April 2011 Archives

* The Blackhawks battled back from 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 deficits in Game 6, and with a goal from rookie Ben Smith in overtime, beat the Canucks (4-3) to even the series at three games apiece. Smith has three markers in the first six games of this matchup - tied for most of any rookie in the playoffs.
* Tonight marks Chicago's first Game 7 since defeating Toronto (5-2) in the 1995 playoffs. Including three straight victories (also vs. St. Louis and Minnesota in 1990), the Blackhawks are 5-4 all-time in Game 7 matchups.
* Vancouver is also 5-4 all-time in Game 7s, with its last such contest coming in 2007 - a 4-1 victory over the Stars. Just three teams in NHL history have held a 3-0 lead in a best-of-7 and lost the series: 1942 Red Wings, 1975 Penguins and 2010 Bruins. 
* Alexandre Burrows recorded his first career 3-point playoff game on Sunday (1g, 2a). Burrows has seven goals and eight assists in 39 career postseason games with 10 of those points (3g, 7a) coming vs. Chicago.

* Chicago has gotten five of its 21 goals from rookies in this series - most of any team in the playoffs. Blackhawks' rookies potted 30 markers during the regular season (third most in the Western Conference behind Edmonton-65 and San Jose-43).

* Duncan Keith leads all blueliners with four goals in the 2011 playoffs and his six points are second behind Buffalo's Marc-Andre Gragnani who has seven. The last Blackhawks' defenseman with more than four markers in a single postseason was Chris Chelios, who had six in 1992.

* The Blackhawks beat the Canucks, 7-2, in Game 4, snapping their 5-game losing streak to Vancouver in the process. Chicago has scored seven goals vs. Vancouver one time in each of the two clubs' last three postseason series (7-5 in 2009 and 7-4 in 2010).

* Both of Vancouver's Game 4 goals were scored with the man-advantage (2-for-7 on power-play). Including the regular season, the Canucks have converted 34.6 percent (9-for-26) of their power-play opportunities against the Blackhawks overall.
* Chicago has an all-time best-of-7 series record of 0-9 when down three games to one. The Blackhawks have lost Game 5 eight of the nine times they've faced elimination.
* Vancouver has a best-of-7 series record of 6-1 all-time when up 3-1, eliminating four of the six opponents in Game 5 (including the Blackhawks in 1982).
* Vancouver had a season-high 61 penalty minutes in Game 4 - its most in any postseason tilt since recording 98 PIM vs. St. Louis in Game 6 of the 1995 quarterfinals. Including the regular season, the Canucks are just 2-5-0 this year when they have 25+ PIM in a game.
* Dave Bolland was on the ice for the first time since March 9 for the Blackhawks in Game 4 and responded with four points (1g, 3a) on his way to first-star accolades. Bolland has eight points (3g, 5a) during his current 4-game postseason scoring streak (dating to last year's Stanley Cup Final). 

* Vancouver beat Chicago, 3-2, in Game 3 to take a commanding 3-0 lead in this series. Just three NHL teams all-time have come back to win a best-of-7 after losing the first three tilts: 1942 Maple Leafs (vs. Red Wings), 1975 Islanders (vs. Penguins) and 2010 Flyers (vs. Bruins).

* Including all three playoff games, Vancouver has beaten Chicago five straight times overall. The Canucks have won six consecutive games vs. the Blackhawks just once in franchise history (October 18, 2005-November 19, 2006).
* After both Sedin twins were blanked in Game 1 of this matchup, Daniel (3g, 2a) and Henrik (4a) have combined for nine points in the last two contests. Daniel (6g, 8a) and Henrik (5g, 11a) have combined for 29 points in 15 career postseason games vs. Chicago.
* Jonathan Toews assisted on both of the Blackhawks' goals in Game 3 in recording his first points of the 2011 playoffs. Toews has 31 points during the last postseasons - second most in the league (Danny Briere - 32).
* With three victories in the first three games of this series, Roberto Luongo now has 41 total wins in 2010-11 overall - most of any netminder in the league.
* Vancouver has just one 4-0 sweep in a best-of-7 series in franchise history: 2009 vs. St. Louis. Chicago has been down 0-3 in a best-of-7 fifteen times in franchise history and pushed the series to five games just twice (1968 vs. Canadiens and 1995 vs. Red Wings).

* The Blackhawks have won three of their last four Game 2's after losing Game 1 in a best-of-seven series, including two times last year during their Stanley Cup run.
* Vancouver is 4-13 all-time, including a 2-7 mark at home, in Game 2's after winning Game 1 in a best-of-seven series.
* Chicago was shut out in a Game 1 for the first time since losing to the Avalanche, 6-0, during Game 1 of the 1997 Western Conference first round.
* Patrick Kane has scored 19 postseason goals in his career, tied for the second most in the league since the beginning of the 2009 postseason.
* Even with the shutout in Game 1, Roberto Luongo is 5-8 with a 3.25 GAA and .897 save percentage in 13 career postseason games against the Blackhawks.
* Between the regular season and postseason, the Canucks are now 39-0-3 when leading after two periods in 2010-11.

