2016 - STANLEY CUP FINALS PREVIEW - Tazer19's Dynasty

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2016 - STANLEY CUP FINALS PREVIEW

Posted on January 6, 2012 at 08:00 PM.

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Toronto Maple Leafs - (47 - 28 - 7 -- 101)

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Chicago Blackhawks - (46 - 29 - 7 -- 99)

What you Need to Know
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(NHL RANK IN PLAYOFFS)

Goals For Per Game - 2.82 (#3)
Goals Against Per Game - 1.65 (#1)
Power Play % - 19.7% (#6)
Penalty Killing % - 82.3% (#9)

Home Record - (7 - 2 - 0)
Road Record - (5 - 3 - 0)

Leading Scorer - Nazem Kadri (6 goals / 11 assists - 17 pts)
Who's in Net? - James Reimer (12 wins / Save % .946 / GAA - 1.60)

(NHL RANK IN PLAYOFFS)

Goals For Per Game - 2.86 (#1)
Goals Against Per Game - 2.38 (#8)
Power Play % - 20.4% (#5)
Penalty Killing % - 90.3% (#1)

Home Record - (8 - 2 - 0)
Road Record - (4 - 7 - 0)

Leading Scorer - Jonathan Toews (7 goals / 12 assists - 19 pts)
Who's in Net? - Corey Crawford (12 wins / Save % .914 / GAA - 2.38)

Analysis and Prediction
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The battle everyone has been waiting for. The Hawks are making their second straight trip to the Stanley Cup Finals and are hoping to walk away with their second straight Stanley Cup. Tale of two seasons this year and last, this year was up and down, young guys were thrown into the fire, while last year the Hawks were riding high on expectations and performance. Can the Cardiac Hawks, who have been down 3-2 in the last two series do it again? Or are they about to run out of gas? Hawks have played the max, 21 total games in these playoffs, and in every case the Hawks have come out on top. Their challenge? Beat Reimer. Something no one in these playoffs has been able to do. Reimer sports a 1.60 goals against, and a mind boggling .950 save percentage. The defense is a strength for the Leafs, while it is the only weakness for the Hawks, not because of poor play, but because of youth. Will the youngsters on the backend be able to perform at a high level on the biggest stage? Time will tell, but in 21 games these Hawks have gone from young and inexperienced to playoff vets ready to drink from the cup, and for some of them, again.... Drop the puck!
Prediction - Hawks in 7 (It's a trend)