Canadiens, Hawks look to be Stanley Cup finalists
KEY SHARK: Joe Pavelski
Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau shook off their playoff choker labels in the win over the Red Wings, but Pavelski, the unsung Olympian, is the one who makes the Sharks click. If he can keep up his strong work - nine goals in 11 games - he could put the Sharks over the hump.
KEY HAWK:
The big guy with the unpronounceable name (it's BUFF-len) completely disrupted the Canucks in the conference semifinal and has the potential to drive Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov a bit out of his head. Byfuglien is also the third wheel along with stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, adding some size to the speed and skill of the Hawks' two top talents.
WILD CARD: Antti Niemi
The Hawks goaltender was considered the weak link for a talented team coming into the postseason, and he's had some blow-ups and a couple shutouts.
PREDICTION: It's about time the Hawks got a real crack at a Stanley Cup, with the best young talent in the game and a rejuvenated fan base.
BLACKHAWKS IN 6
