Series Thread: WCF: Chicago Blackhawks vs Anaheim Ducks (Blackhawks win 4-3).

[RougeUnderoos]

And Kane chokes again on a golden opportunity. That guy sucks!

[Canuck-Hater]

#### The Ducks. I cannot cheer for Kesler and Perry.

[FireGilbert]

What a finish! How do you let Kane get a chance like that with so little time left? Usually he puts those in.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

What a finish! How do you let Kane get a chance like that with so little time left? Usually he puts those in.

It's weird. Like magic. Somehow the puck just ends up on his stick when it really shouldn't, like that first goal, and then at the end.

[N-E-B]

Hawks have to win 3 of the next 4 games against Anaheim. Not impossible, but will be difficult.

[dino7c]

Hawks are lucky that its not 3-0...honestly I can't see the Ducks not winning the cup

at least we were beaten by the best

[thefoss1957]

The problem with this game was that my team was too patient, a trap they fall into sometimes...passing up opportunities to just throw the damn puck at the net, and crashing for rebounds...

pretty much the same can be said for our sucktastic PP...waiting for the perfect weak side stuff, instead of screening and firing.

Also, didn't anyone scout the damn Flames/Ducks series? Andersen sucks stick side short side, QUIT THROWING THE DAMN PUCK AT HIS GLOVE!

Seabrook and Kane were battling the puck tonight, and lost it randomly off their sticks too many times...and Bickell should have been the scratch to light a damn fire under him

Well, my guys pissed away the home ice advantage...game 4 is now a "must win"

[Bandwagon Surfer]

The ducks are just a better team. The hawks are lucky it is not 3-0. It is pretty sad how lop sided this is. It would be so much more entertaining if it was more competitive.

[saillias]

I really don't think the Hawks look any more competitive against the Ducks than we were. Maybe we're closer to being a contender than we think.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by saillias

I really don't think the Hawks look any more competitive against the Ducks than we were. Maybe we're closer to being a contender than we think.

Lets not get ahead of ourselves.

[thefoss1957]

Speculation among Blackhawk fans, is injury to Kruger, leading to limited minutes...Kruger is he catalyst for the PK and the 4th line, and is more important to the team than may appear.

[2macinnis2]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Lets not get ahead of ourselves.

I would actually disagree with you. From what I've watched of this series, there have been long stretches where the Ducks are straight owning the Hawks. Granted the Hawks obviously have more proven finishers than the Flames (and aren't playing without their top D man), but I have had the same thought as the prior poster. Outside of the game 1 atrocity, the Hawks so far aren't really any closer to the Ducks than the Flames were (or maybe the Jets were).

What's exciting about the Flames are the best players from the playoffs are so very young.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by saillias

I really don't think the Hawks look any more competitive against the Ducks than we were. Maybe we're closer to being a contender than we think.

Well, the Flames aren't as deep at forward and Crawford/Darling > Hiller/Ramo (slightly). But there are similarities and that's why the Ducks look good.

The Hawks rely heavily on the top line, which puts pressure on them and also makes it a bit easier to check by an opposing team. The Hawks have some more depth for secondary scoring, but it's not a huge margin, and 2/3 of that secondary scoring (Hossa and Richards) is getting older.

The Hawks have been trying out Bickell on the upper lines to try and get some size up front, sort of like the Flames using Ferland.

The defensive similarities in the POs are obvious - Quenville has gone with two units with the bottom pairing being very limited in ice time, just like the Flames did. And while they are slightly bigger in the top 4 than Calgary, with Hjarmalsson and Seabrook, they aren't especially physical.

[CaptainCrunch]

I don't think anyone is going to beat the Ducks this year, they're just too deep and it almost looks like they're toying with the opponents at time and when they decide its game over they flex their muscles and its game over.

Too deep, Too Big, Too Fast, Too Determined.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Lets not get ahead of ourselves.

Flames did not look very competitive against the Ducks for the first four periods. Not even remotely. But a lot of that was just poor preparation.

The next 13 periods we looked better against the Ducks than the Hawks have looked so far and were a few rookie mistakes and score-effects refereeing away from the final score reflecting it, and then in game 5OT we got owned hard.

Mark Giordano instead of Kris Russell, Brodie instead of Wideman, Wideman instead of Engelland, and it's a totally different possession game.

[Armchair Quarterback]

Great game last night, even though scoring was low it was fast-paced. IMO the score flattered the Ducks. But Chicago absolutely has to get its power play going or they simply have no chance of winning this series. 4 minute penalty on a high stick on Toews and they hardly generated any chances.

[Canuck-Hater]

I think this series is much closer than some people say. Maybe the Ducks have a slight edge because of Andersen but I don't think either team has been dominant by any means. Chicago still had plenty of quality chances.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Canuck-Hater

I think this series is much closer than some people say. Maybe the Ducks have a slight edge because of Andersen but I don't think either team has been dominant by any means. Chicago still had plenty of quality chances.

I think the edge goes to Anaheim despite their goal-tending. Their edge is their 2nd line, and their defensive depth.

[DJones]

Game 2 the Ducks hit a lot of posts. Besides Kane the Hawks haven't seemed threatening at all.

[Mass_nerder]

Come on Chicago, just win!