Blackhawks return to Western Conference Finals
For the second straight year, the Chicago Blackhawks have eliminated the Vancouver Canucks in six games during the second round of the playoffs and once again make their way to the Western Conference Finals. Awaiting their arrival is the San Jose Sharks who have been resting and waiting since rolling the Winged Wheels to the curb last weekend.
Brent Sopel congratulates goalie Antti Niemi after the Blackhawks eliminated Vancouver in game six Tuesday night (AP PhotoTHE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)
This matchup pits the top-two seeds out west. Oddly enough…it’s still possible that the 7th and 8th seeds in the east could meet in the ECF.
The Sharks will be making their first trip to the WCF since 2004 when they were beaten by the Calgary Flames 4 games to 2. Last year the Red Wings did away with the Hawks in five games.
San Jose finished the season with a record of 51-20-11 for 113 to win the Pacific Division while Chicago went 52-22-8 for 112 points winning the Central. The Blackhawks scored seven more goals during the regular season than did San Jose…they also allowed six fewer goals.
As for their regular season matchups, Chicago took 3 of the 4 games played between the two…twice in overtime. The Blackhawks won a 4-3 overtime game on November 15 in Chicago, then traveled to San Jose ten days later to crush the Sharks 7-2. The Sharks returned to the windy city to take a 3-2 regulation decision just before Christmas and on January 28 the Hawks traveled back to California to win 4-3 in OT.
Who wins Western Conference Finals?
- #1 San Jose Sharks (22%, 39 Votes)
- #2 Chicago Blackhawks (78%, 135 Votes)
Total Voters: 175
Loading ...If I’m not mistaken…I believe this is the first ever matchup between the two teams during the playoffs.
As a team, the Sharks are scoring goals at a rate of 3.03 per game in the playoffs and allowing 2.54 GA/G, which is second only to Philadelphia’s 2.50. Their power play is 21.6 % effective while they’ve been killing off 21.6% of the penalties they face. Chicago’s offense is netting 3.33 goals per game…tied with Pittsburgh for the most of all remaining teams…and the Blackhawks are surrendering 2.75 GA/G. They have scored on 19.3% of their man advantages and their PK is successful 84.2% of the time thus far.
San Jose’s Evgeni Nabokov is 8-3 after the first two rounds with a 2.43 GAA, .907 SV% and one shutout. On the other end of the ice will be Chicago’s Antti Niemi who is now 8-4 with a 2.57 GAA, .909 SV% and 2 SO.
Joe Pavelski leads the Sharks’ attack with 9 goals and 6 assists. He’s launched 52 shots on goal…tied with Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin…and is a +7 in the post-season. Joe Thornton has 3 goals and 8 assists while Dany Heatley has 2 goals and 9 assists.
For the second consecutive year, Roberto Luongo and the Canucks depart the playoffs by losing to Chicago in the second round (AP Photo/The Canadian Press - Jonathan Hayward)
Jonathan Toews now has 20 overall points, 6 goals and 14 assists, and leads all skaters in the playoffs. Patrick Kane scored his seventh of the post-season in Chicago’s 5-1 clincher in Vancouver Tuesday night and he now has 15 overall points. Patrick Sharp has 14 points…5 goals and 9 assists.
So…who do you like to make it out of the west to the Stanley Cup Finals? This is a tough one for me, but going into the playoffs I predicted the Blackhawks would make it there… so I’m gonna stick with that pick, saying they will survive the Sharks in seven very entertaining games.
We could learn the two Eastern Conference finalists tonight. Game seven between Montreal and Pittsburgh will decide that exciting series while Boston looks to do away with Philly in their game six. The Flyers, on the other hand, are trying to continue their comeback bid after falling into a 3-0 hole to the Bruins.
Personally, I would love to see Philadelphia extend the series…if for no other reason than to simply provide another evening of playoff action for our viewing pleasure.
Wolves Eliminated in Overtime of Game Seven
The Chicago Wolves we not able to match what the NHL team in Chicago did Tuesday night, losing in overtime 6-5 to the Texas Stars. This despite holding leads of 2-0, 4-2 and 5-4.
Spencer Machacek scored twice and Jason Krog, Brett Sterling and Tim Stapleton each added a goal for the Wolves. Sterling also added an assist on Krog’s goal, which put Chicago up by a goal with 10:15 remaining in the third.
