“Closing time, time for you to go out, out into the world. Closing time, turn the lights up over every boy and girl. Closing time, one last call for alcohol, so finish your whiskey or beer. Closing time, you don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here,” are the lyrics to the Minnesota-based band Semisonic‘s big hit song, Closing Time. It is oddly appropriate for hockey fans who are perhaps the most gender equitable in their representation in all of pro sports that this song describes how consumed you can be with the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Where you avoid going outside and enjoying the beautiful weather to stay indoors and watch the drama unfold. Can you believe it was almost two full months ago that the regular season ended? While I loathe the fact the season extends into June on what is the longest season in major professional sports the intensity of the 2010 NHL playoffs has been incredible. So many great back and forth games and series, and strangely enough it was the conference finals that provided the most decisive series defeats. So what should we expect now? Can it get any better?
Just four more wins left, and one of the final two teams; the Chicago Blackhawks or the Philadelphia Flyers will be hoisting the Stanley Cup. Its a chance to return to ultimate NHL glory, something that hasn’t happened in quite a while for either franchise; 35 years for the Flyers and 49 years for the Blackhawks which happens to be the longest current Stanley Cup drought even longer than that of the Toronto Maple Leafs which stands at 43 years and counting. Either way, the long wait will be over fairly soon as the team’s prepare themselves for the ultimate test of their stamina, mental focus, and emotional fortitude than most of these players have ever dealt with before in their professional careers. Some of the members of these teams know what it means to be apart of a Stanley Cup winner and or perhaps the bittersweet pain of being a runner-up but for the most part this a whole new experience.
So let us begin (cue Europe‘s Final Countdown) All times listed on the series’ schedule are in Central Standard Time.
Philadelphia Flyers – won their series against Montreal 4-1
3.18 Goals For per game (5th in the NHL Playoffs)
2.12 Goals Against per game (1st in the NHL Playoffs)
20.7% Power Play (8th in the NHL Playoffs)
87% Penalty Kill (2nd in the NHL Playoffs)
Top 3 Scorers:
1. #18 Mike Richards ~ 6G 15A = 21pts
2. #48 Daniel Briere ~ 9G 9A = 18pts
3. #28 Claude Giroux ~ 8G 9A = 17pts
Top Goaltenders:
1. #49 Michael Leighton (6-1) 1.45GAA .948%SP
2. #33 Brian Boucher (6-4) 2.33GAA .915%SP
Vs.
Chicago Blackhawks – won their series against San Jose 4-0
3.31 Goals For per game (3rd in the NHL Playoffs)
2.50 Goals Against per game (2nd in the NHL Playoffs)
22.6% Power Play (5th in the NHL Playoffs)
86.6% Penalty Kill (3rd in the NHL Playoffs)
Top 3 Scorers:
1. #19 Jonathan Toews ~ 7G 19A = 26pts
2. #88 Patrick Kane ~ 7G 13A = 20pts
3. #10 Patrick Sharp ~ 7G 9A = 16pts
Top Goaltenders:
1. #31 Antti Niemi (12-4) 2.33GAA .921%SP
Series Schedule: (Chicago leads the series at 3-2)
Saturday, May 29th at United Center @ 7PM ~ NBC, RDS, CBC (6-5 Blackhawks win)
Monday, May 31st at United Center @ 7PM ~ NBC, RDS, CBC (2-1 Blackhawks win)
Wednesday, June 2nd at Wachovia Center @ 7PM ~ Versus, RDS, CBC (4-3 Flyers OT win)
Friday, June 4th at Wachovia Center @ 7PM ~ Versus, RDS, CBC (5-3 Flyers win)
*Sunday, June 6th at United Center @ 7PM ~ NBC, RDS, CBC (7-4 Blackhawks win)
*Wednesday, June 9th at Wachovia Center @ 7PM ~ NBC, RDS, CBC
*Friday, June 11th at United Center @ 7PM ~ NBC, RDS, CBC
In what should draw decent ratings, with two large American cities in what could very well be a physical but dynamic series this is a nice consolation prize to the NHL who probably had hoped either Washington or defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh would be apart of the final two teams. For Philadelphia it enters the Finals as the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference, where it only managed to qualify for the playoffs by defeating the New York Rangers in a shootout. One could argue whether that is a worthy way to determine who is in / out of the playoffs but the fact of the matter is the Flyers are here now. They’ve shown great resilience but most notably absolutely stifling defense that shutdown Boston after they spotted them a 3-0 series lead and then froze the Canadiens’ attack in its tracks. Meanwhile, the Chicago Blackhawks