Jimmy holds grudges.

Jimmy holds grudges.

As Adam wrote in his wrap Friday night, the streaks inside the streak get lost on us – and understandably so.

The Blackhawks will be going for a ninth straight victory for the first time since Dec. 7-28, 2008 – the year hockey was invented, according to some of the fanbase. It’s easy to forget this team has picked up two points in each game for as long as they have when The Streak simply focuses on gaining at least one.

And that’s one of my problems with the streak, as I’ve mentioned before. There’s so much more going on with this team than just that arbitrary streak. The stars are playing like stars, the bottom six is contributing more than anyone expected, and both goaltenders are thriving when their number is called.

Does it get better than this? Yes – by extending The Streak with a win over those douchenozzles up north (or northeast, as some have liked to point out).

Just when we’re all ready to put the Red Wings on the back burner (See: 0-3-2 stretch from Feb. 13-21), they go ahead and get themselves back into the discussion. They’ve won three of their last four, including dropping 8 on Roberto Luongo last Sunday and beating the Sharks 2-1 in a shootout on Thursday.

While the ‘Hawks will be playing their third game in four nights, Detroit had the last two days off after their two-game Cali trip that included a loss to the Cup champs. The Wings already once provided a serious threat to point streak, with the ‘Hawks escaping with a 2-1 win Jan. 27 on Nick Leddy’s OT winner.

The other goal came on Duncan Keith’s shot that led to the awesome picture above.

Detroit comes in among the league leaders converting 24.6 percent of its power-play chances at home, but the ‘Hawks counter that with killing off 94.7 percent of their penalties on the road. This could prove to loom large as each of the last eight matchups have been decided by one goal.

Jimmy Howard made 25 saves in the first meeting and will get the crease again. He’s allowed at least three goals in 10 of his 18 starts. Despite allowing only two in each of his last four versus the ‘Hawks, he has a 1-1-2 record to show for it.

I think at this point we’re counting on Corey Crawford to be healthy enough to go in this one, as Ray Emery has seen his share of work with Crawford nursing an injury every beat writer in this city is too afraid to ask about.

All right boys, time to go for win No. 9 in a row and push The Streak to 22.

Let’s go ‘Hawks!