by WEFFPIM on Mon May 24, 2010 10:34 pm
Philly is very physical but can also score at will. Expect Bolland's line against Carter-Richards-Gagne quite a bit. Dustin Byfuglien in front of the net with Chris Pronger trying to get him out of the crease will be key as well. Mike Richards is mega-talented and also a rather dirty player. And do not take your eyes of Claude Giroux or Ville Leino. Something tells me Ben Eager will become somewhat important, Adam Burish too. Daniel Carcillo is the most aggravating player in the league, think Shane O'Brien with a porn stache. He can take some really, really stupid penalties. Leighton is playing great, but the Hawks have faced three terrific goalies in these playoffs and beat them all by simply getting in his way. No matter how good a goalie is, he can't make the save if he can't see the puck. No reason to change this now.
I won't make a prediction yet, but I'll say this. The Blackhawks are the better team. Whether they come out and play like it in Game 1 has yet to be seen, I have my doubts. We haven't seen a really good Game 1 at home in...maybe since the early 90s. They'll be excited, nervous and anxious to put on a show. They have to quell that desire. Just shoot the puck, possess the puck and work the cycle. That's what killed San Jose in the end, not being able to break the Hawks' cycle.
Let's Go Hawks
Me never said I to make sense much