Patrick Kane May Not Play In Game Three

While the Blackhawks have a nice two-game lead in their first round series against the Calgary Flames tonight, they'll be facing a new challenge.  For the first time this postseason they'll have to play a game without the United Center faithful standing behind them and cheering them on.

Instead they'll be facing a crowd that's every bit as raucous as the Chicago faithful at Calgary's Pengrowth Saddledome, the "C of Red."  Also, let's not forget that the Flames weren't exactly easy to beat at home this season, posting a 27-10-4 record, though two of those losses did come to the Hawks.

Oh, and as if winning in Calgary wasn't hard enough, now the Hawks face the possibility of being without Patrick Kane, who missed this morning's skatearound at the Saddledome.  Coach Joel Quenneville said that Kane was "resting" and that whether he plays or not will be a game-time decision.

No doubt what the young Kane is resting from are all the bumps and bruises that the Flames have administered to him every chance they get.  While Kane is a very adept playmaker on the ice, his size has been an issue in the first two games as he's been pushed around by the bigger Flames throughout the first two games.

Still, even though Kane hasn't been as effective in the postseason as he was during the regular season, he's still a key cog to the Blackhawk machine.  His play during five-on-five action has suffered, but he's still a key part of the Hawks power play and his playmaking skills would no doubt be missed if he doesn't suit up.

If Kane doesn't play, Colin Fraser will dress in his place and Martin Havlat can probably expect a even more attention from the Flames after the whistle than he got in game two on Saturday night.

Along with writing for NBCCHICAGO.com, Tom Fornelli can also be found contributing at FanHouse, SPORTSbyBROOKS, and his own Chicago sports blog Foul Balls.