’ star carried off on a stretcher and likely finished him for the remainder of the post-season, however long that might be.

After the Blackhawks’ flight was about six hours late getting back to Chicago on Sunday night because of what team officials said were unforeseen travel delays, coach Joel Quenneville said Shaw would play tonight, and he also ruled Hossa out.

Waiting around in Phoenix on Sunday, the Blackhawks were able to watch some other playoff games.

“You’ve just got to roll with it. I think that over the course of a year or a couple years, you’re going to run into these kinds of things,” Quenneville said about the delay. “These things can happen. You just deal with it.”