Blackhawks can Win the West

The Western Conference promises to be an even tighter affair than the East with little between the playoff contenders.

Sharks won’t feel much of an advantage
So much for the benefits of being a #1 seed. San Jose faces a Colorado team which split the season series 2-2. The Sharks consistency over the course of the season is the only real edge in this one but it should be enough in six games. Chicago find itself in a far better position for its tussle with Nashville. The Blackhawks dominated the Predators in the regular season and should do away with Nashville inside of five games for a reasonably smooth ride to the Conference semi finals.

Vancouver will get all it can handle from a hungry LA team that is eager to make more than a brief visit to the post-season. The Canucks may have won the season series but LA has punched above its weight throughout the season and I expect that to continue. The Kings will shock the Canucks in seven games. Finally in the quarter-final round, the Red Wings face the unenviable task of taking on the Coyotes. Detroit may not be the team that won the Stanley Cup two years ago but with little to separate the Red Wings from Phoenix this year, that post-season experience has to count for a lot. The Red Wings to pull through in six or seven games.

Path becomes clear for top seeds
Supposedly seeding matters little in the NHL playoffs but if these games go as I’m calling them, it will count for a lot to San Jose. The Sharks will relish the chance to take on a confident but weaker Los Angeles team in the conference semi-final and could well sweep the Kings, although I expect it to go at least five games. For the Blackhawks, the opportunity to end Detroit’s dominance in the conference will be motivation enough to come out all guns blazing. The traditional NHL betting view is to go with Detroit’s experience but Chicago knows it has a chance to win now and it will in six games.

Blackhawks have the edge
Over the course of 82 games in the regular season just 1 point separated the Sharks and the Blackhawks and I expect the Western Conference Finals to be just as tight.  Last year’s duel with Detroit at this stage and the addition of Marian Hossa will give Chicago enough of an edge over the course of at least six, and probably seven, games to make it through to the Stanley Cup Finals.

It promises to be a long and drawn-out series in the Western Conference and you can find all the best NHL lines at Sports Interaction’s online sports book.