Canucks vs Hawks Round 2 matchup

After a quick four game sweep of the St. Louis Blues, the Canucks have been on a extended break waiting for the second round to begin. In the meantime the Blackhawks have been in a tough and physical series with the Calgary Flames which went 6 games and was filled with emotion, hits, fights and bruised bodies. Although many picked these two teams to be first round combatants with about a week to go in the regular season, the Canucks surged past Calgary to win the division and have home ice both in the first round and now in the second against the Hawks as well. And after the Hawks going 1-2 on the road and the Canucks 2-0 at home in the first series, home ice may be the difference between these two teams.

Canucks 45-27-10 (3) vs. Hawks 46-24-12 (5)

Head to Head Record: 2-2 (1-1 at Home and 1-1 Away)

Oct 19, 2009: 4-2 L

Dec 20, 2009: 3-1 L

Feb 7, 2009: 7-3 W

March 29, 2009: 4-0 W

Forward points:

Canucks: D. Sedin (5), H. Sedin (4), A. Burrows (3), P. Demitra (2), K. Wellwood (2)

Chicago: K. Versteeg (7), J. Toews (6), P. Sharp (6), M. Havlat (6), P. Kane (4)

Although the young Hawks have played 2 more games than the Canucks, the young guns ave been firing on all clyinders and being lead by rookie Kris Vesteeg and captain Jonathon Toews with 7 and 6 points respectively. They have also gotten great scoring from their second line with points from Sharp and Havlat, along with the defense chipping in as well. The Canucks on the other hand have had a sensational start with the Sedin-Sedin-Burrows line with 12 points in the first 4 games, but are still waiting for veterans Pavol Demtira and Mats Sundin to awaken in the second round.

Edge goes to the Hawks.

Defense plus/minus:

Canucks: W. Mitchell (1), K. Bieksa (2), M. Ohlund (2)

Chicago: B. Seabrook (1), B. Campbell (0), C. Barker (-1)

Defensively the Canucks are much deeper than the Hawks, who after their top 4 defensemen take a drastic drop in talent and experience. After Seabrook, Campbell, Barker and Keith, the Hawks rely on youngster Niklas Hjalmarsson and Matt Walker both of whom dont compare to  Alex Edler and Shane O'Brien who are the Canucks 5th and 6th defensemen respectively. Even at the top end Mitchell, Ohlund, Bieksa and Salo all have more experience and are a more physical group than the Hawks young blueline.

Edge goes to the Canucks.

Goalies:

Canucks: R. Luongo 4-0, GAA 1.15, SV% .962, SO 1

Chicago: N. Khabibulin 4-2, GAA 2.52, SV% .914, SO 0

With the way Roberto Luongo is playing so far in the playoffs, it hard to see any team or goalie out performing him in a best of 7 series. With a GAA just over 1 and a save percentage out of this world, the young guns of the Hawks need to fire everything they have at him. Khabibulin on the other hand has been inconsistent at best. In the series with the Flames, he held them to a single goal twice in the series but also gave up 6 and 4 in the two loses (with a couple empty net goals). It will be interesting to see Luongo come back from this extended break as he is a notorious slow starter, and oth the other end of the rink the "Bulin Wall" has the ability to carry a team on his back as he showed in Tampa Bay a few years back.

Edge goes to the Canucks.

Special Teams:

Canucks: Power Play 22.2%(4) Penalty Kill 95.8% (2)

Chicago: Power Play 22.9%(2) Penalty Kill 88.9% (T-4)

In round 1 the biggest knock on a Canucks team that dismantles the Blues in 4 games was the amount of penalities the Canucks took, and the number of 5 on 3's they gave up as well. If they want to suceed against the Hawks their going to have to stay out of the box as the Hawks have the 2nd best power play in the playoffs, but the Canucks do have the 2nd best penalty killing as well, so one of those two stats willl change. On the flip side, the Canucks power play has looked average at best, and I see the second unit with Sundin Kesler and Demitra to chip in alot more on the PP.

No one has an edge here as both teams have equal specail teams.

Injuries:

Canucks: None

Chicago: B. Sopel (Upper Body)

Although it is not a huge edge and Brent Sopel by no means in a game or series changer, the added depth on defense is something the Hawks lack and need. And with the return of Taylor Pyatt after the tragic death of his finacee, the Canucks are a fully healthy team.

Edge goes to the Canucks.

My prediction: Canucks in 6 games.

The way Roberto Luongo has played this post season its hard to bet against him. The knock on the Sedins has been thier playoff performance of years past, but so far this post season they have been a point a game players. Look for Mats Sundin and Pavol Demitra to step up their game in round 2, and for Ryan Kesler to get on the score sheet a lot more. On the Hawks side of things, after a very physical round 1 with the Flames, look for that series to take a toll on this young team, and look for their young defense to get hit every oppurtunity the Canuck forecheckers get. In the end this comes down to defensive depth, goaltending and the Canucks coming into the series healthy and rested.