For maybe the first time all season, and definitely in a while, the Chicago Blackhawks looked like the Stanley Cup Champions from a season ago. And their two consecutive wins couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Blackhawks are tied with four other teams at 68 points, more than likely only two of those five teams will make the playoffs.

On Monday, the Blackhawks found themselves in a 2-0 hole after the first period against the St. Louis. The Blackhawks we’re accustomed to seeing this season may have been dead in the water at that point. But four second-period goals led to a runaway 5-3 Blackhawks victory, an offensive explosion that was common last season.

“We have to bring that same work ethic and same attitude that anything less than two-points is unacceptable,” Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said. “And that’s what we’re going out there for.”

A day before making the trip to St. Louis, the Blackhawks took on the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 2009 Cup Champions, and killed off an overtime penalty to eventually win in a shootout.

“It’s a confidence builder to get two games in a row,” Toews said. “Those are games that we need.”

If the Blackhawks are able to work their way out of the five-team deadlock and make the playoffs, we’ll likely look back at the Penguins game as the catalyst that started the push.

Western Conference Standings, as of 2/21 at 2:30PM (click to enlarge)