The Chicago Blackhawks showed up in Jobing.com Arena in Glendale tonight with not only a game they had to win against the Phoenix Coyotes, but one they had to win in regulation.

They won in regulation, riding goals by defensemen Duncan Keith and Chris Campoli to a 2-1 final score.

The defense was solid all night, holding the Coyotes to 23 shots, and protecting Corey Crawford. Crawford basically took over the last 2 minutes of the game, turning it into his own highlight reel.

This means the Hawks are still in playoff position with 10 games to go. All good news, with one (possibly huge) exception...

Let's get to this:

THE GOOD:

The Blackhawks' commitment to defense. After the shitshow against the Dallas Stars the other night, they came out tonight and played playoff hockey, They clogged passing lanes & blocked 22 shots. This is how you stay off the golf course.

Ryan Johnson. When the Hawks got him, I figured he'd be a bargain, but I never knew he was Craig MacTavish in the dot. Two years ago the Hawks had Sammi Pahlsson to take all the big defensive zone draws, last year it was John Madden. Now Johnson is money in the faceoff circle, even if it usually ends with him on his ass.

The whole will-they-or-won't-they thing in Glendale looks to be coming to an end. Prospective owner Matt Hulsizer is now going to guarantee the bond issue payments, which essentially takes Glendale taxpayers off the hook and means that (for tonight anyway) the Goldwater Institute has nothing to bitch about. Winnipeg will have to look at the Thrashers, Blues, or some other team that is up for sale. The Coyotes finally look like they're staying put.

THE BAD:

Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Troy Brouwer, Bryan Bickell and the rest of the Blackhawks' forwards. That's 2 straight games with no goals from a Hawks' forward. This after the scoring barrage against San Jose. They need to resume tickling the twine. Of course one problem might be...

THE UGLY:

Late in the first period, Rostislav Klesla went knee-to-knee with Patrick Sharp. Sharp had to have his handsome self helped off the ice, and never returned. Any injury to Sharp throws a real spanner in the works for the Hawks. Hopefully they were just playing it safe.

Next up for the Hawks is a home game on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Just. Win.