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Blackhawks surging towards back-to-back Stanley Cups

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17th December, 2013
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The Chicago Blackhawks have seemingly avoided the dreaded championship hangover and are powering themselves not only towards the playoffs but also towards a second consecutive Stanley Cup.

The Blackhawks currently sit on top of the league standings, with an imposing 24-7-5 record and 53 points – two points clear of their Western Conference rivals Anaheim Ducks.

Chicago are looking to become the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup champions in the NHL since the Detroit Red Wings of 1997 and 1998.

After winning the Cup in 2010, the Blackhawks tried for consecutive feats and failed miserably, being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in 2011 by eventual Stanley Cup finalists the Vancouver Canucks.

An important note to remember is last season was cut short 34 games to 48 because of the debacle regarding the NHL labour dispute resulting in a lockout shortened season.

This has allowed the Blackhawks to stay relatively fresh and ultimately hungry for another run at the Stanley Cup, without their bodies and minds being pounded around for an additional 40% of the season.

Although the team was not able to better their previous season’s NHL record of the longest consecutive point streak to start a season at 24 games going 21-0-3, they have continued their early season dominance with a healthy .500 win percentage in regulation time.

As the Blackhawks have proved over the last two weeks especially, it is their firepower on offence that enables the franchise to dominate opponents and score goals at will.

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Since the December 8 match-up against the hapless Florida Panthers, Chicago has scored 25 goals in five games, averaging five goals per game.

They also lead the NHL in total goals scored, with 131 goals in 36 games to lead by a country mile over second placed St Louis Blues, with 107 in 31 games.

Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman believes the team’s success this season is built around them not depending on a single player:

“We’re getting contributions from a lot of different people, which you have to have. It’s not like we’re relying on two guys to carry the team.

“Our top guys have been good, but even our fourth line’s been great this year and probably more productive.”

Their point scoring machine and reigning Conn Smythe trophy winner Patrick Kane is having another outstanding season on Chicago’s top line, sitting second in the league for points; one behind Sidney Crosby on 45.

In all of the top offensive categories in the NHL, there are Blackhawks sitting in the upper echelon comfortably.

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Kane again is fourth in goals scored with 19, defenceman Duncan Keith equal fourth in assists on 28, goaltender Corey Crawford equal second on 17 wins and both Brandon Saad and Brent Seabrook are equal second with Colorado Avalanche’s Erik Johnson for a plus/minus rating of 18.

Though they possess all the might and power on offense, it is the defensive side of their game that is the main point of difference – in particular their penalty kill.

They rank 29th in the league, in front of the New York Islanders, with a 73.8 penalty kill percentage.

In 19 games this season the Blackhawks have allowed at least one power-play goal but are equal second in the league for shorthanded goals, with four.

There is also the problem of losing both their starting goaltender in Crawford and backup in Khabibulin to injuries.

Crawford went down with a groin injury last Sunday against the Panthers and is expected to be sidelined until after Christmas, as well as Khabibulin not being available since November with a lower body injury.

There is a bright spot however and that is the emergence of their third string goaltender, Antii Raanta, who has performed wonderfully since being thrust between the pipes going 6-1-1 to begin his NHL career after being signed before the season began.

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The team also traded for backup goaltender Jason LaBarbera from the Edmonton Oilers for future considerations to bolster their goaltending depth.

The recent trade with Florida to bring back Kris Versteeg to the Blackhawks, with whom he won the 2010 Stanley Cup, has provided dividends as Versteeg has notched 11 points in 17 games since the trade, being able to play on different lines in multiple positions.

Moving forward, Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville says his team has one very important aspect which will hold them in good stead as they drive themselves towards the playoffs:

“I think we have a lot of the same characteristics that were important when we did win the Cup, a lot of the same people.

“The core group that had the privilege of winning the two Cups is in place. They lead the way. Their attitude and approach from game to game puts us in the right place.”

And for Quenneville and the Blackhawks, that right place is capturing a second consecutive Stanley Cup in June.

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