NHL Playoff Betting - Canucks @ Blackhawks

Revenge may be sweet if not short lived.

All the Vancouver Canucks players could talk about after their game six win over the pesky L.A. Kings in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs was how much they were liking forward to meeting up with Chicago in round two.

Though the teams had split their season series at 2 games apiece, they only game that stood out in the Canuck players minds was game 6, in Chicago, during the 2009 playoffs.

It was a game that saw the Vancouver squad eliminated, and humiliated on the road against an Chicago squad they they were supposed to beat.

The Blackhawks destroyed the Canucks in that decisive game 6 victory, a game in which heralded Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo lt in 6 goals.

The rivalry seeds were sewn, and each game drink the regular season was an emotion riddled dog fight. But that streak ended last Saturday night.

The Blackhawks came out firing in game one, peppering Luongo with 17 shots in the opening frame, but the Captain stood tall and stoned even the best attempts by he Hawks. The Canucks took advantage, and with the help of their goaltender took a 2 - 0 lead into the dressing room after one.

The straw that broke the camels back was the early goal in the second period, putting the Canucks up 3 - 0 just 30 seconds into the period. Vancouver steamrolled from that point on, finishing the game 5 - 1, the only Blackhawk goal being a 5 on 3 power play late in the third.

Game 2 goes off on Monday, with the Blackhawks as slight -154 favourites, putting the Canucks at +142, with the goal O/U total set at 6.

Look for the hawks to come out blazing again, and will stick to their strategy of trying to put bodies in front or Luongo, shutting down the Sedin line and roughing up the Canucks every chance they get. Their strategy now will be t wear down the Canucks, and get to Luongo.

For the Canucks, expect more of the same, a Sedin line that will cause you fits, and secondary scoring that has turned out to be very opportunistic this post season. This game may very well come down to a 5th line battle and a goaltending duel, both of which lean in the Canucks favour.

Prediction: OVER 6 Goals.