Chicago vs. Los Angeles: A budding rivalry
The Chicago Blackhawks' Brandon Saad (20), right, celebrates with Nick Leddy (8) after scoring his goal during the second period in Game 2 of a second-round playoff series against the Minnesota Wild in Chicago, Sunday, May 4, 2014. Credit: AP / Nam Y. Huh
It's getting to be familiar territory with the Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks, who meet for the second consecutive postseason in the Western Conference finals that begins Sunday in Chicago.
The teams have won three of the last four Stanley Cups and, even though neither of them had a regular season to write home about, they both know how to turn things on in the spring.
"Getting to the conference finals three years in a row is a heck of a compliment. They know how to win," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said of the Kings. "They know what it takes. I think their experience is healthy for them. I think our experience is healthy for what we've gone through, as well. I think there's mutually a lot of respect both ways."
The Kings really waited to the last few minutes to turn it on this postseason, rallying from a 3-0 series deficit to the San Jose Sharks in the opening round to become just the fourth team to come back from that deficit.
They were dominant in Game 7 against the Ducks in the second round Friday, a 6-2 win propelling them to this series. Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown and goaltender Jonathan Quick are all veterans of the 2012 Cup team and now three straight trips to the conference finals, but there has been one key addition that New York fans know well.
Marian Gaborik joined the Kings at the March 5 trade deadline, sent by the Blue Jackets for a couple of midround draft picks and a depth forward. Gaborik scored 40 goals twice for the Rangers and he's found his touch again, leading the league with nine playoff goals.
The Hawks look very much the same as they did winning the Cup last spring, with unsung goaltender Corey Crawford behind an all-star lineup led by captain Jonathan Toews, scorer Patrick Kane, wily vets Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa and defensemen Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook.
If there's any sort of secret weapon for the Hawks, it might be bulky winger Bryan Bickell, who has 15 goals the last two playoffs after scoring 20 in his last two regular seasons.
But there are certainly few surprises in store as the series gets underway.