seem to be a running on all cylinders demonstrating their ability to counter punch and score in transition as well as being physical at both ends of the ice. Without question this will be a very physical series as the Flyers will try to use the body with great frequency to slow down the Blackhawks who have their fair share of big bodies. One player who is underrated in his impact and his return to could make a significant difference is that of big winger Andrew Ladd. Ladd is an excellent, physical forechecking winger who is at his best punishing opponents along the boards and then can help create opportunities offensively from time to time. David Bolland has been heating up lately and is a tremendous threat to create and convert on turnovers made in the neutral zone. It is almost scary to think that Marian Hossa is having a fairly mundane playoffs and is another player who is no stranger to the Stanley Cup Finals and could end up playing a big role for Chicago. Yet perhaps the biggest story, literally and figuratively has been the rugged and clutch play of Minnesota-native Dustin Byfuglien who has 8 goals in the playoffs including 4 game winning goals. He uses his big body well near the crease to drive goaltenders crazy and his soft hands could end up being the x-factor that ends the Stanley Cup drought for the Blackhawks. Do not overlook the ever-shifty Kris Versteeg and Tomas Kopecky who has Stanley Cup experience as well who works rather naturally with Marian Hossa. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane provide the dazzle and are the go-to offensive threats but Toews especially is not given nearly enough credit for being an excellent shutdown player, the only problem is the Flyers do not really have a go-to scorer on their team for him to be focused on. Patrick Sharp will be looking for a little redemption against the team that drafted him and then sort of tossed him away as an afterthought in a trade for Matt Ellison and a 3rd round pick in 2006. Sharp has become a star in Chicago and will perhaps be the most talked about potentially traded player this offseason. Antti Niemi will find his crease crowded more often than not so good rebound control will be absolutely crucial in this series. Defensively, the Blackhawks must get a superb performance by top defenseman Duncan Keith and his partner Brent Seabrook, with good support from Brian Campbell, Brent Sopel, Jordan Hendry and Niklas Hjalmarsson who really seems to be coming into his own at the most important time in the season.
On the other end of it is the Philadelphia Flyers whose defense went from tough to air tight since the return of Michael Leighton to the crease. Leighton has been light’s out, sporting an impressive 6-1 record and an incredibly stingy 1.45 goals against per game average. Leighton will no doubt see Dustin Byfuglien and perhaps former Flyer Ben Eager parked near his crease for much of the series but so far if Leighton can see the puck he’s stopped it and if he plays as well as he had it could be enough for Philadelphia to win it all. Offensively the Flyers present a well-balanced attack of bigger power forwards like Scott Hartnell and Jeff Carter who battle effectively along the boards and then take the puck to the crease where smaller snipers like Daniel Briere, Claude Giroux and Simon Gagne are there to tap home loose pucks. On the blueline Chris Pronger looks as strong as he did when he was with the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks in consecutive Stanley Cup runs. His stabilizing presence has given opposing offenses little to work with. Veteran Kimmo Timonen and the underrated Braydon Coburn also provide solid two-way play for the Flyers defense. I also have little doubt the Flyers are going to try to get into the heads of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews by placing agitating forwards Daniel Carcillo and Aaron Asham out there to frustrate the still relatively young leaders of the Blackhawks. If Carcillo and Asham end up sitting in the box by themselves rather than managing to draw a few penalties themselves it could spell disaster for the Flyers despite having one of the best penalty kills of the playoffs thus far.
Prediction: I think the Blackhawks will overwhelm the Flyers in 5 games. The Blackhawks are incredibly lethal in transition and Dustin Byfuglien will drive Leighton and Chris Pronger crazy. The superior mobility of the Blackhawks defense will also play a role as well.
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