It’s not easy eliminating a defending champion. That’s what the St. Louis Blues found out on Thursday, when they succumbed to Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks. With the series now shifting back to Chicago, will the Blackhawks force a Game 7? Or will the Blues bury Chicago’s dreams of being back-to-back Stanley Cup champion right in the Blackhawks’ own backyard? Read on for more about this game. You can also check out our preview of Game 5 of Flyers vs. Capitals.
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St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks Game 6 Preview
Where: United Center, Chicago
When: Saturday, April 23, 2016, 8:00 PM ET
Line: St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks – view all NHL lines
TV Broadcast: NBCSN, CSNB
Betting on the St. Louis Blues
The Blues took 46 shots in Game 5 as against Chicago’s 35. They gave up three goals and scored one in the second period but managed to come up with two more goals in the third to tie the game and send it to overtime.
One thing the Blues did right in Game 5 was limiting the ice-time of Chicago’s power play teams. Chicago was second in the regular season with a 22.6 percent success rate on the man advantage but the disciplined Blues let the Blackhawks go on power play just once in Game 5. That will have to continue this Saturday in order for the Blues to risk going shorthanded on the road against a desperate Chicago team that is fighting for its life.
Save for that disastrous second period on Thursday, Brian Elliott was once again stupendous in front of the net, turning aside 31 shots. Elliott will be on the crease again no doubt for Game 6. The Blues are 3-0 in Elliott’s last three starts in Chicago.
Betting on the Chicago Blackhawks
In case you forgot, Patrick Kane is big time. With the Blackhawks’ season in danger of flatlining, Kane put on his superhero cape and scored his first goal of the series with a sick wraparound that beat Brian Elliott and the Blues on Thursday.
Kane’s heroics, however, shouldn’t shadow Corey Crawford’s sensational performance between the pipes in Game 5. The goalie was unconscious as he made 43 saves on 46 shots, including 12 in overtime. Crawford’s performance on Thursday was a nice bounce-back for the goalie who surrendered three goals on 36 shots in Game 4. He’ll look to be the same concrete wall that he was in front of the net in Game 5 this Saturday at home.
With Kane and Marian Hossa each scoring their first goal of the series in Game 5 it’s now high time for Jonathan Toews to follow suit. Toews has yet to find the back of the net in this series, but netting one should come sooner than later for the Blackhawks’ captain.
Duncan Keith and rookie Artemi Panarin are also having tremendous impact in this series. Keith leads the team in the postseason with three goals, while Panarin has two goals and three assists to date. Moreover, the return of Andrew Shaw in the lineup should give the Blackhawks added firepower. Shaw, who served a one-game suspension in Game 5, has two goals and two assists thus far in the first round. The over is 4-1-1 in Chicago’s last six home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Chicago wins, 3-2.
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