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NHL Betting: Vancouver Canucks vs Chicago Blackhawks Preview

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By: BoDog Sportsbook
Date: Apr 12, 2011
   
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The Vancouver Canucks cruised up the NHL betting board this season and earned the top seed in the Western Conference, but it may have backfired—they’ve drawn the defending-champion Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs.

Vancouver (54-19-9) closed out the season with back-to-back wins despite having first place locked up. The Canucks have a fair amount of momentum heading into the postseason, as they’ve won seven of their past 10 games. As a result, they have 3/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup.

Some healthy bodies returned to the lineup recently, giving Vancouver the best blue line in the NHL. The top pair was out as Alex Edler had back surgery and Dan Hamhuis had a concussion, but both are finally healthy and fired up. Throw in Sami Salo and Keith Ballard, and Vancouver has a brilliant top four.

Offensively, the Canucks are just as lucky. Five different players scored 50-plus points, including Daniel Sedin (104 points) and Henrik Sedin (94 points). The twins were lights-out this season and aren’t showing any signs of slowing down. Throw in All-Star goalie Roberto Luongo, and Vancouver certainly has the best team—on paper, at least.

Chicago (44-29-9) is lucky to be here. The Blackhawks have been a huge disappointment, and they almost missed the postseason only a year after winning the Cup—the Hawks fell 4-3 to Detroit on Sunday and, if Dallas had won later in the day, would have missed the playoffs.

But the Blackhawks are still a very scary playoff contender. The top line of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp is as good as any in the NHL. Chicago also boasts a fantastic top defensive pairing in Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith. That duo will be incredibly important against Vancouver, as they’ll need to slow down the Sedin twins.

The biggest question is in goal, where rookie Corey Crawford will make his first ever postseason appearance. Crawford has played well this season, but the stakes will be higher than ever. If he falters, the team could turn to veteran Marty Turco, who has lots of playoff experience but is well past his prime.

Vancouver and Chicago split their four games against each other this season.

Get all your NHL odds at Bodog. Always know your odds.


 

  Kyle Hunter
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