Drew MacIntyre allowed an unassisted goal to Jamie Benn 4:57 into the overtime period after the Stars’ forward won the puck on the boards and snapped off a wrister that ended the season for the Thrashers’ AHL affiliate.
Texas will now advance to the AHL Western Conference Finals against the Hamilton Bulldogs.
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57 comments Add your comment
kracker
May 12th, 2010
9:23 pm
5-2 Habs!!! 1-0 Flyers!!! Life is good.
kracker
May 12th, 2010
9:46 pm
Congrats to the Habs, bye Sid…the playoffs sure do make for strange allegiances! And it’s 2-0 Flyers after two periods. Same qualifier. I’m not a Habs or Flyers fan but you have to give it to them in these playoffs!
HookyBob
May 12th, 2010
9:47 pm
The Habs are giant killers this year. And I’m OK with that. They even reminded me a bit of the “miracle on ice” team at times. I wonder what the shot differential has been over the last 14 games?
Is this the team that Gainey built?
The ghosts of hockey past are with them.
Brendan
May 12th, 2010
10:31 pm
Viking, Team USA also lost to Germany, 2-1. I believe. It’s a weird vibe all throughout hockey. Think about this. If the Flyers hold this 2-0 lead, in Philly, over Boston, then they take Game Seven, … then the Flyers, who ENTERED the playoffs on a shootout win in Game #82, would HOST the Conference Finals vs. Montreal.
Now think about this. Whether it’s Boston or Philly vs. Montreal, that’s still a # 6/7 vs. # 8 in the Conference Finals. That’s embarrassing for the league. What’s the point of the regular season?
Tuukka Rask just stopped a penalty shot. Nice save, too.
Gary Bettman has got to hope Chicago comes out of the West and Boston in the East, if the Stanley Cup Finals are going to get any TV-ratings. Boston vs. Chicago is an “Original Six” matchup. In case you’re curious, the last time the Bruins and Blackhawks played each other in the playoffs … was the 1978 Quarter-Finals, won by Boston in a sweep. Lifetime, the Bruins are 5-1 vs. Chicago in the playoffs.
Boston’s record vs. Montreal in the playoffs … is a less than impressive 8-24. Of course, the Bruins swept the Habs in their last meeting, in the 2009 playoffs.
Chicago’s record vs. Montreal in the playoffs … is 5-12. They last met in the Quarter-Finals of 1976, where Montreal swept the Blackhawks.
San Jose has never played Boston, Philly, Montreal or Chicago previously in the playoffs. Chicago has played Philadelphia once in its history. It occurred in 1971, in the Quarter-Finals. Chicago swept the Flyers, 4-0. So, there are pretty much all the possible combinations. Okay, here’s the Philly-Montreal history. The’ve met 5 times previously, with Montreal winning three of them. They last met in 2008, when the Flyers won 4-1. And really, had it not been for a very late 3rd period goal, the overtime winner in Game One, the Flyers would have swept the Habs in 2008.
Brendan
May 12th, 2010
10:34 pm
Leighton has finally given up his first goal of this series. It’s 2-1, Flyers, with one minute left to play.
Brendan
May 12th, 2010
10:43 pm
Correct me if I’m wrong, this is the first time since 1975 that a series has gone seven games, after a series lead of 3-0 was established. How HUUUUGE was that Simon Gagne overtime winner in Game Four? A Bruin goal would have completed the sweep, they’d be RESTING all this time. Bygones, for them. They’ve got to focus on their next game. That’s all they can do.
Imagine it, folks. Marc Savard returns from the Matt Cooke hit just in time to be the first team in 35 years to blow a 3-0 series lead. Rubbin’ my chin, so … who’d have the BIGGER momentum? Hypothetically. Montreal, which has knocked off Ovechkin, Semin, Crosby, Malkin and Staal, by winnings Games Six and Seven against Pittsburgh, or Philly, who overcame a 3-0 series deficit? I guess I’d have to lean towards Philadelphia. How could the Flyers not see themselves as a ‘team of destiny?’ Look at all they’ve overcome?
For Paul Holmgren, I think this buys him some time as GM. And for Jacques Martin, this years playoffs probably added a good 5 years to his shelf life as a viable Head Coaching candidate, should he ever depart Montreal in that space of time.
Red Light
May 13th, 2010
7:20 am
Oh, I thought we all were under the impression that since Dudley is now “in charge” that soon to be free agents will no longer walk away en masse from the Thrashers. In that case, we should never trade for anyone who isn’t under contract for at least five years. Good luck with that guys.