* After losing 4-3 to the Red Wings in the early game last Sunday, the Blackhawks watched the Stars lose to the Wild in the final game of the regular season and backed into playoffs - their third straight postseason appearance after missing the playoffs every season from 2002-03 to 2007-08.
* The defending champs, Chicago is looking to become the first team to win back-to-back Cups since the Red Wings did so in 1997 and 1998. The Blackhawks and Canucks spilt four meetings during the regular season.
* Including two wins to close out the regular season, Vancouver went 14-3-0 in its last 17 games and finished with a league-best and a franchise record 117 points in 2010-11 - the first ever Presidents' Trophy for the Canucks.
* The Canucks have now won the Northwest Division three straight and four of the last five seasons overall. This series marks the fifth all-time meeting for these two clubs in the playoffs, with the Blackhawks holding a 3-1 series edge. Chicago eliminated Vancouver in the Conference Semis in both 2009 and 2010.
* Despite scoring just two goals in his last nine games of the regular season, Jonathan Toews recorded a career-best and team-high 76 points in 2010-11. Including a hat trick vs. the Canucks in Game 2 of the 2010 Conference Semis, Toews has 14 points (6g, 8a) during his current 7-game scoring streak in Vancouver (includes playoffs).
* Daniel Sedin had a career-high 104 points on his way to winning the Art Ross Trophy in 2010-11. Daniel and brother Henrik are the first pair of brothers to lead the league in scoring in back-to-back seasons all-time and together racked up 198 points this season - most of any pair of teammates in the league.
* Vancouver led the league in points, goals for, goals against and power-play percentage in 2010-11 - the first team since the 1977-78 Canadiens did so on their way to winning the Stanley Cup.

* The Blackhawks have won their last three games against the Red Wings. This season, Chicago is 6-for-14 on the power play against Detroit.

* Detroit is averaging 38.4 shots per game over its last nine games. The Red Wings have taken 40 or more shots on goal in six of those nine games.

* Chicago has outshot its last three opponents by an average of 13 shots a game (113-74). Chicago has amassed 20 shots on goal in a period twice in its last three games.

* Since March 1, Detroit is fourth in the NHL in power-play percentage (25.4 percent). The Red Wings have scored 15 of their 42 goals on the power play in that span.

* Tomas Kopecky has four goals in four games against his former team this season. Kopecky scored his 15th goal of the season, a career-high, in his last game.

* Johan Franzen has scored 16 of his team-leading 28 goals at home. Franzen scored in his last home game, after not scoring in his previous 11 home games.

* The Blackhawks have won three of their five games against the Blues this season. Chicago has won three straight and five of its last six home games against St. Louis.

* St. Louis has outscored its opponents 9-2 during its current two-game winning streak. The Blues have won each of their last three road games, while scoring at least six goals in each of those three contests.

* Chicago has lost three of its last four games, including a 2-1 loss in overtime to Montreal on Tuesday. The Blackhawks are 11-4-2 in the second of back-to-back games this season.

* Andy McDonald has points in six of his last seven games, including a goal and two assists against Colorado on Tuesday.

* Jonathan Toews, who leads Chicago with 75 points this season, has failed to record a point in each of his last four games. Toews has seven points (3g, 4a) in five games against the Blues this season.

* David Backes has lit the lamp in three of his last four games and has nine points (3g, 6a) in his last four road games against Chicago. 

* The Canadiens have won each of their last four home games against Chicago, last losing to them at home back in December of 2001.
* Montreal has won two of its last three games after being shut out in each of its previous three contests. The Canadiens can clinch a playoff spot with a victory tonight.

* Chicago has been shut out in two of its last three games overall. The Blackhawks have won three of their last four road games.

* Patrick Kane has five points (1g, 4a) in his last four road games and had two assists in his last game against Montreal back in October of 2009.

* Mathieu Darche has scored three goals in his last three games after scoring a total of three in his previous 25 contests.

* The Blackhawks own the second-best power-play percentage in the NHL this season at 23.9 percent. Chicago has been held without a power-play goal in three of its last five games.

* The Blackhawks are three points ahead of the Stars for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

* These two teams are averaging a combined 7.3 goals per game in their 11 meetings over the last two seasons. Only two times in those 11 games has either team been held to one goal or less. The Blackhawks have won their last two games in Columbus.

* The Blue Jackets have lost five of their last six games, having been held to one goal or less in three of those games.

* Columbus has not scored a power-play goal in their last 11 games and has not scored on the power play on their last 38 opportunities.

* Three of Patrick Sharp's two-goal games this season have come against the Blue Jackets. Sharp has scored seven goals total against Columbus this season, the most by any player.

* Antoine Vermette has scored a goal in back-to-back games and scored in his last game against Chicago. Vermette has not scored in three consecutive games since January 7-10, 2010.