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Goodbye Edmonton, Hello Vegas |
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Well, technically, the Blackhawks aren't saying "Goodbye" to Edmonton because they are still there, but you get where I'm going.
I knew there was a chance but I thought Edmonton would have put up a better fight. The Oilers just didn't want it as much as the Hawks.
McDavid on Oilers' lack of intensity: 'We can't play Calgary every night to bring it'.
As much as the Oilers are to fault for their loss, you have to credit the Hawks for their determination in this series. While it wasn't pretty at all times from Chicago, the reality is, this is some of the best hockey they've played all year.
However, they will have to be better against their next opponent, the Vegas Golden Knights. The Hawks still have a lot of holes in their game and Corey Crawford is still not 100%.
The Golden Knights went 3-0 in their round-robin tournament, scoring 15 goals and giving up 10 against. This success landed them the 1st seed, which awarded them the Chicago Blackhawks in "round 1" as the Hawks are the lowest seed (12) in the West.
What do I think about this series? Here are 5 thoughts as we head into game 1:
* Blackhawks / Crawford need(s) to be better – As I alluded to above, the Hawks will need to be better. I suspect they will also need to be a little lucky if they are to get the jump on the Golden Knights in this series.
Corey Crawford hasn't been his normal self so far as he is still getting himself back into game shape. However, if the 3rd period of game 4 is any indication of where Crawford's game is heading, that's a great sign for Chicago. #50 was outstanding and he will need to keep that up. If the Hawks have a chance at winning this series, Crow will need to steal a game or three in this best-of-7.
* Excited to watch Kirby Dach continue to grow - It's been such a treat watching Kirby Dach as he has grown into one hell of a playoff performer. The 19-year old has been getting better every game and will continue to be a factor moving forward. Has Patrick Kane found his centreman for years to come?
* The Hawks' defence – If you squint really hard the Hawks' defence almost looks ok. By defence, I don't just mean the defencemen, but the overall team defence.
Yes, they have their moments, but they have the players and pairings in place to at least give them a shot vs. VGK.
Overall, I've seen a positive trend of forwards backchecking and defenders in the d-zone are getting into shooting lanes. This was no existent for most of the regular season. If the Hawks' players can continue to sacrifice their bodies, blocking shots, they can help out Crawford back there.
* Max is back - The Golden Knights are getting Pacioretty back in the fold. His in the bubble and will be ready to go for game 1 on Tuesday according to Coach Peter DeBoer. He's in the big boost for Vegas, who are healthy and will be more than ready for the Hawks.
* Robin Lehner – We know the Lehner storyline will be strong right up until the end of the series. Jeremy Colliton sure doesn't want to talk about it though. When pressed on Sunday about Lehner, Colliton uncharacteristically got a little ticked off with the persistent questioning from reporters.
We don't even know if Lehner will start over M.A. Fleury, but we do know that we will hear a lot of the former Hawks' netminder throughout this series.
Maybe the Hawks get luck and get a few penalty shots if Lehner is in the crease.
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Chicago and Vegas kick this series off on Tuesday night but first, the NHL is holding part 2 of their draft lottery on Monday night. We will find out who will have the #1 overall pick. And for the lover of God, please don't let it be the Edmonton Oilers.
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Stay safe and see ya out there!
TC
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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