NHL Playoff Picks: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Vancouver Canucks Series Preview

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Last year’s Western Conference Finals teams will meet in the first round in the 2010-11 NHL playoffs, when the Vancouver Canucks take on the Chicago Blackhawks. The Canucks will be looking to avenge a 4-2 defeat in last postseason and are the Presidents’ Trophy winners as the team with the best record in the regular season. Chicago was the last team to clinch a playoff spot, needing a loss by the Dallas Stars on the final day to get into the postseason.

#8 Chicago Blackhawks

How They Got Here: Chicago’s postseason hopes were in doubt for much of the season and it looked like the Blackhawks would not get a chance to defend their Stanley Cup. The Blackhawks could’ve cemented a spot in the postseason with a point against the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday afternoon but fell 4-3 to the hated Red Wings. With a win against the Minnesota Wild, Dallas would’ve been the No. 8 seed, but a 5-3 loss on Sunday night in the last regular season game of the season gave Chicago a shot to repeat.

Player to Watch: Last year’s Conn Smythe winner, Jonathan Toews, is one of the most exciting players in the NHL and will be the man for the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Toews led the Blackhawks in points this season and totaled 32 goals and 44 assists in the regular season. Toews made a name for himself last postseason, compiling seven goals and 22 assists in 22 games.

Goalie Outlook: Corey Crawford has done a serviceable job in replacing Antti Niemi in net for the Blackhawks. Crawford notched a 33-17-6 record and a 2.27 ERA with a .918 save percentage during the regular season in his first extended time in the pro ranks. With the talent that Chicago has on the frontline, Crawford doesn’t need to be special for the Blackhawks to win.

Key to Victory: Chicago will have a tough time getting past Vancouver, but needs to put the puck past net minder Roberto Luongo early and often to win this series. The Blackhawks had one of the top five offenses in the NHL this season and tallied 23 goals in six games against the Canucks last postseason, so they have the talent to get it done. If they hope to advance, the offense will need to come close to last year’s production.

#1 Vancouver Canucks

How They Got Here: The best team in hockey dominated the Western Conference all season and coasted to the No. 1 seed in the West with a combination of fantastic offense and spectacular defense. Vancouver was No. 1 in the NHL in goals per game (3.1), No. 1 in goals allowed per game (2.2), No. 1 on the power play (24.4%), and No. 3 on the penalty kill (85.6%). They look to be the favorites when odds to win the Stanley Cup are released.

Player to Watch: Can we combine the Sedin twins and make them both the subject of this section? LW Daniel Sedin will win the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer this year and will be one of the candidates for the Hart Trophy as well. Sedin was the only player in the NHL to record a 100 point season by tallying 41 goals and 63 assists. His plus/minus of +30 was also one of the best totals in the league and the 1-2 punch he creates with Henrik Sedin is the best in the league.

Goalie Outlook: If not for the fantastic season from Tim Thomas, Roberto Luongo would be the runaway favorite for the Vezina Trophy this season. Luongo put together the best season of his career in 2010-11, putting together a gaudy 38-15-7 record with a razor thin 2.11 GAA and an impressive .928 save percentage. Luongo will need to improve on the shaky performance he rendered last postseason though, going 6-6 with a 3.22 GAA and an .895 save percentage.

Key to Victory: For Vancouver, the key will be to just maintain the performance that made them the best in the regular season. No team could compete with the all-around numbers the Canucks put together in the regular season and as long as they keep up their play, they will advance.

2010-11 Regular Season Meetings
February 4th – Vancouver 4 – Chicago 3
December 3rd – Chicago 0 – Vancouver 3
November 20th – Vancouver 1 – Chicago 7
October 20th – Chicago 2 – Vancouver 1

Season Series Notes: Vancouver and Chicago split the season series two games apiece and the home team also went 2-2 in their four meetings. The teams haven’t played each other in over two months, but most of the notable players from their series last postseason are back.

The Final Word: Vancouver was the best team in the regular season and probably would’ve preferred to play Dallas over Chicago, but the Stars couldn’t hold up their end of the bargain. If the Canucks can transfer their regular season success to the postseason, they should be able to get by the Blackhawks.

