The 2010 Western Conference finals began with some great teams in pursuit. San Jose, Colorado, Chicago, Nashville, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Detroit. If you noticed, I named off three teams from the Central Division. Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, and the Detroit Red Wings, as well as the rivaled Vancouver Canucks. The Blackhawks opened the playoffs at home against the Nashville Predators. The Blackhawks lost game one 4-1. The Hawks only goal, and first of the game happened in period 2. The Preds put it on in the 3rd and scored 4 times. Game 2 was answered with a Niemi No-No (Shutout). Goals by Davey Bolland and Patrick Kane. Game 3 was answered again by the Preds with a 4-1 victory at home. Game 4 was against asnwered with another Niemi No-No. Patrick Shark scored twice and Toews put in a goal for himself. Brain Campbell returned after the injury he sustained by Alex Ovi a while ago. Hawks won 3-0. Game 5 was amazing, only if you were a Hawks fan. A close game, the Preds were up 4-3 to let in a goal after Niemi was pulled. Hossa was in the box for a boarding penalty. Which he was not suspended for. Hossa's penalty was a 5 minute major, which the Hawks killed off, and just as Hossa got back on the ice, he scored the game winner in OT. Game 6 was the Hawks last win of the series, 5-3. With goals from Keith, Kane, Sharp, Toews and an empty netter by Madden. Hawks put away a division rival to move on to play against a conference rival, the Canucks. The Conference Semi-Finals started off with a 5-1 loss to Vanny. Another home loss. Game 2 was answered by goals from Seabrook, Shark, Versteeg and Kane. Niemi only let in 2 goals to win 4-2. Game 3 in Vancouver, a hawks victory putting them up 3-1 in the series. Goals from Versteeg and Hossa and a Tricky (Hat Trick) from Dustin Byfuglien. This game was indeed insane. In the next game, Toews responded Byfuglien's tricky with his own, and a 7-4 victory making the series 3-1. The Canucks responded with a 4-1 victory in game 5. I remember hearing an interview from Adam Burish saying that he didn't want to travel back to Vancouver. The distance is a killer for some of these players. But the Hawks dealt with this and won game 6 with a score of 5-1. Right after the series was over I checked the Sports Two twitter, and the Canucks tweeted "See you in the playoffs next year Chicago." The Hawks came into the Conference Finals to play the San Jose Sharks. A team I expected to lose in both previous series. Game 1 the Hawks went to San Jose to begin the series and Niemi was put to the test, with 44 saves to win 2-1. Game 2 Ladd, Byfuglien, Toews, and Brouwer put the puck in the net. As the Sharks star of the series, Patrick Marleau scored twice. The Hawks won 2-0 making the series 2-0. The series turns to Chicago, where the Hawks decide to stay in a hotel instead of going home to be. They wished to continue their road victories at home. Game 3 the Hawks won a nailbitter 3-2 in OT. Who got the game winner? No one other than Big Buf (Dustin Byfuglien) Game 4 was the final dagger into the Sharks hopes for a playoff run. San Jose was up 2-0 and then the Hawks started to skate and score. Seabrook put the puck in, Bolland answered Seabs goal with one of his own. Byfuglien scores a powerplay goal that hurt the Sharks a lot and Versteeg clinches the game and the series with an empty net goal. Duncs(Duncan Keith) lost 4 teeth in this game when he took a puck to the mouth. The Hawks scored 53 goals, let in 40 goals, beat a Central Division rival, Western Conference rival, a San Jose team where they beat 5 of 6 games in the regular season and had their greatest success on the road. The playoffs began on Friday April 16th. Now the Blackhawks will be playing in the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1992, and their last Stanley Cup victory was back in the 60s. Toews and the Hawks hope to end thie drought and bring back hockey glory to this Original Six teams. Four games left, one goal lead is all the Hawks need. Their opponent? One of two Eastern Conference cinderella stories, the Philadelphia Flyers or the Montreal Canadiens.
