Playoffs, Line-up And What To Watch For

So for the third straight year, the Canucks are facing the Balckhawks in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This time in the opening round, breaking the streak of second round meetings. Chicago backed into the playoffs, after Dallas's lost to Minnesota negated their loss to Detroit. Anything can happen in the playoffs though. All it takes is a few lucky bounces and a hot goalie and everything can change.

Chicago is a very different team then last year. They lost a majority of their role players (I am sure we are all sad to see this idiot not in a Chicago jersey anymore), as well as both goalies from last year. This was mainly due to outstanding cap management, which the new front office regime has continued. But we all know how the rules seems to change in the playoffs. If any of you watched the Wings-Blackhawks yesterday we got a taste of it. Two blatant interference calls and a high stick on Franzen, that drew blood, and not one call. Then Chicago gets a Power Play with three minutes left in the game. Pure coincidence I am sure.

The Canucks will not be immune to this. Gary loves this crap. Take away the game from the talented players and allow goalie interference and hack play, because that's what everyone wants to see, right Gary? Just because Byfuglien isn't there doesn't mean they aren't going to get another big, dumb talentless hack to interfere with Luongo. My guess is Tomas Kopecky. The guy is pretty much useless otherwise. They have to keep the front of the net clear if they want to win.

Its going to be tough not having the services of Malhotra and Torres (at least for the first two games) in this series. I do like we have an instigator, Lapierre, to after them now too. Higgins and Hansen will have to pick up the slack. Daniel and Henrik have to keep their heads in the game as well. We don't need any stupid penalties like Henrik's slash in the Calgary game on Saturday. They are the much better team this year, however, Canucks in six.