The Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings have played a tough series in the Western conference playoffs and after the Red Wings took a 3-1 lead in the series the Blackhawks have come back to force a Game 7 and after another tough game it will be the Blackhawks advancing after Brent Seabrook scored the winner. Corey Crawford and Jimmy Howard went back and forth all game and the two goalies were able to make some fantastic saves during the third period as things were tied up.
The Kings have been playing excellent throughout the playoffs in front of Jonathan Quick, who has proven to be an MVP type player for the team through the playoffs. The Kings defeated the Sharks in their first home game 7 matchup since the 80s and it came after two goals from Justin Williams, who picked up the slack for the Kings to send the Sharks home again. San Jose was looking to get to their third conference finals in the past four years, but instead the Kings will be heading to the Western conference finals for the second straight season.
The Kings won the Cup in dominant fashion last season after being the eighth seed and plowing through the West, but this year they were fifth and depending on what happens in the other series they could have home advantage again. The team has been on a streak at home and the team has been playing well on the road and now the Sharks head into another offseason with big questions for Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton as well as goalie Antti Niemi, who stopped 16 shots in the Game 7 loss. Niemi won the Cup with the Blackhawks and he allowed the two goals in the second period.
The Sharks got one goal from Dan Boyle in the third period to get the score to 2-1 and in the next round the Kings will need to step up with Richards and Carter on offense. Quick has been the most important player for the Kings over the past two seasons and he was excellent in the third apart from that one goal and his 25 saves were the difference in the game for LA. After winning 4-3 the Kings now have the chance to repeat as champions for the first time and Quick could end up as the playoffs MVP again.
The Kings were one of the most consistent teams during the season and the Red Wings ended up making it into the playoffs to keep their two decade streak alive, while the Blackhawks started off the season on a record streak and ended up with the number one seed. The two teams had a hard fought series and was another Original Six matchup after the Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers.
