NO. 1 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (36-7-5) VS NO. 8 MINNESOTA WILD (26-19-3)
STRENGTHS
BLACKHAWKS: The Blackhawks have enjoyed a stupendous season, so just about every part of their game is a strength. They were the highest scoring team in the Western Conference, the stingiest defensively and outscored their opponents by 53 goals. Their top players, beginning with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, performed to expectation and their underrated goaltending tandem of Corey Crawford and Ray Emery exceeded all expectations. Their team speed and puck movement is outstanding and, in Joel Quenneville, they have a Cup-winning veteran coach who has seen it all.
WILD: The Wild, after challenging the Canucks for first in the Northwest Division much of the season, needed a win on the last day of its season just to make the playoffs. The club’s strengths are its two prized recruits: forward Zach Parise, who led them in scoring with 38 points, and defenceman Ryan Suter, a Norris Trophy candidate who led the Western Conference in time on ice (27:16) and was also the top scoring blueliner in the West (32 points). Goalie Niklas Backstrom has been a workhorse with 42 appearances in 48 games and 24 of the team’s 26 wins.
WEAKNESSES
BLACKHAWKS: The Blackhawks’ power play has been a surprising weakness this season, converting on just 16.7 per cent of its opportunities, putting it 19th in league. It seems hard to imagine with Kane, Toews, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp available up front and Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook on the points. However, Sharp missed 21 games due to injury and his production plummeted to just six goals. If he’s truly healthy for the playoffs, he should make a difference. The Hawks have also lost some of the snarl they had during their victorious Cup run in 2010 as Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd and even the likes Adam Burish and Ben Eager have moved on.
WILD: The Wild’s inability to sew up a playoff spot before Game 48 – they lost 4-1 to Calgary and 6-1 to Edmonton, both at home in the final week – says enough about its performance in the clutch. By now, the team is probably relieved it didn’t completely choke but team confidence has to be an issue. It is also not an experienced playoff group, having missed the last four seasons, while Backstrom is just 3-8 lifetime in the post-season.
BREAKING IT DOWN
FOR THE BLACKHAWKS TO WIN: All they have to do is keep on trucking as they did all season
long.
FOR THE WILD TO WIN: It’ll need extraordinary goaltending from Backstrom, or a flu epidemic in the Chicago dressing room, to avoid being trampled.