Stanley Cup Playoffs Daily Picks: Weary Blackhawks return to home ice – CBSSports.com
Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Daily Picks, where CBS hockey writers Chris Peters and Adam Gretz get you ready for every game every day of the postseason and share their predictions for each.
Anaheim Ducks at Chicago Blackhawks, 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, Game 3
Series tied 1-1
After a marathon in Game 2 that featured three overtimes, the Ducks and Blackhawks each have to hope the players’ bodies have recovered enough for what is sure to be another grueling contest as the series shifts back to Chicago. With only one day off in between games, which included a long flight for both teams, Game 3 is going to be a challenge for either club.
It could be particularly difficult for the Blackhawks and their depleted defense. Each of the top four defensemen played more than 45 minutes in Game 2. They won the game, but the miles that contest had to put on those players, particularly Duncan Keith who played nearly 50 full minutes in the game, is cause for concern. That’s especially because they’re going to have to play a lot again.
With the depth the Ducks boast throughout their lineup, there’s really no break in there for Chicago’s defense. All four lines can score and five of the six defensemen are true offensive threats. That forces Joel Quenneville to play his bottom two defensemen as sparingly as possible.
Kyle Cumiskey held his own in his first playoff game with the Blackhawks, but veteran Kimmo Timonen was the hockey equivalent of a tackling dummy in Game 2. Quenneville doesn’t seem to have a whole lot of faith in another defense option in David Rundblad and the team’s top defensive prospects — Trevor van Riemsdyk and Stephen Johns — are both injured. Creativity in defensive deployment in Game 3, with Chicago owning the last change, is going to be key to helping the blue line maximize its usage.
Chicago getting the last change is also going to allow Quenneville to get Jonathan Toews away from Ryan Kesler a little bit more. Toews had an assist and five shots on goal in the marathon Game 2 and has won the possession battle against Kesler, but those are still hard shifts. Also, it keeps Toews away from defending against Anaheim’s top line.
It’s going to be more interesting to see how Bruce Boudreau matches lines with Quenneville having the advantage of last change. The Ducks definitely were getting the matchups they wanted over two games, particularly with Kesler vs. Toews.
The other two guys who will be worth watching in this game rather closely are the goaltenders. Corey Crawford and Frederik Andersen put in a heck of a lot of work in Game 3. Crawford finished the contest with 60 saves over 116:12 of action, while Andersen posted 53 stops. Both were spectacular in overtime. The relatively tight turnaround between games puts a lot of strain on them individually. The goalie who recovered the best is probably going to have the best game. It’s possible neither shows any ill effects, but if this game goes long again, it’s something worth keeping an eye on.
The Ducks have a big opportunity here even though they’re going into the United Center, where no visiting team has won this postseason. It’s a tough place for visitors, but if the Blackhawks are at all tired, the Ducks can continue to wear the top four defenders down. Anaheim’s minutes distribution in Game 2 should make them fresher in Game 3, in theory, so that’s something they absolutely have to exploit.
Chicago’s advantage of last change and just how good they’ve been at United Center so far makes them tough to pick against in this one.
Pick: Blackhawks 3, Ducks 2
Duncan Keith and the Blackhawks return home after a busy, busy night in Game 2. (USATSI)
Three stars
1. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks: After being held off the score sheet in the first two games of this series, Kane’s return to the United Center could be the spark he needs to get involved in this series. Four of his seven goals this postseason have come at home. Before getting skunked in Games 1 and 2, Kane had points in seven straight. It could be Showtime in Chicago.
2. Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks: After another spectacular performance in Game 2, Crawford will make his fourth home start of this postseason. He has won the previous three with a .948 save percentage, allowing just four goals so far. The workload he handled in the last game is a concern, but he’s won six of his last seven postseason starts.
3. Ryan Kesler, Anaheim Ducks: Perhaps not having to agitate Toews every five seconds will allow Kesler to open things up offensively a little bit. Kesler has no points yet in the series after posting nine over his first nine postseason contests. Because he has his role in this series, it’s easy to forget that he can produce. The Ducks may need him to if the Blackhawks get their matchups against the Ryan Getzlaf–Corey Perry line.
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