What began as hopeful dreams of hometown teams and others to win the Stanley Cup remains with only two teams left to face one another, the Chicago Blackhawks of the Western Conference faces off against the Philadelphia Flyers of the Eastern Conference. The first game of 2009 – 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs begins Saturday May 29th, at 8:00pm est, the beginning of a series that already knows the winner. Spoiler Alert if read any further.
Before the season started, each of the Hockey Wolrd Blog crew predicted their Stanley Cup Champions, only one team still remains from that prediction: the Philadelphia Flyers. Although my prediction could be correct, I believe it to be as slim of chance as Eddie finding the back of the net on a breakaway.
In watching the Stanley Cup playoffs this year I have noticed one major difference between that of the Western conference and the Eastern conference. What is it you may ask? Simple, talent.
When watching the Chicago Blackhawks throughout their series they have beaten an underrated thorn in your side Nashville Predators, hotter than hot Vancouver Canucks, and the Western Conference champions the San Jose Sharks. In comparison, the Flyers have taken on an over played goalie New Jersey Devils, biggest chokers of all time the Boston Bruins and the Cinderella story with a realistic ending Montreal Canadiens.
The two teams roads are completely different and so is their play. The Flyers are goons who take head shots and silly penalties, 193 to be exact in comparison to Chicago’s 155. The Flyers were only second highest to the Montreal Canadiens. While their old opponents did not capitalize, you sure can bet the Chicago Blackhawks will stick it to them.
The Flyers also play a very sloppy style of play, a play style that could be summed up by the old saying, “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes.” The puck seems to bounce abnormally and end up on the Flyer’s sticks to the point of I have yet to see the Flyers really set up in the zone in a controlled manner. Do they even know how to cycle the puck? The Blackhawks on the other hand are like a swarm of bees, buzzing around just waiting to sting. Jonatahan Toews, Patrick Kane, Dustin Byfuglien, just to name a few of those buzzing bees.
The only down side the Blackhawks have going is the Marian Hossa curse. Hey, the guys has some bad luck on his side, but as the saying goes, “Third times a charm.”
The list could be longer, but to be honest I just don’t want to waste my time on what is known. The Chicago Blackhawks are going to show the Philadelphia Flyers what real hockey is all about, how the Western conference does things, how to play crisp team hockey and win the Stanley Cup. My prediction is it will only take 5 games, that is with me being generous to say Philadelphia even wins one game.
Sure you may not believe me, but if you believe anything, believe in the superstition of touching the conference champion’s trophy. Blackhawk’s captain Jonatahan Toews did not even look at the Clarence S. Campbell trophy while Flyer’s Captain Mike Richards paraded around like a prom queen and her crown with the Prince of Wales trophy. That’s a no no Mikey boy.
Did you really take a shot at my inability to make predictions? I picked the Blackhawks to win the West! By the way I grew up playing goalie so I get a pass if I cant ever dangle on a breakaway. I get all my goals A2GF, Holmstrom style anyhow
No Eddie, I took a shot at your inability to score on a breakaway. But all in fun.
As pertaining to predictions, I merely noted there was only one of all of our predictions still possible.
Touchy touchy Eddie.