Blackhawks-Canucks Series Glimpse
Is it time for the second round already? How was that reintroduction to playoff hockey, Chicago? After an amazing first round victory against Calgary, the Blackhawks face their second straight opponent from north of the border.
Calgary and Vancouver took their battle for a division title down to the end of the regular season, and Chicago was barely ahead of them in final points, so this promises to be another highly competitive series. Everything I have heard marks Vancouver as the favorite, but I’m really struggling to figure out how. For me, it’s nearly impossible to call this series because I think Chicago has the better team, but Vancouver has home ice.
The teams split four games in the regular season and there is no love lost between the them. You’ll see a lot of shoving after whistles and a lot of WD-40 in use for the hinges on the penalty box. The team that keeps its cool the best will have a distinct advantage. Speaking of advantage, the Blackhawks were great on the power play in the first round, while the Canucks excelled on the kill. Something will have to give there.
Part of the reason for the success of Vancouver’s D was the netminder Roberto Luongo. He was great in the sweep of St. Louis and has to worry Blackhawks fans with that “hot goaltender” phenomenon that can carry a team deep into the playoffs. However, Chicago has a goaltender of its own on a pretty good streak. Khabibulin was great in the first round and will be looking to carry the Hawks one step closer to the Stanley Cup Finals.
What’s the key to the series? Slowing down the top line of Vancouver. Alex Burrows and the Sedins form one of the best lines in the NHL and it will be up to Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith to hold them down. The Hawks blueline duo did well against the Flames top line in the first round, but this is a different animal. The Sedins are capable of holding the puck deep in the zone all by themselves, leaving Burrows free to get open. They’re going to score, it’s just a matter of limiting the damage and making other people beat you.
Keith and Seabrook were fantastic in the first round though. I especially thought Seabrook was one of the best players on the ice for either team a lot of the time. Speaking of young guys needed to step up again…the offense. While the Canucks get a ton of production from their top line, the Hawks get it from all over. 12 different players scored in the first round for Chicago and they’ll need more of the same this time around. Dave Bolland deserves special mention for his play in the first round. He just seemed a step faster than everyone else and made plays in all aspects of the game.
I also have to say that I really, really don’t like Vancouver. Expect a lot of goonery in this series to the point that it will actually make you mad. Cheap shots after the whistle, overreactions every time the Hawks get near Luongo, coupled with constant collisions with Khabibulin. I really think the Blackhawks are better, but Vancouver plays a brand of hockey that can be very effective in the playoffs, with toughness and great goaltending. It’s a tall task for these young Blackhawks, but they need to be able to keep their cool and let the Canucks sit in the penalty box. More controlled physical play like we saw in the first round and I think the Hawks come out on top. Hawks in six.
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