Mighty Hawks go out with whimper

Just two shortweeks ago, the Blackhawks were closing out another successful regular season. The top seed in theWestern Conference was wrapped up, and Jonathan Toews and company were a common pick for another run to the Stanley Cup.

Four games later, it’s all over.

The Blackhawks were swept right out of the playoffs by the Predators, who skated circles around them for most of the first round. The Blackhawks looked tired while managing just three goals in four lackluster games, with two of them coming on the power play.

“When you don’t compete to the level that’s necessary, I take that personally, and as a coach, we didn’t find the ‘all-out’ button and get the job done,” coach Joel Quenneville said after Thursday night’s 4-1 loss in Game 4 inNashville.

The Blackhawks also were eliminated in the first round last year, bowing out in seven games against the Blues. Two consecutive early playoff exits for the team thatwon Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015 send generalmanager Stan Bowman into the offseason with some difficult questions.

The Blackhawks continue to play right at the top of the salary cap, making any sort of major move a tricky proposition.

“It’s tough enough to lose a series and fall short. It’s a whole different story to get swept like we did,” Toews said. “Aside from what it would feel like to miss the playoffs, especially with the potential in this room, this has to be the next-worst feeling for sure.”

Toews, who won the ConnSmytheTrophy as the playoff MVP in 2010, has just one goal in his last 13 postseason games. Key rookies Ryan Hartman and Nick Schmaltzwerekept off the score sheet altogether against the Predators. Same for veteran center Artem Anisimov, who didn’t look quite right after returning from a left leg injury in time for the playoff opener.

“We didn’t play the game that’s supposed to be played in the playoffs,” winger Artemi Panarin said. Late night: David Desharnais scored 18:15 into the overtime as the host Oilers rallied to a 4-3 win over the Sharks on Thursday night to take a 3-2 lead in the series. Oscar Klefbom’s goal tied the game with just under 3 minutes left in regulation for the Oilers, who had trailed 3-1.