Hawks-Canucks preview third time in three years

by Brandt Corbin
         Many experts will have you believe that going into game 1 two nights from now, the defending Stanley Cup champions Chicago Blackhawks will be heavy underdogs. They'll point out Vancouver is #1 in goals for, goals against, the top powerplay & 3rd best penalty kill. What those same experts won't point out is that Vancouver plays in the worst division is hockey the Northwest, including the two worst teams in hockey Edmonton & Colorado. They also fail mention, the Hawks are 4th in goals for & 4th with the powerplay, .8% behind the Canucks.
         Goaltending is very close as well, Luongo in 57 games has a 2.11 g.a.a. while the Hawks Corey Crawford has 2.30 g.a.a. in 57 games as well. Luongo has got way more to prove, its no secret he is 4-8 in the last 2 playoff seasons versus the Hawks during those 12 games he's given up 43 goals. Those folks will say well Crawford is a rookie, so was Anti Niemi last year.
         Both teams are so similiar, arguably two of the best lines in hockey. Canuck are of course led the by Sedin's and Alexander Burrows, they will be opposed by Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane & Marion Hossa. Two world class lines, but when its all said and done, these lines will wash each other out. Second lines, are as follows, Ryan Kesler is one of the best second line centers around, coming off of his first 40 goal season. The Hawks will counter Kesler with Patrick Sharp, again another top flight centerman. The secondary scoring favors Chicago, with Bryan Bickell, Tomas Kopecky as well as injured forwards Troy Brouwer & David Bolland who have scored more than 15 goals. Vancouver on the otherhand have Mason Raymond & Mikhail Samuelson who have 15 or more.
         One odd thing is this, you would think playing the same team 3 years in a row, that there would be serious animosity but for the most part that is not the case. You will see some heavy body contact but neither team will want to get into an overly nasty series.
         The only thing home ice will mean anything is the matchup game. Joel Quenville, hawks head coach will change on the fly to get his matchups, as would Alain Vigneault. Raffi Torres will be unavailabe until game 3 as he serves out his 4 game suspension. Both Brouwer & Bolland are doubtful for games 1 or 2, as obviously the Hawks desire a split in Vancouver.
         Mentally the Hawks will have an advantage, they've survived a scare on Sunday, when they could have not advanced to play the Canucks, if the Dallas Stars would have beaten the Minnesota Wild. In the first two playoff series, Toews have outplayed and outscored the Sedin's, but it will come down to who gets more production from the third, fourth lines plus from the back end. I'm going against the experts, and I will say the Hawks will again win this in 6 games.