Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
What can you say about the rivalry between the Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks that hasn’t already been said? It’s been a heated, nasty affair since 2009, and they haven’t forgotten that the Blackhawks eliminated them from the playoffs in 2010. Monday’s game will add to that and have a lot on the line for both teams.
The Blackhawks are on top of everything: the Central Division, the Western Conference, the league standings. They sewed up a playoff spot, a division title and the top seed in the conference all in one week, and they’re now in position to grab the President’s Trophy. While fans are leery of that happening due to not many winners actually winning the Stanley Cup, the team is only focused on the game at hand. Things are falling into place for them, with only two players injured and the power play getting stronger.
The Canucks could capture the Northwest Division title if they should win. Of course, that’s overshadowed by the fact that even though they were on five-game win streak earlier in the month, they’ve only won one of their last five games. As for their goal scoring, their last three games weren’t the best, with only one goal scored in each. That won’t hold up in the playoffs.
It’s going to be a good game, with one team trying to end the season on top and the other knowing each point is precious. This last game of the series will definitely add fuel to the rivalry.
