Blackhawks Playoff Preview

[Editor's Note: We have a special guest writer writing our Blackhawks Playoff Preview. Colin O'Shea. Colin is attending tonight's game and might be posting again tomorrow talking about the atmosphere of the UC.]

You say you’re a tried and tested Blackhawks fan? Does the thought of Theo Fleury getting beat up in a Columbus strip club keep you up at night? Were you willing to pay for Alexander Karpotsev’s plane ticket out of town? With the Blackhawks leading the NHL in attendance this year, “die hard” and “life long” fans started filling up the UC again. Well to you Hawks fans who stuck through the likes of Alpo (not the dog food) Suhonen, the promise of Mikhail Yakubov, and the charmin-like softness of Sergei Berezin (still convinced he was scared of his own shadow making contact with him) I say we welcome back the returning fans back with open arms. They simply were not sadistic enough to torture themselves as the Blackhawks faded into obscurity.

Many of the dormant fans might take a look at the Calgary organization and see some familiar faces. They are guided behind the bench by Mike Keenan (last seen tormenting goalies on the way to coaching the Blackhawks to the 1992 Stanley Cup finals), former Blackhawk captain and Coach Darryl Sutter is the team’s general manager (Adrian Aucoin, or Au-groin as he is known in some parts, was a captain of the Blackhawks in name only). A few other Blackhawk pylons (really Rene Bourque? 21 goals??) litter the Flames line up. Enough with the past though….

The Blackhawks current line up no longer represents an AHL team, but rather a balanced line up with three lines that can score and a 4th that can play an irritating role on the ice. If Sharp makes it back for game 1 it will be a huge boost to the Blackhawks line up, but the key to the forwards will be the third line of Sammy Phalsson (I still love you Wisniewski), Dustin Byfuglien, and Andrew Ladd. They will be drawing the assignment to shut down the Bourque-Jokinen-Iginla line (Really Bourque? Really?). Phalsson was acquired from Anaheim for this exact purpose. He was a key member in Anaheim’s capturing of the Stanley Cup and continually drew the assignment of shutting down the opponents top scoring threats.

This line contains two of the three Blackhawks who have hoisted Lord Stanley’s Cup (Ladd and Phalsson…you really didn’t think Byfuglien won a cup, did you? I would bet a lot of money that he would eat out of the cup on his day with it); they know the sacrifice that is needed to reach the promised land (yea, in my world the promised land is skating on frozen water with a giant silver cup).

The key to the defense, especially in the first two games when Coach Q can dictate match ups, will be Keith and Seabrook lining up against the Iginla line. This is so obvious I feel stupid telling you. I apologize.

One of the most important aspects of this series is how quickly the Blackhawks can transition the puck out of their zone to avoid the punishing forecheck the Flames are sure to employ. It is going to be key for Keith and Campbell (please no spin-o-ramas) to start the Hawks transition game while avoiding the punishment the Calgary forwards are going to be looking to deliver.

The Blackhawks have the speed and skill to burn (no pun intended) the Flames the entire series. The Calgary game plan is going to be to punish the Hawks all over the ice. The Hawks must make the Flames pay for their penalties. I imagine the Flames becoming irritated with the Hawks speed and skill and taking either lazy penalties (hooking) or a fair share of roughing penalties as they attempt to “intimidate” the young Hawks. The key will be knowing when to stand your ground and when to let Calgary parade itself to the sin bin.

And let’s not forget we do have a certain goalie who has won a ring (beating these Flames in the finals) and posts a career regular season record of 25-8-7 against them. The media loves to trumpet how young these Blackhawks are, but they have a wealth of experience in the most important position in the playoffs.

Things to watch:
-TUNE IN EARLY FOR THE ANTHEM...it will be televised….
-How Toews and Kane handle the playoff pressure.
-Calgary’s terrible Power Play. This should be good for a laugh.
-How big of a target does Patrick Kane have on his back?
-How many heart attacks will Mike Keenan have as a result of officiating?
-How overrated is Dion Phaneuf?

My prediction: Hawks in 5. Flames win game 3 in their return to Calgary.

I am going to game one and will follow up with my post game reaction.

Slainte,

Colin O’Shea