Post by League Commish (Hurricanes GM) on May 12, 2013 12:55:59 GMT -5
(E4) New York Rangers versus (W5) Chicago Blackhawks
NYR 12-2-1 - RECORD - 12-5-1 CHI
NYR (4.47 GFPG) 67 - GF - 68 (3.78 GFPG) CHI
NYR (3.04 GAPG) 46 - GA - 52 (2.86 GAPG) CHI
NYR (8G, 13A, 21P) Curtis Lazar - Leading Scorer - Mark McNeill (11G, 13A, 24P) CHI
NYR (0.874 SV%, 3.04 GAA, 0 SO) Kari Lehtonen - Goaltending - Corey Crawford (0.877 SV%, 2.86 GAA, 0 SO) CHI
Season Meetings
NYR 2 - 3 CHI
NYR 12-2-1 - RECORD - 12-5-1 CHI
NYR (4.47 GFPG) 67 - GF - 68 (3.78 GFPG) CHI
NYR (3.04 GAPG) 46 - GA - 52 (2.86 GAPG) CHI
NYR (8G, 13A, 21P) Curtis Lazar - Leading Scorer - Mark McNeill (11G, 13A, 24P) CHI
NYR (0.874 SV%, 3.04 GAA, 0 SO) Kari Lehtonen - Goaltending - Corey Crawford (0.877 SV%, 2.86 GAA, 0 SO) CHI
Season Meetings
NYR 2 - 3 CHI
The Stanley Cup Finals have arrived! For the New York Rangers, it's their first trip to the finals since they won the Cup in 1994, a season in which they also defeated the rival New York Islanders in the process. For the Blackhawks, it's a chance to capture their second Stanley Cup in a row, a feat that hasn't been accomplished since the Detroit Red Wings. The Rangers had an easier road to the finals but the Blackhawks did win the one and only meeting between these two teams during the regular season. This series should be tight and will see several players play against their old teams, including Patrick Sharp, Michael Del Zotto and Ryan Callahan.
Key Players for New York
Kari Lehtonen - The Hawks are a high scoring team. Lehtonen will be a key to shutting down the Blackhawks offense.
Curtis Lazar/Vladislav Namestikov - The rookie due of Lazar and Namestikov have combined for 18 goals, 22 assists and 40 points in 15 games. Lazar leads the way with 21 points himself, emerging as a true playoff performer.
Patrick Sharp - Sharp has had a solid post season with 16 points in 15 games. Look for him to try to one-up his former team.
Ryan Getzlaf - Getzlaf has continued to be just okay in the playoffs. The Rangers need him to get it going.
Jay Bouwmeester - Bouwmeester was a huge pickup for the Rangers and he leads all of their blueliners in points. He will be tasked with a huge defensive responsibility, shut down the Hawks snipers.
Key Players for Chicago
Corey Crawford - Crawford has performed better than Lehtonen so far and he'll need to make sure that we can say that after the finals have been completed as well.
Mark McNeill - Much like Lazar for the Rangers, McNeill has emerged as a legitimate scoring threat in his rookie year with a team leading and league leading 24 points, putting him as a front runner for the Conn Smythe.
Ryan Callahan - Like Sharp for the Rangers, Callahan has a chance to burn his old team in this series.
Michael Del Zotto - Del Zotto is the top dog on the blueline for the Hawks and has performed decently with 13 points but a worrisome -9. Against his former team in the biggest series of games in his career, he'll need to be better to keep the Rangers off the score sheet.
Prediction
4-3 Chicago, but could go either way. Both teams have proven that they are capable and if they were playing any other teams than each other, I could argue that they both would win their series. Good luck guys.