Biggest Early Takeaways from the NHL Western Conference Final

The most recent Stanley Cup winners from the Western Conference have been the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010. On Saturday and Sunday, these two squads began their battle for the right to return to the Stanley Cup Final in 2013.

The hometown Chicago Blackhawks took advantage of the friendly confines of the Madhouse on Madison, leaping out to a 2-0 series lead with impressive performances in both games.

Here's a look at some of the key storylines from the early stages of the Western Conference Final.

Back-to-Back Favors the Home Team

We know that the Chicago Blackhawks love the Fratellis' "Chelsea Dagger." It's been their goal song for years.

This weekend, their favorite band might be the Rolling Stones.

The veteran British rockers played two of their three Chicago concerts at the United Center on Friday and Monday, necessitating back-to-back Saturday and Sunday games to open the Western Conference Final.

The schedule certainly seemed to favor the 'Hawks. In addition to winning both games, Chicago showed a good deal more jump. Its lineup performed well from top to bottom.

For Los Angeles, Jonathan Quick excelled in Game 1 but wasn't able to steal a win, then got bounced from Game 2 after giving up four goals on 17 shots.

Mike Richards and Jake Muzzin were also pulled from the lineup in Game 2. Richards was a late scratch with an upper-body injury, while Muzzin's status wasn't disclosed. Both absences tested the depth of an LA lineup that rolled through the 2012 playoffs essentially injury-free.

Blackhawks Show Balanced Scoring and Solid Defense

The Chicago Blackhawks are currently in third place in scoring in the 2013 playoffs, behind only Pittsburgh and Boston.

The 'Hawks boast the leading postseason scorer in Patrick Sharp, who has eight goals. Marian Hossa and Bryan Bickell have six goals each, while Andrew Shaw has four.

Star forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews have yet to make their expected offensive impact in Chicago's playoffs. Kane has two goals and 10 points in 14 games, while Toews has lit the lamp just once and added six helpers. Contributions from all four forward lines have been key to Chicago's success.

On the back end, like the 2012 champion Kings, so far the 'Hawks have used the same six defensemen throughout their playoff run. This is an indicator of good health and confidence from coach Joel Quenneville that his core players are doing their jobs.

The 2013 Blackhawks are made up of just eight players who were part of the 2010 Cup-winning roster. So far, the newcomers have pulled more than their weight.

Kings Are California Dreamin'

The good news for the Kings is that they're tough to beat at home. The series returns to Staples Center starting Tuesday.

Darryl Sutter and his squad also know that they were in a similar 0-2 hole against St. Louis back in Round 1. They squeaked out a 1-0 win in Game 3 thanks to amazing goaltending by Jonathan Quick, then went on to win the next three games and take the series.

The Hawks showed some vulnerability in their second-round series against Detroit. If Los Angeles can grab the next win, a major shift in momentum could occur.

Corey Crawford Assumes Goaltending Dominance

After Chicago's 2-1 victory on Saturday, Los Angeles' Jonathan Quick remained at the top of the NHL's goaltending statistics with a 1.54 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage.

Quick was outstanding in Game 1 and kept his Kings in the game. He wasn't able to work the same magic in Game 2.

By the 29:20 mark on Sunday night, Quick had given up four Chicago goals on 17 shots and was pulled in favor of backup Jonathan Bernier.

Quick played every minute of the Kings' Stanley Cup run in 2012. The last time he allowed four goals in regulation was March 25—in Chicago—a game the Kings won 5-4.

Quick's statistical stumble and Tomas Vokoun's rough night in Game 1 in Pittsburgh have allowed Corey Crawford to take over as the top goalie in the 2013 playoffs, with a 1.67 goals-against after Sunday's game. Quick still bests him by the slightest of margins in save percentage: .940 to .938.

Los Angeles backup Jonathan Bernier did an admirable job in relief, stopping nine Chicago shots while the Kings scored two goals in the second half of the game.

Still, it's safe to assume that Quick will draw the start in Game 3.

Is Corey Crawford playing his way into the conversation as a possible Team Canada netminder for Sochi 2014?

Changes May Help the Kings

The losses of Mike Richards and Jake Muzzin appeared to spell bad news for the Los Angeles power play going into Game 2. Both are fixtures with the man advantage, and Richards has been the Kings' most consistent playoff scorer since back in 2010.

Muzzin's replacement, Alec Martinez, was an unfortunate minus-two on the night in 12 minutes of ice time.

Richards was replaced by young Tyler Toffoli, who tallied a goal and an assist and made up part of the Kings' best line with Jeff Carter and Dustin Penner. Toffoli's late power-play goal was also the first man-advantage marker that Chicago has surrendered in the entire playoffs.

If Muzzin is healthy for Game 3, he will almost certainly draw back in. Richards took the pregame warmup before Game 2 and was a late scratch. He may not be out for too long, but Toffoli's presence was one of the few bright spots for the Kings on Sunday. He has earned the right to play another game.

Blackhawks Will Face Cap Crunch Again

After the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010, they were required to purge nine players from their championship roster in order to fit under the salary cap the following season.

The team has replenished its ranks impressively. Most of its big guns are locked up for next year, but it's unlikely they'll be able to hang onto their unrestricted free agents, who are shining in the postseason.

According to capgeek.com, Chicago currently has 21 players under contract for 2013-14, with a cap hit of about $62 million. That leaves it just $2 million below the salary cap ceiling.

Four key 'Hawks are set to become unrestricted free agents: Michal Handzus, Viktor Stalberg, Bryan Bickell and Michal Rozsival. They have all made important contributions in Chicago's playoff run so far, which will only raise their asking prices when free agency opens on July 5.

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