Two of the West’s heavyweights duke it out for a chance to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Chicago Blackhawks showed why they’re the favorites to win the Stanley Cup with a sweep of the feisty Minnesota Wild. The Anaheim Ducks weren’t to be outdone, dominating the Flames in a five-game series victory. The two now meet in what should be an explosive Western Conference Finals.
Can the bigger Ducks bully their way against the fast skating Blackhawks? Read on for everything you need to know heading into this electrifying matchup. For more on the Blackhawks vs. Ducks, check out the compilation of experts’ picks for the Western Conference Finals and our complete series preview.
[sc:NHLArticles ]Chicago Blackhawks vs. Anaheim Ducks Game 1 Preview
Series Scores and Schedule
Game 1 – TBD – Chicago Blackhawks (+120) at Anaheim Ducks (-140); total 5.0 – view all NHL lines
Game 2 – TBD – Chicago Blackhawks at Anaheim Ducks
Game 3 – TBD – Anaheim Ducks at Chicago Blackhawks
Game 4 – TBD – Anaheim Ducks at Chicago Blackhawks
Game 5* – TBD – Chicago Blackhawks at Anaheim Ducks
Game 6* – TBD – Anaheim Ducks at Chicago Blackhawks
Game 7* – TBD – Chicago Blackhawks at Anaheim Ducks
*If necessary
Betting on the Chicago Blackhawks
Patrick Kane is ready to sizzle at the Western Conference Finals. The 2013 Conn Smythe winner scored five goals and recorded six points in the semifinal series sweep of Minnesota. He leads the Blackhawks with seven goals and 13 points throughout the playoffs thus far.
[sc:NHL240 ]Kane has been a terror on the ice against Anaheim. He had four goals and an assist in three regular season games against the Ducks. In the Blackhawks’ last visit to Honda Center, Kane scored two goals and assisted in another.
But Kane is just one part of the equation. What makes Chicago so dangerous is its ridiculous depth. Marian Hossa, who backs up Kane on the right wing, has tallied eight points (one goal and seven assists) throughout the playoffs; captain Jonathan Toews has been excellent with four goals and seven assists; and Patrick Sharp has put on a balanced effort with four goals and five assists.
Sharp showed his excellent playmaking in the Blackhawks’ 4-1 win in last visit to Anaheim back on Jan. 30. Sharp assisted on all four goals for a team-high four points.
Chicago also has a couple of game changers on the blue line. Duncan Keith ranks third among the Blackhawks with 10 points (two goals and eight assists). The Blackhawks have outscored their opponents by 10 when Keith is on the ice in the playoffs. Brent Seabrook has excelled as an attacking defenseman with three goals, including the triple overtime game-winner in the conference quarterfinals Game 4 against Nashville.
The Blackhawks also have a solid goalie in Corey Crawford between the pipes. Crawford was unimpressive at the start of the 2015 playoffs, allowing nine goals in three games in the first round series against Nashville. He had an uninspiring .850 save percentage in those games.
But Crawford quickly turned it around in the conference semifinals sweep of Minnesota, going 4-0 with a 1.75 GAA and a .947 save percentage. Having him back to his two-time William M. Jennings Trophy winning self should help cool down the high-scoring Ducks.
The Blackhawks have won three straight at Anaheim.
Betting on the Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks brushed away first and second round challengers Winnipeg and Calgary on their way to the Western Conference Finals. The Ducks completed a series sweep of Winnipeg before taking just five games to dispatch of Calgary. Dominating their opposition should give the Ducks plenty of confidence ahead of their matchup against Chicago. Anaheim won just one of three games against the Blackhawks in the regular season.
The Ducks’ frontline duo of Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf has been amazing. Perry leads the postseason with 15 points, while Getzlaf leads with 10 assists. Their partnership has resulted in giving the Ducks the best offense among the playoff teams with 3.89 goals per game.
Of the two, Perry has been a one man wrecking machine in the playoffs. He leads the team with seven goals and 42 shots on goal. No other Duck has more than 26 shots on goal in the playoffs.
Perry has taken the most shots, but the Ducks are still a very balanced team. Eight players have five or more assists in the playoffs, while nine skaters have two or more goals. Matt Beleskey has been a reliable scorer with five goals this postseason. Ryan Kesler and Patrick Maroon are also capable scorers with four goals each.
But the Ducks may be in trouble should Perry continue his struggles against Chicago. In three regular season meetings, Perry had just one point (assist) against the Blackhawks. The Ducks were outscored by three when he was on the ice against Chicago. Getzlaf didn’t fare much better. He was held point-less in the regular season series against Chicago and had a plus/minus of minus-five.
Anaheim will enjoy plenty of success if it can continue dominating one goal games. The Ducks went 33-1-7 (.805) in games decided by one goal throughout the year, including the regular season. Chicago has found itself in six one-goal games in 12 playoff games. Three of the Blackhawks wins in the conference semifinals series against Minnesota were decided by just one goal.
The Ducks have Frederik Andersen to thank for keeping them in those one goal games. He leads the postseason with eight wins and his 1.96 GAA is the best among all Western Conference goalies throughout the playoffs.
The Ducks have won all five of their home games in the playoffs thus far.
Writer’s Prediction
The Ducks (-140) draw first blood. Anaheim wins the series in seven games. The Stanley Cup Playoffs is heating up. Create a betting account now and enjoy the intense atmosphere of playoff hockey.
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