You knew this moment was coming, but it was still hard to believe.
But there they were, the mighty Chicago Blackhawks, glumly on the wrong end of the handshake line while a joyous crowd at Bridgestone Arena celebrates their Nashville Predators.
And you can only imagine the disbelief in that Chicago locker room after being swept -- swept! -- from the playoffs in the opening round.
Four games. Four losses. Three goals scored. Total.
The Blackhawks, Central Division champions with 109 points, sank beneath the surface of the playoffs like stone, leaving not even the smallest ripple.