How I think Boudreau deploys his matchups at home:
Getz line on Toews line
Kesssler line on Richards line
Thompson line on Vermette line
Rakell line on Kruger line

AGREED. HE MAY TRY RAKELL ON RICHARDS AS WELL, BUT HE ALMOST HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO FOCUS KESLER ON KANE. THOMPSON/VERMETTE MATCHUP IS INTERESTING BUT I QUESTION HOW MANY MINUTES YOU SEE ANAHEIM'S FOURTH LINE. I ALSO THINK SHARP AND OR TT COULD END UP HAVING A HUGE SERIES IF THEY GO THIS WAY.

How I think Q deploys his matchups
Mix of Toews/Kruger line on Getz line, but heavy with Toews
Kruger line vs Kesler line primarily
Richards/Kane line vs Rakell line
Vermette line on Thompson line

AGREED, BUT I THINK HE'S GONNA WANT VERMETTE AGAINST KESLER SOME. VERMETTE WILL PAY HIM TOUGH AND MIGHT CAUSE KESLER TO BE . . . KESLER (DUMB PENALTY)

I also think you see 2/7 or 4/27 out against Getzlaf
7/44 or 4/27 or 2/4 against Kesler
2/5 against Rakell

Boudreau will put Beauchemin and Lindholm out against Toews
Fowler and Despres out against Kane
Stoner and Vatanen against Vermette
X-factor is Kruger's line which could cause problems up and down Anaheim's lineup

I can also see Q swapping out Bickell and Saad, and really going to war with Perry and Getzlaf
- John Jaeckel

I wonder how often Vermette and Kesler matched up against each other when Vermette was in Phoenix?

Have you been to Califnornia? If not, the answer is, "no".
- blackhawk24

I believe there are a few of us. Thanks for the heads up. I think that was a solid piece by Ryan Wilson. I'm surprised the PA is taking that stand as there are far more clutch and grab players than skilled in the league.

The numbers do not lie. I believe even the contrast between this year and last year's playoffs is significant. The number of called penalties is significantly less than last year at this point of the playoffs. This is no longer a trend line down it is more like a downward spike.

If the Ducks are allowed to clutch and grab the way the Kings were last year than this will be a very difficult round. I call this series a toss up primarily because of that concern.
- tredbrta

You know it's bad when ALL of the talking heads are talking about it. Hearing it on TV broadcasts and on NHL satellite radio on multiple shows - all saying the same thing: refs swallowing their whistles more this year by a lot or the lack of whistles in an attempt perhaps to avoid adversely affecting the game is adversely affecting the game.

You know it's bad when ALL of the talking heads are talking about it. Hearing it on TV broadcasts and on NHL satellite radio on multiple shows - all saying the same thing: refs swallowing their whistles more this year by a lot or the lack of whistles in an attempt perhaps to avoid adversely affecting the game is adversely affecting the game.
- Marlowe

If the league really wants more scoring, they enact - and hold to thru the POs - the rules coming out of the season-lost lockout. There will be all this whining and crying during the RS and by the time game #83 gets here, the playoff teams will have adjusted. It'll take the whole season, and hopefully not as long as it took DT to figure out he had a completely (frank)ing up roster and needed a 'special meeting' with the league FO wonks for a private lesson on, "this is how you build a roster in the new NHL".

Yeah, because it worked so well for Nashville and Minnesota. Can't hit what ya can't catch, Pallie. (that was for you, CB)

What is really disappointing so far is there is only one Ducks fan who's come on here who actually knows what he's talking about. The rest of this is almost laughably stupid.
- John Jaeckel

- Cup-Bearer

Just want to reiterate that I am hearing the various hockey experts calling the upcoming Anaheim Ducks - Chicago Blackhawks matches the “series of the ages” and “classic playoff hockey.”

The conference schedule would start Thursday 8:15 if the Lightning win, and Sunday afternoon if the Habs extend it since the Ducks Honda center is booked Friday and Saturday, but the cancelled the Friday venue I have been told, so if Habs win Friday then Sunday there.
- wiz1901

I think that's

typical inflated so called expert hyperbole and bloviation...

Yeah, well, ask Stoner what Shaw's hits feel like.
- John Jaeckel

All I remember is Stoner hitting Shaw. Does anyone have a clip of it the other way around?

Double post!

How many years have we heard from chest-pumping homers who have convinced themselevs the the Hawks attack is gonna wilt after being hit?
- wiz1901

Year after year after year after year......

The Hawks have never been THIS deep at Center....... Ever.


Ducks in deep poop.

In three games this year vs. Anaheim vermette was 66% at the dot.


Ducks are in deep poop


http://espn.go.com/nhl/st...Won/seasontype/2/split/25

This season Kesler was a -2 and 46% at the dot vs. the Hawks.


Ducks are in deep poop


http://espn.go.com/nhl/st...Won/seasontype/2/split/25

the interesting mega trends of this series:

1. the hawks are a brilliant 30-0-0 when leading after 2

2. the ducks lead the league in comeback victories in the 3rd and OT.

the hawks have also shown the ability to come back in the playoffs...

i don't think either team is going to run away and hide in this series...

net minding and special teams will have a say in this one....the hawks have to tighten up the pk..can't allow the ducks a goal per game on the pp...

crawford looks locked and loaded and no fear if darling needs to come in...can't wait to see how anderson handles the hawks offensive pushes

btw luv ovie flapping his yap about a cap win....

he and that cap team always find away to crap the ice by the 2nd round and they will again tonight....

rangers will beat em the 3rd strt time 4 games to 3...

btw luv ovie flapping his yap about a cap win....

he and that cap team always find away to crap the ice by the 2nd round and they will again tonight....

rangers will beat em the 3rd strt time 4 games to 3...
- bogiedoc

Should be fun.


