The first-round playoff series between the (2) Blackhawks vs. (7) Predators will kick off this Friday night at the United Center. The Blackhawks took the six-game regular season series by winning four games and losing two. The last time they played was December 27th. It’s been a while since they played that cold December day, so here is your Predator re-education and series preview.
Offense – Nashville finished the season as the ninth ranked offense in the conference with only 225 goals. The Blackhawks finished the year with 271, which was second best in the conference and led the conference in goal differential at +62. Only two players on the Predator roster scored more then twenty goals (Hornqvist with 30, and Erat with 21) – the ‘Hawks had six. Chicago is deeper at forward, and can get scoring from all four lines. The Predators barely have enough talent to fill out their top-six forwards. Advantage: Blackhawks
Defense – This is where the Predators are of concern. It’s not the solid blue-line core of Shea Weber, Ryan Suter and Dan Hamhuis that worries me, but the defensive system they run – the trap. It is designed to slow down talented, puck-moving squads such as the Blackhawks. Injuries have left Chicago’s blue line thin. Brian Campbell (broken clavicle) will miss the first round series, and no one knows how long Kim Johnnson (post-concussion symptoms) will be out. Advantage: Predators
Goaltending – Both the Blackhawks and Predators will rely on two Finnish netminders with no previous post-season experience. Nashville’s Pekka Rinne is a big boy at 6-foot 5-inches. In three games against the Blackhawks this season, Rinne was 1-2-0 with 2.36 goals-against and a 0.924 save-percentage. Antti Niemi was in net the last time the division rivals played on December 27th. Niemi won the game, but gave up four goals in the process. Rinne and Niemi both had seven shutouts this season. Advantage: Push
Special Teams – The Predators have the third worst power-play unit in the West (16.4-percent) and last place penalty kill (77.1-percent). Chicago has thrived on the penalty kill all season. They have thirteen shorthanded goals, and second ranked unit (85.0-percent) in the conference. The Blackhawks’ power play has been pedestrian all season, but they have had success with the man-advantage in the last two games of the season. Special teams will benefit the Blackhawks in this series. Advantage: Blackhawks
Coaching – The Predators have only had one head coach since their first season in 1998-99. That man is the comic book villain look-a-like, Barry Trotz. In four previous post-season births, Trotz and his Predators have never reached the second round. Don’t let that stat fool you. I don’t think there is any coach around the league that has got more out of their roster then Trotz has. Have you seen this roster? Trotz somehow got these guys into the playoffs.
In thirteen years of coaching, Quenneville has only missed the post-season twice, but has never reached the Stanley Cup Finals. Last season, Coach Q was able to get the most out of his young team that eventually lost in the conference finals to the Red Wings. He hopes to build on last year’s success, and his post-season experience will prove to be an asset for the still young team. Advantage: Blackhawks
Prediction – Blackhawks in five
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