WCSF - (1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (7) Detroit Red Wings

[drumnj 459]

Proposed schedule according to FSD.

Western Conference semifinals: No. 7 Detroit vs. No. 1 Chicago

Game 1: Wednesday May 15, Red Wings at Blackhawks

Game 2: Saturday May 18, Red Wings at Blackhawks

Game 3: May 20, Blackhawks at Red Wings

Game 4: May 22, Blackhawks at Red Wings

[St. Michael (the Red Wing) 422]

Jimmy will have to outplay Crawford like he did Hiller.

It's possible although I voted the Hawks in 6.

Prove me wrong please Wings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[matt198913 932]

I think the Winga can steal a couple at the United Center... Why not us.... Wings in 6 expect low scoring physical game

[NhlEndedDynasties 12]

Win early in CHI and don't look back.

[MTU_Huskies963 398]

Why do people keep saying the wings can't match the hawks offensive depth? They keep going back to the season series record against the wings, but I am guessing they did not watch those games. The only lopsided one was that 7-1 game on Easter Sunday.

[Dabura 12,232]

The Blackhawks don't scare me. I think we could take them under most circumstances, but the deck is severely stacked against us considering how the first round went for both teams. Chicago had virtually no travel, won in 5 games and is going to be well rested. Oh yeah, they have home ice and the best record in the league too. Meanwhile, we've been flying back and forth across the country over and over again in a hard fought, OT filled, 7 game series against the Ducks.

It would make my season if we knocked out the Hawks, but I have a hard time seeing it happen.

The ridiculous travel's definitely an unequivocal negative. But the cruising-to-victory thing? If I'm "Coach Q," I'm very pleased - and very worried. Because, truth is, he really doesn't know what kind of team he's got. No one does. Not even the team itself. Because, truth is, this 'hawks team has faced zero adversity this season.

[kickazz 5,459]

If Zetterberg and Datsyuk can match up to Kane and Toews respectively, and if Howard stays as strong as he has, the series is Detroits.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Hawks take this one pretty easily in 5 games.

You said the Ducks had the Red Wings "done" after Game 5, too.

I agree the Hawks will win, but it won't be easy.

[Wing-in-avs-town 123]

I do have to say this will probably be a less stressful series. Going into it we are expecting the worst and the Wings have overcome great odds to get here. It's all pretty much icing on the cake now and whatever happens will either be what we thought or elated to probably epic levels of homerism.

And the Wings aren't on the West coast for this one, we can all get back to our normal sleep patterns :-)

[St. Michael (the Red Wing) 422]

We are going to have to somehow shutdown Sharp and Hossa as we did Perry in the Ducks series.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

The team already overarchieved, so let's just enjoy the ride whatever happens happens.

It is funny how some guys are trying to be trolls, at least if you want to troll do a better job at it Maltby...

[gec5741 2]

I don't think you can really look at what happened vs the hawks and wings in the regular season and base anything on what's going to happen in the playoffs. I voted hawks in 6 being from chicago and a hawks fan but I will be honest and say that I'm pretty nervous (and excited) about this series. I would never not give the wings the credit they are due or take for granted the team they have. The wings have overcome a lot to get where they are and they are hungry! I'll be cheering for the hawks but either way it's going to be a good series and a fun one to watch!

[rooter2309 28]

The hockey gods had this series scheduled as soon as the re-alignment was finalized. I have a feeling the wings take game one behind a sluggish start by Chicago and game 7 intensity by the winged wheel. Chicago has been sitting around. Detroit gets a nice little rest and they're right back to work.

[Nev 1,085]

2 Things scare me about this Blackhawks team

1) Their second line of Sharp-Handzus-Kane against Smith-Quincey or Kindl-Colo. Babcock has to separate Pav and Hank to counter their 1-2 punch IMO.

2) The lack of Brian Campbell on the blueline. He was one of our best players in the '09 series, we could really do with him again.

I sure won't miss that Anaheim forecheck though!

[SFwingsfan 23]

i thought they were flying straight to chicago, i guess not since the game is weds instead of tues....

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N682RW

[StormJH1 231]

I watched all of the Hawks-Wild series. I think the Ducks were a legit team, but the Hawks' regular season dominance is a more accurate reflection of their actual skill level than the Ducks' was. Some Wings fans are programmed to remember Corey Crawford as that scared 3rd stringer that got forced into the Playoff game against the Wings a bunch of years back, but the dude is legit, and their defense is STACKED. Minnesota created nothing against them. They're basically a super-powered version of Detroit (not unsurprising given the Bowman connection). Toews and Kane are "star" players that aren't as offensively dominant as, say, Crosby and Malkin, but they play hard all over the ice. Plus, Chicago has redeveloped their role players, which was a predictable problem for them in '11 and '12 after their contract with the devil (and the CBA) to stockpile as much top-level talent as the old CBA would "allow".

But I feel good about Detroit right now, so I'm going Detroit in 6 (the most popular answer). I would not be in furious indignation if Chicago ends up with a 3-0 lead on us - they are that good. But much of this regular season really was an unexpected tryout to figure out which of our "B" or "C" level prospects could be NHL'ers, and what roles they would play. Abdelkader suddenly looks like he's built for the Playoffs, ala Franzen or Kesler (not to that level, but you get the poitn). Nyquist is a stud, and Kindl is worlds better than he was when he came up. And there's few, if any, goalies I would trade Howard for right now in terms of how he's played in the Playoffs.

If we get any type of secondary scoring, Datsyuk and Z will eventually show up. But I do think we need a split in Chicago, or we won't be able to dig out against a team like this.

[Nev 1,085]

NVM

Edited May 13, 2013 by Nev

[chances14 229]

crawford doesn't scare me. it's the hawks defense that scares me.

i think crawford faced the same amount of grade A scoring chances in all 5 games than howard did in one game.

[dcd 5]

I've seen more wings logos than hawks logos in downtown chi today..

Keep up the good work !!

[wingsfan4795 552]

When a goalie is below average for the first 2-3 years of his career and then suddenly becomes a stud behind the best offense and one of the best defenses in the league, that probably means he isn't actually as good as people think. If we have a big game against him early in the series, it could veer him off track for the series (see all 3 Chicago goalies in 09)

I think Detroit will stun the hawks and win one or even both of the first 2 games. Chicago will obviously regroup, but their first adversity of the year will be too much for them to overcome.

Wings in 6

Edited May 13, 2013 by wingsfan4795

[arag 308]

Wings should come out hard in game one and stun the somewhat arrogant hawks. Let them s*** in their pants and the good things will happen for the Wings.

Go Wings !

Edited May 13, 2013 by arag

[cnot19 191]

Best chance for the wings to win is to rattle Corey Crawford early and often. He's really not technically sound or overly athletic in net. Coyotes took the hawks down last year it can be done but it's an uphill climb

[Datsyukian-Deke 722]

I love the optimism now by some of the same people that said the Wings were going to make the playoffs and the Wings weren't going to beat the 2 seed ducks. Support the team until the last horn sounds. The Wings just need to get a split in Chicago and the Wings fans will do the rest at the Joe!!!

*werent going to make the playoffs ^^^^

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

Wings in 6, steal one in Chicago right away and be very physical against these guys!

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

I picked the Wings in 7 because I'm a Wing's fan.

Besides, it's not the Hawks I can't stand it's their fans.

GO WINGS!