Reelin' And Rockin': Blackhawks Vs. Blues Preview
By Rob Winn in News on Apr 17, 2014 4:15PM
It's time for the Stanley Cup Playoffs when new rivalries are formed and existing ones are taken to a whole new level. Expect nothing more than pure, unbridled hatred to flow for the St. Louis Blues when this playoff series is over. In many ways the Blackhawks got the lesser of two evils when they drew the Blues in the first round as opposed to the red-hot Colorado Avalanche. The Blues are struggling, lost six straight to end the regular season and suffered a slew of injuries to their stars. But over the last few seasons the Blues have consistently frustrated the Hawks with hard hits and post-whistle shenanigans. For Chicago, it will be tough to survive the first round in more ways than one.
The Blues come into every game against the Hawks with the same mindset: hit them early and often. They consistently engage in tactics to try and get in their head, both legal (and not) in the eyes of officials. Sometimes this tactic has worked, sometimes it doesn't. But one thing is for sure, rarely do the Blackhawks play at their best when facing the Blues. They have been susceptible to retaliation penalties and have been caught out of position while trying to look for big hits.
This series is as much about keeping cool as it is firing on all cylinders. When the Hawks offense is rolling or even at a steady cruise, they should have no problem with the Blues. But if they look to win by playing the Blues' style of play, only frustration lies ahead. If the Hawks do take stupid penalties—we're looking at you, Andrew Shaw—the Blues are more than capable of taking advantage. Their power play was top 10 in the league during the regular season.
Injuries can go a long way to determining a playoff series. Look no further than last year when the tough and talented L.A. Kings were a shell of their former selves due in large part to injuries. Recently, the Hawks lost Jonathan Toews to a shoulder injury and Patrick Kane to a knee injury. Both Toews and Kane are expected to play in Game 1 but the severity of those injuries is anyone's guess. Kane may have suffered a sprained knee or a torn ACL; you never know in hockey until the season is over.
Similarly the Blues have suffered a string of injuries, including David Backes, sniper Vladimir Tarasenko and Olympic star T.J. Oshie. All are expected to return at some point during the series, if not in the first game. How well the wounded are able to bounce back will go a long way to determining the outcome of the series.
When the Hawks have gone on long playoff runs, they haven't faced opponents this tough in the first round. In the Stanley Cup seasons, they faced the Calgary Flames and Minnesota Wild who were both dispatched rather easily. The Blues are a different animal. Even with their recent slide, their expectations are the same as the Hawks: Stanley Cup or bust. For the Hawks to survive and advance, their experience and skill will need to take center stage. If they're able to do that, you'll find the Blues drowning their sorrows at Blueberry Hill.