nhl playoffs, western conference

8/7/2019 NHL Playoffs, Western conference

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2011 THE LONDON FREE PRESS D5

hockey

Western conference capsules1 Vancouver

Canucks8 Chicago

Blackhawks

Possible playof hero

2010-11 season standings

Last playo meeting: The Blackhawks eliminated Vancouver inthe second round in each of the last two years, but both sides are

vastly dierent from last spring.

The SkinnyChapter 3 in the Hawks-Nucks trilogy... Vancouver is deep with award-winning talent, and

leads the league in goals for, goals against, power play (PK is No.2), faceo percentage andpoints. Theyve got it all. But the Presidents Trophy winners are under staggering pressure.

Vancouverites arent hoping for a championship, theyre expecting one. Chicago, gutted afterits 2010 Cup win, has been mediocre all year and backed into the playos on the last day. Who

knows what to expect from them?

Playof history

Wins

Losses

Overtime losses

Conference wins

Division wins

Stanley Cups

54 4429

9

228

0

199

So far Roberto Luongos regular seasonheroics havent translated into theplayos. He had a 3.23 GAA and .895save percentage in Vancouversearly exit last year. He doesnthave to elevate his game,he just needs to keep tofrom sinking under thepressure.

Head-to-head this seasonWins 22

144

HurtingVancouver is down Manny Malholtra (eye) and wont have Ra Torres forthe rst two games (suspension). D Andrew Alberts (wrist) is close, but

hasnt played in six weeks. Dave Bolland (concussion) is skating again, butTroy Brouwer (shoulder) didnt play in the last game of the season.

2 San Jose

Sharks7 Los Angeles

Kings2010-11 season standings

Last playo meeting: This is the rst time theCalifornia rivals have met in the playos.

HurtingKopitar (ankle) and Williams (shoulder) are out for LA.

The Sharks are down Scott Nichol and Ken Huskins whileRyane Clowe is questionable for Game 1.

The SkinnyThe Kings looked like dark horse contenders before injuries to Anze Kopitar and Justin Williamschanged LAs entire complexion. They lost four of their last six and the oence has vanished. Weall know the Sharks story great in the winter, a disappointment in the spring. They do have a

Cup-winning goalie this time, the NHLs second best power play... With Vancouver stealing all theattention, maybe this is the year San Jose slides in under the radar... Its the rst time in three years

the Sharks arent the top seed in the West.

Playof history

Wins

Losses

Overtime losses

Conference wins

Division wins

Stanley Cups

48 46

306

10

0

259

6

01



Pick a Shark. Joe Thornton. Patrick Marleau.Dany Heatley. San Jose is stacked withplayers would want/need to prove theycan deliver in the playos. All of themhave the ability, but none of them havedone it yet.

3 Detroit

Red Wings6 Phoenix

Coyotes2010-11 season standings

Last playo meeting: Detroit edged Phoenix (minus ShaneDoan) in a hard-fought seven-game series last year.

The SkinnyDetroit is Detroit... 20 straight years in the playos... They know how to win and theyre as

deep in playo experience as any team in the tournament... Their fth-ranked power play couldexploit the Coyotes 26th rank PK...Henrik Zetterberg ... Phoenix is a blue collar mutt thats

never won a playo series, but they have impact players in Shane Doan and Shea Weber andposted 99 points in the toughest division in the NHL. Take them lightly at your own peril.

Playof history

Wins

Losses

Overtime losses

Conference wins

Division wins

Stanley Cups

47 4326

13

000

2510


6

1119

Doan, injured in the playos last year, ishealthy now and will be some kind ofmotivated given that hes only playedthree post-season games in thelast seven years. If Detroit goesdeep, Jimmy Howard willneed to be a factor.


HurtingPhoenix is without Kurt Sauer (concussion), and Martin Hanzal is out indenitely(lower body). For Detroit, Chris Osgood (groin) is out indenitely, Henrik Zetterberg(knee) is day to day, Niiklas Kronwall (upper body) is probable for Game 1.

4 Anaheim

Ducks5 Nashville

Predators2010-11 season standings

Last playo meeting: This is the rst ever playomeeting between Nashville and Anaheim.

HurtingBoth Anaheim goalies Jonas Hiller (vertigo) and Ray Emery (lower body) arequestionable for Game 1... For Nashville, Matthew Lombardi (concussion), Cal O`Reilly(leg), Francis Bouillon (concussion), Marcel Goc (shoulder), Steve Sullivan (groin) are

out. Martin Erat (undisclosed) is questionable for Game 1.

The SkinnyThe Ducks are coming on strong. A Norris candidate in Lubomir Visnovsky, a Hart candidate in Corey

Perry, the third-ranked power play in the NHL and plenty of size up front make them a formidablerst round opponent Serious questions in goal, though... Nashvilles has little or no star power andhas never won a playo series in their existence... Their leading goal scorer, Sergei Kostitsyn, has

half as many snipes as Perry (50 to 23), but the Preds wont be out-worked and are one of only threeteams in the NHL with fewer than 10 losses at home (24-9-8).

Playof history

Wins

Losses

Overtime losses

Conference wins

Division wins

Stanley Cups

47 44

2711

32

0

305

11

6

Possible playof heroIf Perry continues the same torrid pace hescored at in the regular season he could carry

this team on his back. Nashville does things bycommittee, any Preds hero will be of the JohnDruce/Fernando Pisani variety.


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