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The following appears in tonight's edition of the Committed Indian, a terrific fan program created by the guys at Second City Hockey that sells (and sells well) outside of the United Center for every Blackhawks home game. Consider this a friendly welcome back to Chicago fans, even if they're in tough tonight for Game 3.

Hey ‘Hawks fans, long time no see. It’s me, James, from Canada — and boy are we ever glad to have you back, loud and proud.

As you may have heard, my homeland is a downright hockey-mad nation. There are literally millions of us watching the Blackhawks scratch and claw and commit to the Indian every night on Hockey Night In Canada, and — speaking as the designated representative of a country of 34 million — we’re loving every minute of it. Chicago’s restored the roar, making the cavernous United Center a formidable place to play, and given the history and the heart behind the franchise, it’s been a joy to tune in.

So, honestly, congrats on that. Give Rocky a glove tap for me.

This is my debut in the Committed Indian, and it’s a thrill to be able to welcome you to the first 'Hawks home game of the conference finals. I’ve got two quick thoughts for you in this column, one about tonight’s game and one that’s a bit more personal in nature, but they’re both related and I hope you’ll bear with me ‘til the end. (No reading during the anthem, though.)

First, let’s get to why you’re here.

Game 3, the Western Conference finals. Down 2-0 to the defending Stanley Cup champs, the Detroit Red Wings, the same team that whipped the ‘Hawks in five games in their last Round 3 appearance 14 years ago. And coming off a heart-breaking, Brian Campbell-induced overtime loss a few nights ago.

So, yes, frankly, it looks bleak. Let’s face it, Detroit’s been a powerhouse for more than a decade — the NHL’s model franchise, really — and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if a few octopi get tossed en route to the Wings winning their fifth Stanley Cup in the past 12 years a few weeks from today.

Based on what we saw in Game 2, however, it’s not time to count Chicago out yet. The ‘Hawks will bring everything tonight — they have to, it’s one of those must-wins you hear about — and I’m sure you, the crowd, will, too.

My guess is it’ll be a thriller.

Over the long haul, the ‘Hawks are going to need to win four out of the next five games — including two in Motown — to beat the Wings and advance to the finals for only the second time in the last 36 years. But here’s the good news: Even if that doesn’t happen, keep in mind that the Blackhawks have already performed one of the greatest comebacks in NHL history this season.

Forget rallying from an 0-3 deficit like the ’42 Maple Leafs or the ’75 Islanders, how about going from an average of 12,727 fans per game in 2006-07 (second worst in the league) to 22,247 this season, setting an NHL record in the process? How about a rise from 20th last season and a playoff miss to putting up the sixth-best record in the league, eight points shy of the vaunted Red Wings?

And how about doing it all while icing the youngest lineup in the NHL, with an average age of 25.6 years (when the season started in October)?

That, ‘Hawks fans, is a fairytale. It’s the sort of story crusty old sportswriters — and young, uncrusty bloggers — love, a tale of redemption and rebirth and a whole bunch of other re- words we don’t have time for me to list.

Hockey matters in Chicago again, and believe it or not, that’s something that’s making a big impact even way up here in my puck-obsessed corner of the continent. Not only do the Blackhawks have the highest Canadian-born contingent on their roster out of the remaining teams (65 per cent of Chicago’s roster was born in this country) but there are hundreds of thousands of hockey fans who grew up rooting for heroes like Bobby Hull and Tony Esposito and Glenn Hall and Stan Mikita, Pierre Pilote, Denis Savard and Keith Magnuson – and they're ready to get on the bandwagon again. (If you’re in your seats right now, you can look up and see all of their numbers, from Hall’s No. 1 to Espo’s 35, and each and every one is a Canadian and a legend in their hometown. And likely yours, come to think of it.)

There’s a real connection there between the ‘Hawks and this country, and it’s one that even holds true in my family. My grandfather, you see, he was almost a ‘Hawk, too.

His name was Gordie and he was from small-town Saskatchewan, just like a fellow named Mr. Hockey who would come along a few years later. Grandpa Mirtle — who we all call Pops — he went to training camp to try and make the ‘Hawks in the mid-1940s, during the Second World War, when Saskatchewanians made up nearly one-quarter of the league.

A high-flying center, Pops was undersized for the position, and despite being a successful pro on the West Coast, never made the Blackhawks. Or the NHL. But, like countless other Canadians, that was his dream.

He’s now in his mid-80s, and has trouble seeing and hearing and doesn’t get out to the golf course any more. He recently told me about his tryouts of long ago, how he wished he’d been a little bigger, a little faster, and then, maybe, he could have been a ‘Hawk and heard "The Roar" from the ice.

Having hockey rise up in Chicago matters to a lot of people, from you in the stands, to millions watching here in Canada — including Pops back in my little hometown of Kamloops, B.C. We’re glad you’re back and hope this time you’ll stay.

Go 'Hawks.