Canadian Teams in the NHL Playoffs
Three of Canada's Teams Are Vying For Their Shot at the Stanley Cup
Here's a look at the opening-round of series of the NHL playoffs involving the Canadian teams.
Canadiens Take on First Place Bruins
First on the docket is the only Eastern Conference representative in the Montreal Canadiens. In a role reversal from last season, the Canadiens are the eighth seed taking on the number one seeded Boston Bruins, in a series that has all the tools to be a classic.
Physically, Montreal does not match-up with the bruising Bruins, although the two teams did combine for 72 penalty minutes in their last meeting.
The likes of Milan Lucic, Scott Thornton and the daunting presence of Zdeno Chara towering over the comparatively miniscule Canadiens forwards, leaves the Habs with no other viable option than to try to implement their skill and speed onto a big, but less than mobile, Bruins defense squad.
The keys to success for Montreal lie in two numbers, 27 and 31. No, this is not an effort to condone Canadiens fans to hit the roulette tables; the numbers spoken of will pay different dividends for a Canadiens team trying to regain an identity.
Number 27 Alexei Kovalev can be one of the most potent offensive players in the league if he so chooses, but he is also infamous for disappearing acts that can leave Houdini scratching his head. As Kovalev goes, so do the Canadiens.
The same can be said for goaltender Carey Price, who dons the number 31. He has the unenviable task of going up against the goaltender that sports a league best 2.10 GAA and .933 save percentage in Tim Thomas; his performance is going to have to be comparable if Montreal is to try and make their 100th year worth recollection.
In the Western Conference, two teams from north of the border have difficult matchups in the first round.
Now or Never for Canucks
For the Vancouver Canucks, this playoff run is more important for this team at this juncture in time than any other team in the post-season.
Come July 1st, the Canucks very similar but equally important faces of the franchise are up for unrestricted free agency. Both Daniel and Henrik Sedin have options to test the open market in the off-season, and the Canucks run in this year's playoffs may ultimately determine their futures in Vancouver.
Also, the much anticipated signing of Mats Sundin has not provided prolific results (28 pts in 41 games), but Sundin was signed mainly for April hockey and will bring the type of playoff experience unparalleled in the Canucks dressing room.
Goaltender Roberto Luongo will not only be looking to backstop his team towards a deep playoff run, but will also be informally auditioning for the starting job on team Canada's 2010 Olympic roster. Any added incentive for arguably the best goalie in the world is a scary proposition for opponents.
The Canucks first round opponent are the surprising St. Louis Blues, who sat in last place in the West at the All-Star Break, but thereafter went on an NHL best 25-9-7 run to grab the sixth spot.
And the third and final red and white representative is the Calgary Flames, who come into the playoffs anything but flaming hot.
Flames Have Tough Task With Blackhawks
Down the stretch the Flames were cooled, as Calgary lost six of their last ten games, were leapfrogged by the Canucks for tops in the Northwest, lost arguably their two best "defensive" defenseman in Robyn Regehr and Cory Sarich, are 20 years removed from their last Stanley Cup victory, and now have the unenviable task of taking on the extremely young and talented Chicago Blackhawks, against which the Flames went 0-4 against this season; can you note the optimistic tone of this?
Regardless of all the things wrong with the Flames, they still bolster a line-up that makes them a legitimate contender. The success or demise of this team in this year's post-season lie in the hands of an "Iggy", two first timers, and a "Kipper."
Jerome Iginla, affectionately referred to as "Iggy" from Flames faithful, has the "C" on the chest and demonstrates all the intangibles of a good leader: skill, speed, size and grit. He was an intricate part of Calgary's 2004 finals run, and will need to be this year.
The two first timers are Olli Jokinen and Mike Cammalleri. Both were acquired by the Flames for bolstered offensive production, and neither disappointed.
Jokinen will play the first meaningful April game in his 11 year career, and had 15 points in 19 games with the Flames after being acquired at the trade deadline from Phoenix.
Cammalleri, in his fourth full season, enjoyed the most productive campaign of his career in Calgary, accumulating a career high in goals with 39 and points with 82. He will also be making his first post-season appearance.
And lastly, but certainly not least in importance, is the "Kipper". Miikka Kiprusoff, who made an astonishing 76 out of a possible 82 appearances this year, is who will make or break the Flames post-season run. He had some shaky moments this season, but his nearly omnipotent performance in the 2004 post-season is the kind of déjà vu the Flames are hoping for.
Although Canada may only be represented by 50% of its NHL franchises, the three representatives should provide Canadian hockey fans with a different perspective towards the game, because it is undoubtedly the only situation where Canadians will support the stride for silver.
What do you think about this article?
Latest Articles