I'd really like the Rangers and that deep D and King to be eliminated .....

this stings, Habs gave up less to get Petry than we did to get Timonen

http://bleacherreport.com...vidends-for-the-canadiens

An extra 2nd rounder on a team with a lot of prospects is what it cost. Stan then went out and signed TVR as a college free agent - who made the team his rookie season.

What did it cost again? Not much.

What Stan paid was his choice... but, in the player development scheme we are slowly learning they employ, it really wasn't much at all. Just like the picks they lost in the Vermette trades were replaced (indirectly) by the free agent signings of Kero, Baun, Panarin and Gustafson.
- tredbrta

And one could make the argument that they got *theoretically* more polished assets in Panarin especially and Kero has been able to contribute a bit in Rockford. Gustafsson is an interesting pick up but may be further away.

Depending who gets moved. Keeping Vermette around if he wants to sign for cheap or Richards for that matter may not be a terrible or unfathomable idea. Nothing wrong with some of the guys spending an extra year in the AHL.

Would be nice if they could move some assets for an earlier pick and take the other Strome or Zacha (who apparently learned English watching Dumb and Dumber). I personally would like to see a bigger center (and in bigger i mean huge and possibly mean) but that's just my delusion of the day while I wait for this game one to freakin happen.

Double post!

How many years have we heard from chest-pumping homers who have convinced themselevs the the Hawks attack is gonna wilt after being hit?
- wiz1901

Don't tell anyone Wiz. Its the playoffs. The Ducks are about to find out the Hawks hit back in the playoffs.

If Boudreau doesn't put Getzlaf out (and outs keeler out there) against Toews, who does he put out against Richards and Kane. Getzlaf? Interesting strategy. But if Kane is engaged up (and especially back down) the ice that could backfire.
- John Jaeckel

Kane will be engaged all over the ice. He lives for this time of the year. These days its more of a rarity when he isn't the first one back.

I don't disagree with either point. I just think if Q thought he was better than or as good as Timonen, he would've been in the first two rounds. What I heard from a good source was, they were hoping Rundblad would not see th eice in the playoffs. Not making that up either.

Funny, how many of the Timonen haters were all over Rozsival all season? i think more than a few. Old wonky wheels doesn't lok so bad right now does he? Well, if he didn't have a cast on.
- John Jaeckel

To be fair Rozy was bad for a lot of the season. And not dissimilar to Zeus his minutes should have been managed better down the stretch. He was to his credit good enough for the most part this post season.

Some injury issues in Rockford and other guys not being ready or not having the $ to get something more significant is what it is.

Even with all of that I agree Rundblad is awful. Forget about wilting under pressure, he doesn't know where to be on the ice in his own zone and I think that is scarier. But that being said, they probably still have enough to get through this round which will likely be a high scoring affair. The Hawks have too much offensive push for the Ducks to manage. As long as Crawford is Crawford then they could get outshot 40-30 every night and still make it out in 5 or 6 games.

our newly arrived belicose quackers from disneyland have neglected the following history and status of their "great" stud team...

http://chicago.suntimes.c...vs-hawks-joel-quenneville

essentially boudreau and his ducks have done squat and when up against good playoff teams they have wilted...

but hey they are going to run and cycle the hawks into the 3rd row this series...

And what about one of our favorite whipping boys, the inimitable Kris Versteeg?

Does Q have a mental meltdown and re-insert #23 back into the lineup?
Does #23 skating with Sharp and Vermette with #11 out sick give him hope?

I know #86 is waif-like.
However, he is quite adept at avoiding most hits and gives us 4 great lines, allowing Shaw to do his thing as 4th line winger.

Sure hope Q doesn't have a relapse where he will have to be placed in straitjacket once again after a Versteeg turnover in the neutral zone.

- savvyone-1

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss Versteeg. If this series proves to be more than TT is ready for at this time, Versteeg is a pretty nice option to have to inset in the line-up.

Lets not forget how well Versteeg was playing before he was injured. Kane just needs to sit him down and tell him, don't try to do what I do. lol

To be fair Rozy was bad for a lot of the season. And not dissimilar to Zeus his minutes should have been managed better down the stretch. He was to his credit good enough for the most part this post season.

Some injury issues in Rockford and other guys not being ready or not having the $ to get something more significant is what it is.

Even with all of that I agree Rundblad is awful. Forget about wilting under pressure, he doesn't know where to be on the ice in his own zone and I think that is scarier. But that being said, they probably still have enough to get through this round which will likely be a high scoring affair. The Hawks have too much offensive push for the Ducks to manage. As long as Crawford is Crawford then they could get outshot 40-30 every night and still make it out in 5 or 6 games.
- fattybeef

Hawks allowed 22 shots a game against the Ducks. RS means squat now but there is some success to draw on there.

our newly arrived belicose quackers from disneyland have neglected the following history and status of their "great" stud team...

http://chicago.suntimes.c...vs-hawks-joel-quenneville

essentially boudreau and his ducks have done squat and when up against good playoff teams they have wilted...

but hey they are going to run and cycle the hawks into the 3rd row this series...
- bogiedoc

Hey Bogie,

saw the Mark Potash article in the Suntimes this morning...Q>>Boudreau. Potsy makes some solid points.

this stings, Habs gave up less to get Petry than we did to get Timonen

http://bleacherreport.com...vidends-for-the-canadiens
- pierregruska

yeah and Petry is still a weaker link defensively than Timonen. H ewas last week and still is...

yeah and Petry is still a weaker link defensively than Timonen. H ewas last week and still is...
- wiz1901

At this point? Petry is playing very well for the Habs. Also plays about as much as KT in one shift.