The 2013 NHL playoffs are almost upon us (Tuesday, April 30), and the pleasure about the Western Conference's first-round matchups are the talk of the hockey community. From perennial challengers like the Chicago Blackhawks and the Vancouver Canucks to underdogs with an opportunity to take the show like the Detroit Red Wings and the San Jose Sharks, this postseason is shaping around be crazy. Each one of the following marquee matchups makes the 2013 Western Conference playoffs some of the most exciting NHL games tennis fans will dsicover all season. No. 1 Chicago Blackhawks versus. No. 8 Minnesota Wild The Chicago Blackhawks (36-7-5) enter into this first-round line as the large favorites against the Minnesota Wild (26-19-3), but this game will be a good gauge of how well the No. 1 overall seed can accomplish this postseason. Minnesota isnat a serious competitor in the Western Conference playoffs, however the defensive system of the Wild can give the Blackhawks suits when they donat get their opponents seriously. Chicago must emerge burning. The Blackhawks have their own superior security (first in the NHL allowing only two goals per game), and combined with score of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, Chicago has the clear advantage in this opening round. Prediction: Chicago over Minnesota, 4-1. No. 2 Anaheim Ducks compared to. No. 7 Detroit Red Wings While immense credit is deserved by the Detroit Red Wings ( 24-16-8 ) for making the late surge to grab an area in the playoffs for the 22nd straight year, the Anaheim Ducks (30-12-6) are the group on paper and on the snow. Detroit continues to be one of the toughest defensive groups in the league (fifth in the NHL with 2.3 goals permitted per game), but the potent Anaheim offense (eighth in the league with 2.8 goals per game and fourth with a power-play portion of 21.5) can push the Red Wings beyond their limits. Led by the elite group of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan, the Ducks have become one of the most consistent unpleasant squads in the Western Conference and should have no problem developing past Detroit into Round 2. Prediction: Anaheim over Detroit, 4-3. No. 3 Vancouver Canucks versus. No. 6 San Jose Sharks The absolute most exciting game of the Western Conferenceas first round could be the fight involving the Vancouver Canucks (26-15-7) and the San Jose Sharks (25-16-7). The Sharks and Canucks are extremely similar in size, group makeup and research ninth and (sixth respectively in targets allowed and both rank in the top-10 for penalty-kill portion). The sole big difference could be the power-play models. Vancouver and San Jose both struggle offensivelya'19th and 24th respectively in ambitions per recreation this seasona'but the Sharks' very powerful energy play ranks seventh in the league at a 20.1 % success rate. Led by unpleasant and captain head Joe Thornton (40 items in 2013), San Jose can take this series in spectacular fashion and send the Canucks house with a first-round annoyed. Prediction: San Jose over Vancouver, 4-3. No. 4 St. Louis Blues vs. No. 5 L. A. Kings The Los Angeles Kings (27-16-5) might be the defending Stanley Cup champions, but the staff makes its first-round line with the St. Louis Blues (29-17-2) as the lower-seeded underdog. Despite the not enough popular interest, this series will undoubtedly be an absolute war. Not just are both businesses predicated on solid defensive play (tied for seventh in the NHL with 2.4 targets permitted per game), the undeniable fact that each team has elite penalty-kill and power-play devices can make this one of the best series of the 2013 postseason. The major difference in this matchup could be the offensive capabilities of both businesses. While La is once streaky offensively, they are still one of many top 10 groups when it comes to scoring goals. St. Louis ranks 17th in the group in the type, and that lack of rating will ultimately give the Kings the series win. Prediction: Los Angeles over St. Louis, 4-3.
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