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CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS VS. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Stanley Cup Final Preview
by Charles Smith
Hockeytalk.biz  |  MAY 27, 2010

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

The Flyers are still rolling, compliments of a stunning, determined performance in the Conference title clinching Game 5 vs Montreal, Mike Richards has now staked claim to being the best Philadelphia Flyers' captain since Bobby Clarke led the franchise to back to back championships in 1974 and 1975.

The legendary Clarke must have been all smiles as he watched the final seconds tick off the clock, Philly earning a trip to the Stanley Cup final for the first time since 1997. It was Richards who tied the game in the first period with one of the most gutsy shorthanded efforts in recent memory. Richards was equally as tough in the third period, as he assisted on Jeff Carter's empty netter with 23 seconds left to put the game out of reach for good.

For the record, Mike Richards did hoist the Prince of Wales trophy, which is awarded annually to the Eastern Conference Champs.  Former Flyer Eric Lindros is credited with starting the tradition of not touching the conference championship trophy, it being deemed bad luck to embrace any team trophy short of the Stanley Cup.   Given Lindros' legacy, Philly Fans should be delighted that Richards did not choose to follow any tradition established by the club’s enigmatic former captain.

Flyers forward Jeff Carter also made his presence felt, scoring two goals, including the game winner in his second game back since Game 4 in the first round against New Jersey.

Tough guy Ian Laperriere also returned to the Flyer lineup for the first time since Game 5 of the first round, when he suffered a variety of facial injuries resulting from a puck to the face, which also resulted in a brain bruise. 

Goalie Michael Leighton played strong in net and became the first Flyers goalie to post three shutouts in a single playoff series.

The Canadiens scored only seven goals in the series as their proverbial clock struck midnight. One big problem was that coming into the conference final, over thirty percent of their goals came from the Michael Cammalleri’s stick.  Philly took direct action, limiting the league’s playoff goal scoring leader to only one marker in the series, effectively choking off the Canadiens’ lifeline. The curious lack of playoff scoring from Scott Gomez – despite an energetic performance -- also finally took its toll.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

The Chicago Blackhawks were last seen in the Stanley Cup final in 1992.

The Conference final against San Jose, which was billed as a dazzling, high-scoring skillfest which would keep hockey fans waiting on tenter hooks to see which team would be left standing, instead turned out to be little more than a routine coronation ceremony for the new Western Conference champs.

The Hawks went through the Sharks like a hot knife through butter, leaving the stunned Bay Area hopefuls wondering what hit them. It is said that if Sharks stop moving, they die. No further evidence is needed.

As they had done against Vancouver in the Conference semifinal, Chicago became more and more dominant as the series went on and by the time the Sharks took the ice for Game 4, it was apparent that all hope had been lost.

Just as they had done in the series-clinching Game 6 against the Canucks, waves of forwards finally wore down the San Jose defense to the point where a good defense was reduced to mere spectators. Dustin Byfuglien and company crashed the net with reckless abandon and the deadly speed of the Chicago forwards left the Sharks floating belly up. Antii Niemi also continued his strong play in goal.

The Sharks were not able to gain the advantage in any crucial turning point of any game in the series.  After dropping the first two games and home, losing Game 3 in overtime on the road seemed to seal their fate. Had the Sharks won that game, it might have been a tougher series, In contrast, the series did prove plenty tough for Hawks' defenseman Duncan Keith, who lost no less than twenty-five percent of his teeth on one shift when he took a puck to the mush in the second period of Game 4.

Although the Sharks did make it to the Conference final for the first time since 2004, they will again face another offseason of tough questions regarding yet another playoff meltdown. At this point, Sharks GM Doug Wilson would make a great pitchman for Pepto-Bismol.

SIMILAR PATHS

Although the makeup of the Philly and Chicago teams is vastly different, their respective roads to the brink of glory are remarkably similar.

These two teams each made one appearence in the Cup final in the 1990's, and both were swept. Chicago by Pittsburgh in 1992, Philadelphia by Detroit in 1997. Neither team has been back since.

Ironically, Flyers' goalie Michael Leighton was originally a sixth round draft pick of Chicago in 1999, while Hawks' forward Patrick Sharp was a third round draft pick of Philly in 2001.

The parallel ascent of these two franchises began after both missed the playoffs in 2007, but returned in 2008. The trend continued in 2009, when the Hawks were eliminated by Detroit in the Conference final, while the Flyers were knocked out by Pittsburgh for a second straight year. This playoff year, both have been buoyed by previously unproven goaltenders who show remarkable playoff composure.

NEUTRALIZE

The Hawks were able to overwhelm their last two opponents by continually crashing the net. Philly acquired Chris Pronger to deal with situations exactly like this, which he will, but Chicago has a lot of depth up front. Philly defenseman Kimo Timonen has also had a good playoff year and will need to stay strong. 

The Flyers were built to beat the best teams in the Eastern conference. Ironically, Washington and Pittsburgh have a roster and style very similar to Chicago. One thing the Flyers do not see in the East however, is a team with a mobile defensive corps the likes of Brent Seabrook, Brian Campbell, and Duncan Keith. Chicago is also unlike any team Philly has faced this postseason. The Flyers will undoubtedly be watching film of how Montreal neutralized Washington and Pittsburgh in order to put together a effective strategy to deal with the blazing team speed of Chicago.

The team that controls the neutral zone will win this series.

If Chicago is allowed to continually burst through center ice with speed, Philly will be in a whole heap of trouble, but if they can make the Hawks play a lot of neutral zone stop and start, they should be fine.

The charmed life of the Chicago defense will also face its toughest challenge to date due to the heart and drive of the Philly forwards. Yes, the Sharks do have more skillful forwards, but the Flyers have much more heart and unlike San Jose, they simply will not give up.

This series will also test the patience of the Chicago forwards if Philly is able to plug the neutral zone. Chicago is going to need to bring the heat every game in order to stop Philly from stealing their thunder.

The Flyers lead the NHL in postseason goal scoring with 54 total goals, while Chicago is second with 53. Further evidence that the two best teams have made it is that they are also the top two teams in total assists, 92 for Chicago, 91 for Philly.

PREDICTION

This should be a classic Stanley Cup battle.

Were this a boxing match, it would be Ali/Frazier, the Blackhawks floating like butterflies and stinging like bees, the Flyers relentlessly working their way inside, dipping and dodging while throwing a lot of short jabs and hooks.

Fighting styles make prizefights memorable, and this is the proverbial Boxer vs Puncher matchup.

Muhammad Ali, for example, was a better boxer than Joe Frazier, but 'Smokin Joe' somehow gave him fits every time they squared off. It was the classic case of Boxer vs Puncher. In what was billed as "The fight of the Century" in 1971, the blazing hand speed of Ali was neutralized by an intrusive, powerful left hook for which the latter had no answer. The relentless Frazier tenderized Ali's right jaw for 15 rounds, and won a unanimous decision.

Much like Ali, the Hawks are the more skilled team. Much like Frazier, the Flyers have that relentless style which will prove to be the difference.

The hardest teams to beat are those that no matter what, simply won't say 'Uncle'. Philly is such a team.

Flyers win in seven and for the first time in 35 years, will parade the silver chalice down Pennsylvania Route 611, aka Broad Street.

CHARLES SMITH SAYS:

FLYERS IN 7
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