(IST) CDF: (3) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (WC1) Minnesota Wild

[Raskolnikov]

Hawks in 7 it is!!

 

[Adun]

Hawks in 7 it is!!

Going from sweep to 7 games because we don't have home ice adv? :hi5:

 

[HeHateMe]

If the hawks play aggressive, like they WANT it, 4. Otherwise, in 6 and they may be too gassed to make it through to the stanley cup champion round. Just my humble opinion.

 

[HeHateMe]

Going from sweep to 7 games because we don't have home ice adv? :hi5:

Adun, im new to hockey, but are you like, really new to it?

 

[JZsportsfan]

I won't have the emotional strength to make it through 7 games while living in Minneapolis. So I'm taking the Blackhawks in 6

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

Going from sweep to 7 games because we don't have home ice adv? :hi5:

 

[CRM 114]

I don't think we have home ice man.

edit: never mind, I must have found an old article from last year. I guess its good. But I think I would have preferred to steal home ice from them then have to play 2 games where they can steal it from us.

http://chicago.suntimes.com/blackha...pstart-wild-devan-dubnyk-second-round-rematch

You guess it's good we have home ice? It's really important with how hard it is to win in Minnesota. Are you joking or are you actually serious?

 

[LordKOTL]

O needs to bring it. Goaltending needs to be tighter overall and the team D needs to show up from the opening faceoff, not when the netminder has been chased due to them playing like the Bulgarian Womens National Team.

Major Gut-check. Can they do it? I think they can in 6. Will they? Depends on how much they want it.

 

[Adun]

Adun, im new to hockey, but are you like, really new to it?

Wait, so having home ice makes you lose 3 more games in a series?

Much to learn I have

 

[TCD]

This is my prediction. In nomway did i go back and delete my old prediction and write in a new prediction


Hawks in 4.

Plus yah..dubnyk. Right..he isnt playing two strong series.

 

[Novak]

Blackcawks in 7, but it's just prolonging the inevitable because the Flames will be waiting for them next. And we all know the Flames will be in the finals sooo....

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

Oh, great, I'm gonna fall asleep while watching Blackhawks playoff hockey

Hawks in 5, I wanted to say 4, but we never sweep anybody

Except the best team in the West in 2010 (points-wise) in the Sharks.
The parody in the NHL is making it less likely to see many sweeps. I was surprised the Ducks took out the Jets in 4.

 

[CLWolf81]

Dubnyk looks good. The Minnesota D looks good.

That said, a good chunk of their O can be caught up by even our slowest of snails. I also can't see Dubnyk being hot through 2 playoff series in their entirety...

Hawks in 6. Only reason why I am giving Minnesota 2 is due to our goaltending being the only real question mark in this series.

 

[CLWolf81]

This should be a nice little prepping bit of fun....

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: 48-28-6. 4TH in Western Conference

MINNESOTA WILD: 46-28-8. 7TH in Western Conference


Head-to-head
Chicago: 3-2-0
Minnesota: 2-3-0

LEADING PLAYOFF SCORERS
Chicago: Jonathan Toews (8 pts), Duncan Keith (7 pts), Patrick Kane (7 pts)
Minnesota: Zach Parise (7 pts), Jason Pominville (5 pts), Mikael Granlund (5 pts)
ADVANCED STATS (regular season)
Chicago: 5on5CF% – 53.6; 5on5Sv% – .936; 5on5Sh% – 7.02; PDO – 100.6
Minnesota: 5on5CF% – 51.1; 5on5Sv% – .917; 5on5Sh% – 8.65; PDO = 100.4


KEY INJURIES
Chicago: The Blackhawks currently have no injuries to report.
Minnesota: Keith Ballard (IR: concussion, facial fractures)

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

I'll add to CL's post by posting playoff numbers.
Both teams have played 6 games.
Minnesota is 1st on the PP at an insane 33.3%, while their PK is middle of the pack @ 81.8% (9th).
GF: 2.83, GA: 2.33

Blackhawks are 9th on the PP at a meager 15.8%, while the PK is a brutal 72.7% (tied with WPG at 13th)
GF: 3.17 (3rd in playoffs), GA 3.15 (15th).

 

[TCD]

Yah very well could be a special teams series this one.

 

[CLWolf81]

They almost look similar in numbers. This might actually be a nasty matchup for the Hawks than I originally thought....

 

[TCD]

I dont know what the point is of putting too much stock in reg season stats during a 7 game playoff series though. Thats just me. Not saying im right or wrong its just not really something i ever do. Im a clean slate guy come game 1 and let the series stats start reflect the face to face more than any of the regular season stats.

 

[CLWolf81]

It also gives a nice look at things to discuss while we wait for the new schedule to arrive.
.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

Stats are fun but the way the Hawks have been over the years, they're PP can ignite at any time just as it can go cold at any time. Seems like this year the PK isn't as good as it has been in the past. Isn't that why Q likes Nordstrom, for his PK? The 4th line is better without Nordstrom. The PK might be missing Ben Smith a little bit.