The Blackhawks season is over. They lost to the Predators, 4-1, and were swept out of the first round NHL playoffs for the first time since 1993. The Bulls will try to press their playoff advantage over the top-seeded Celtics tonight at the United Center ... Another sign that the Illinois budget impasse is screwing up Illinois' public universities: Standard and Poor's has downgraded the credit ratings for six schools including the U of I, and put them all on "negative watch" ... President Trump plans to sign three executive orders that may lead to looser regulations on financial firms. The IRS is about to start using private debt collectors to track down overdue tax payments. The New York Times reports consumer watchdogs are concerned they'll target the most vulnerable taxpayers, and open them up to criminal copycats ... The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on police officers in Paris. It comes just before Sunday's presidential election ... The state of Arkansas has executed a convicted murderer -- the first allowed by courts before the state's lethal injection drugs expire at the end of the month ... Cloudy and cooler today, with high temperatures in the low-50s and cooler by the lake.