The Sports Inquirer

Music to listen to: Pro-Test by Skinny Puppy

If the Chicago Blackhawks find a way to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions in 2011, the first thing that each member of the organization should do is write a hand-written thank you letter to the Minnesota Wild because if the Wild hadn’t beaten the Dallas Stars in the final day of the regular season, the Blackhawks wouldn’t even be in the playoffs.

The reward for Chicago?  A playoff series with the clear-cut top team in the NHL in the Vancouver Canucks.

The Canucks posted franchise records in wins, points, road wins, led the league in goals allowed AND goals scored, have the top-ranked power-playunit AND second-best-penalty killing unit.  They also feature the reigning Hart Trophy winner (whose twin brother and teammate can win it  this season), a top-flight goalie and excellent coaching.  Other than that, Vancouver is average…

The pressure is tremendous for the Canucks to FINALLY cash in on an elite regular season and return to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1994.  In their way is a Chicago team that are not only the defending champs, but have eliminated the Canucks in the past two postseasons.

Can the Blackhawks make it a third time in a row?

Keys to the series:

1)  Can the Sedin twins be stopped on the offensive end?

If you’re going to defeat Vancouver, you have to find a way to stop Daniel and Henrik Sedin.  Last season, Henrik won the league scoring title and the MVP.  This season, Daniel won the Art Ross trophy while posting 104 points and is the favorite to be this year’s Hart Trophy winner as the top player in the league.

2)  How much does Chicago really have left?

After a lengthy playoff season last year, the Blackhawks have struggled this entire regular season to find the success they did last year.

The main reason was felt with the losses of quality players this past offseason.  While the Blackhawks still have All-Star players such as Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp and others, the overall unit isn’t the same as last year.

While the Blackhawks still have a top-five offense in the league, the defense, particularly the penalty kill has been below-average.

3)  Pressure from inside and outside the locker-room

The Blackhawks are playing with house money.  Last season’s Stanley Cup win exercised many demons for Chicago and the pressure is significantly less this time around in the playoffs.

For Vancouver, its a different story.

The last NHL team based in Canada to win the Stanley Cup was the Montreal Canadians in 1993.  In a country that takes its hockey VERY seriously, this is a drought that hurts the national psyche of Canada.  The Canucks are the best chance for this drought to end in a long time.  Even when Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa made runs to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2006, 2004 and 2007 respectively, none of them were close to the quality of the 2011 Canucks.

Vancouver has struggled with high playoff expectations in the past.

4)  Roberto Luongo

The Canucks’ goalkeeper did lead the Canadian national team to a gold medal in the 2010 Olympics which took place in Vancouver, so we know that he can perform at the grandest stage in all of hockey.

However, Luongo still hasn’t led a playoff team he’s been on past the second round of the playoffs.  He’s looked solid the entire season but all it may take is one bad game against Chicago for doubts to return about his lack of playoff success.

Prediction:  Canucks in six

I really want to pick the big upset and as you can see above, there may be some grounds for it.  However, Vancouver has been the best team in the NHL all year and hold an advantage in every category over the Blackhawks accept maybe for defensemen.  However, I think the Sedin twins will take care of that.  Furthermore, Chicago is going with their rookie goalkeeper, Corey Crawford, who did post 33 wins this year, but the playoffs are a different entity and he’s unproven.