Stanley Cup Free Picks: Vancouver in 5

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Stanley Cup Picks: Nashville Predators vs. Anaheim Ducks Series Preview

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Two of the NHL’s newer franchises will square off in the first round of the NHL playoffs when the Anaheim Ducks meet the Nashville Predators. Nashville has gotten it done thanks to a suffocating defense and one of the top goalkeepers in the game. Meanwhile, the Ducks have reached this point thanks to a late season push that gave them the four seed. 

#5 Nashville Predators

How They Got Here: Nashville has now reached the postseason in six of its last seven seasons, but has failed to advance past the first round each season. Playing in the brutal Central Division with the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings has done the Predators little favor, but they rode goalie Pekka Rinne to the postseason. A 10-3-2 record in the month of March pushed the Predators above the pack and put them back in the playoffs.

Player to Watch: Captain D Shea Weber is the leader of the Predators and is a big reason why the Predators were third in the NHL in goals allowed per game (2.3) and fifth in penalty kill percentage (85.0). Weber was also tied for third on the team with 48 points (16 goals, 32 assists) and led the team in ice time.

Goalie Outlook: Pekka Rinne had a fantastic 2010-11 NHL regular season, running up a 33-22-9 record with a 2.12 GAA and a .930 save percentage. Both his GAA and save percentage were among the best in the league and although he won’t win the Vezina Trophy, may be named a finalist for the award. Rinne will need to continue his standout play for the Predators to get past the Ducks.

Key to Victory: One word: Rinne. The Predators leading scorer only has 50 points and the team was just 21st in the NHL in goals per game (2.6). With a mediocre offense, the Predators are going to need to rely on Rinne to shut down Corey Perry and the Ducks. If Rinne doesn’t show up, the Predators will again fall in the first round.

#4 Anaheim Ducks

How They Got Here: A little over a month ago, the Ducks postseason hopes were seriously in doubt after a five game losing streak at the end of February. Since that point though, the Ducks have went 15-5-0 and rocketed all the way up to the four seed thanks to having the most wins in regulation time out of all the teams with 99 points. Anaheim has been one of the most efficient teams on the power play this season, converting on 23.5% of the opportunities, third best in the NHL.

Player to Watch: RW Corey Perry had a phenomenal season and should be given serious consideration for the Hart Trophy. Perry was the league’s only 50 goal scorer, landing right on the magical number, and finished five goals ahead of Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos. Perry’s 98 points were third most in the NHL as he proved himself to be one of the best forwards in all of hockey. Somewhat lost in Perry’s numbers was his impressive play on the penalty kill, where he notched four short-handed goals this season.

Goalie Outlook: The Ducks have had a mess of a situation at goaltender this season with four different goaltenders playing in at least 10 games. Jonas Hiller came into the season as the starter and put up quality numbers, but has only played in two games in the last two months due to vertigo. Ray Emery looked to be the starting goaltender heading into this series, but a lower-body injury suffered on Wednesday puts his status in doubt. If Emery can’t go, the Ducks will look to Dan Ellis, who has tallied an 8-3-1 record with a 2.39 GAA and a .917 save percentage since being acquired from Tampa Bay.

Key to Victory: With the myriad of questions in net, the Ducks will need to rely on Corey Perry and his goal-scoring ability to get past the Predators. Perry has been on a serious hot streak lately, lighting the lamp 19 times in the past 16 games and virtually carried the Ducks to the playoffs down the stretch. If Anaheim hopes to advance, Perry will need to get the puck past the pesky Rinne.

2010-11 Regular Season Meetings
March 24th – Nashville 5 – Anaheim 4
January 5th – Anaheim 1 – Nashville 4
November 7th – Anaheim 5 – Nashville 4
October 9th – Nashville 4 – Anaheim 1

Season Series Notes: Nashville won the season series 3-1, while the home team also went 3-1 in their four games. Rinne was 3-0 against the Ducks this season, and the only time they could beat the Predators was when backup goaltender Anders Lindback was in net.

The Final Word: This series looks to be strength against strength. Anaheim has a potent offense and a questionable defense, while Nashville has a superb defense and an iffy offense. Anaheim’s murky goaltender situation doesn’t help matters and although Ellis has been solid with the Ducks, he was awful in Tampa and is a far cry from Rinne. We expect the old adage of, “Defense wins championships” to ring true here.

Stanley Cup Free Picks: Nashville in 6

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