Hawks close out home season predictably

PREDATORS 3, blackhawks 1

For the fourth straight game, the Blackhawks had a chance todamage the playoff hopes of a Central Division opponent. For thefourth straight time, they failed.

The Hawks lost consecutive games to the St. Louis Blues last weekand bowed for the second straight time to the Nashville Predators onThursday in the last game of the season at the United Center. Makingmatters worse in this one, former Hawk Steve Sullivan contributed agoal and an assist to the Predators' 3-1 victory and drew more cheersfrom the crowd of 13,951 than the Hawks did.

We've been playing desperate veteran hockey clubs with a veryyoung inexperienced team," Hawks coach …