NHL Playoff Betting: Canucks vs Blackhawks Series Preview & Pick
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Schedule.
- Saturday, May 1 at Chicago, 8:00 p.m. CBC, VERSUS
- Monday, May 3 at Chicago, 9:00 p.m. CBC, VERSUS
- Wednesday, May 5 at Vancouver, 9:30 p.m. CBC, VERSUS
- Friday, May 7 at Vancouver, 9:30 p.m. CBC, VERSUS
- *Sunday, May 9 at Chicago, 8:00 p.m. CBC, VERSUS
- *Tuesday, May 11 at Vancouver, 9:30 p.m. CBC, VERSUS
- *Thursday, May 13 at Chicago, 8:00 p.m. CBC, VERSUS
Canucks vs Blackhawks Odds To Win 7 Game Series: NHL CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS SERIERS PRICES BEST OF SEVEN 2-2-1-1-1
3101 CANUCKS SERIES +115
3102 BLACKHAWKS SERIES -135
If everything goes his way, 2009-10 will go down as the season Roberto Luongo proved all his detractors wrong. First, he won an Olympic gold medal. Then, he overcame some serious heebie-jeebies to stand on his head when it mattered against the Los Angeles Kings. Luongo’s next hurdle is to right the wrong of last year. For the second straight season, the Canucks meet the Hawks in the Western Conference semifinal.
Will Luongo show he’s a new man or crack under the pressure again?
(3) VANCOUVER CANUCKS vs. (2) CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
I have to be honest: I truly believe this series is the Stanley Cup. To me, it’s a battle of the deepest and perhaps most complete teams in the playoffs. At the very least, I think the winner of this series will reach the final.
Both teams have tremendous offensive depth. Chicago usually splits up Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, allowing it to roll two outstanding scoring lines. Both star players took turns being “the guy” in Chicago’s six-game victory over Nashville.
The Hawks also use Marian Hossa – a great sniper who plays very underrated defensive hockey – in almost every situation and have tremendous secondary support from plucky guys like Patrick Sharp (who had seven points in round one).
The Canucks showed the Kings in round one that their days of being a one-line team are a very distant memory. Henrik and Daniel Sedin teamed with Mikael Samuelsson to put on a tour-de-force performance, combining for a whopping 29 points in six games. Samuelsson emerged as the new to triggerman, potting seven goals.
But they weren’t alone. Ryan Kesler showed his outstanding two-way skill, Pavol Demitra carried over his great Olympic effort and even Steve Bernier emerged from the woodwork to score four goals.
It’s safe to say offense won’t decide this series directly since both teams have it in spades. The keys will be goaltending and defense.
Chicago has the deeper, more talented blueline than Vancouver’s – maybe the NHL’s best. Duncan Keith is perhaps the Norris Trophy frontrunner and teams with Brent Seabrook to form the league’s best shutdown pair. Brian Campbell’s return will bolster the power play and, given how bad Vancouver’s penalty killing was in round one, the Canucks have to be concerned about special teams.
That said, I don’t think the Canucks’ defenders will be in over their heads, even against a physical and talented forward corps like Chicago’s.
The Kings were just as big and just as deep up front and the likes of Alex Edler stepped up for the Canucks with punishing physical play.
It may all come down to Luongo versus Anti Niemi. Statistically, the advantage goes to Chicago. After all, Niemi posted a .920 save percentage and two shutouts against Nashville. But I don’t buy it. Niemi was very inconsistent, mixing in stinker performances and soft goals with the shutouts.
He also had the luxury of facing one of the league’s most anemic offensive teams in Nashville.
Who tested him besides Shea Weber?
Luongo’s numbers weren’t there (.2.92 goals against average, .890 save percentage) overall but they don’t reflect his crackdown over the last two games. He stopped 54 of 58 shots over Games 5 and 6, looking confident in goal and making some highlight-reel saves.
We’ll see if Luongo answers the bell but I’m betting that he will. I also believe the Canucks played a much better team in round one than Chicago did and will thus be more battle-ready in the second round.
Chicago looked sluggish against Nashville but could afford to make mistakes against a team that didn’t have the firepower to punish them.
Vancouver’s killer instinct and, hypothetically, its goaltending advantage will make the difference here.
Prediction: Canucks in six.
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