The Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks are playing Game 1 and Game 2 of the western conference semifinals on the NHL playoffs schedule and the games from the Honda Center start on Sunday at 3:00 pm ET on NBC and streaming online from the NBC Sports Network Live Extra website as Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Ryan Getzlaf take the ice.
The Ducks come in after winning over the Flames in the previous round, while the Blackhawks beat the Minnesota Wild with ease. The Blackhawks are looking to get to the Stanley Cup finals for the third time in six years and they are hoping to steal a game in California. The Ducks come in with the best power play in the playoffs in the west and that means the Blackhawks will have to be careful about taking penalties.
The Blackhawks have been not great about killing penalties and according to ESPN, they are the worst of the four teams left in penalty kill percentage. Anaheim has skilled players on every line and they are a physical team with quickness and the Blackhawks will have to counter that. Ryan Kesler has the chance to keep things going after a solid series and the Ducks will focus on taking care of Toews, who can be very dangerous in space and when he has clear shooting lanes.
Anaheim goaltender Frederik Andersen has been good, but like Ben Bishop in Tampa Bay, this is his first real taste of postseason play. The Ducks have not been challenged too much through the first two series and the team surely will get that against the Blackhawks, as they have a deep roster full of experienced players. The Hawks played against the Kings last year and now they have the Ducks in the west finals.
Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry have been great throughout the playoffs and now arguably the two best teams in the west face off in the west finals. The Ducks have been a top team for multiple years in the west, but they have been unable to make a run to the finals and now they have to beat the Hawks to do it. The Blackhawks were in the conference finals last year and they won the Stanley Cup before that and now they have the chance to get in again.
The Blackhawks are looking like the best team in the west again and they will have to take down the number one seed to advance. In the eastern conference the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning are battling in the semifinals and NYR is leading 1-0 after winning 2-1 against TB on Saturday.
Check here for the Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks live coverage.
