Wild vs. Blackhawks: Preview and Prediction for the 2015 NHL Playoffs Matchup

The Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild are meeting for the third straight year in the Stanley Cup playoffs and the second consecutive season in the conference semifinal round.

These two Central Division teams are developing one of the better rivalries in the league, and that's what happens when teams start to meet in the playoffs frequently.

Chicago is no stranger to having rivals. The Blackhawks have a historic rivalry with the Detroit Red Wings that has been defined by countless playoff meetings, but since the Red Wings' move to the Eastern Conference, it will keep the two teams from meeting in the postseason unless they both reach the Stanley Cup Final.

Chicago and the Vancouver Canucks had three consecutive postseason meetings that were both vicious and memorable. The Blackhawks took out the Canucks in 2009 and 2010 before Vancouver finally got revenge by winning in 2011.

Now it's the Wild and the Blackhawks who have become frequent dance partners. It should not take long for tempers to flare and emotions to run high.

Both of these skilled teams are playing well right now, and it will come down to the team that can best take advantage of its opportunities.

We will look at the key factors that will decide this series as well as make a final prediction.

Regular-Season Recap

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Minnesota Wild

The Wild (46-28-8, 100 points) were quite inconsistent through the first half of the year, and it appeared that head coach Mike Yeo was destined to be fired because his team was not in the playoff structure in the first half of the season. However, the Wild righted the ship after acquiring goaltender Devan Dubnyk from the Arizona Coyotes in January.

Dubnyk had never looked like a difference-maker in the NHL prior to arriving in Minnesota. But he was 27-9-2 with the Wild during the regular season, and he had a 1.78 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage. Dubnyk continued to play excellent hockey in the Wild's first-round victory over the St. Louis Blues.

The Wild dropped their first three regular-season games against the Blackhawks but won the last two meetings.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks (48-28-6, 102 points) went through several stretches during the regular season when it looked like they were bored with the competition. This veteran team has won two Stanley Cups since 2010, and it didn't seem as if it played its best hockey on an every-night basis.

But despite some issues, the Blackhawks displayed their talent often enough that a playoff position was never in serious doubt. The core of the team includes Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, and that's why the Blackhawks are difficult to beat in any game they really want to have.

Goaltending was an issue in Chicago's first-round victory over the Nashville Predators, as Corey Crawford struggled early in the series, and the team never would have survived if rookie Scott Darling had not stepped in and played three stellar games. However, when it came time to clinch the series, the Blackhawks needed Crawford to come in and relieve Darling.

Schedule and TV Info

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Game 1
Friday, May 1
9:30 p.m. ET
Minnesota at Chicago
NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports

Game 2
Sunday, May 3
8:30 p.m. ET
Minnesota at Chicago
NBCSN, CBC, SN360, TVA Sports

Game 3
Tuesday, May 5 
8 p.m. ET
Chicago at Minnesota
NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

Game 4
Thursday, May 7 
9:30 p.m. ET
Chicago at Minnesota
NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports

Game 5*
Saturday, May 9
TBD 
Minnesota at Chicago
TVA Sports, TBD 

Game 6*
Monday, May 11 
TBD 
Chicago at Minnesota
TVA Sports, TBD 

Game 7*
Wednesday, May 13
TBD 
Minnesota at Chicago
TVA Sports, TBD 

*If necessary.

Key Storylines

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Does Minnesota have the confidence to beat Chicago in a seven-game series?

This is not about what the players or coaches say prior to the start of the series. This is all about what the players truly believe as they get set to take on perhaps the NHL's most talented team.

The Wild lost to the Blackhawks in five games in 2013, and they were able to extend the series to overtime of the sixth game last year before heading to the golf course. One more baby step would mean losing in the seventh game, and that's not good enough.

The Wild players know they have a good and talented team because they played so well in the second half of the season, and they beat the Blues in the first round. However, do they really believe they are better than the Blackhawks? If they don't, they have no chance.

Does Chicago have the goaltending to survive and advance?

Based on the regular season, the Blackhawks have excellent goaltending with Corey Crawford and Scott Darling. Both came through quite consistently for head coach Joel Quenneville when the rest of the team appeared to take quite a few games off.

However, both netminders had significant issues in the playoffs. Crawford gave up three first-period goals in the opener against Nashville and was pulled, and then he gave up six goals in Game 2. While Darling did an excellent job in relief in Game 1 and he also played well in Games 3 and 4, he looked quite vulnerable in the Game 5 loss, and he was pulled in Game 6. 

Quenneville will go with Crawford at the start of the series, per NHL.com, but will Crawford play at a consistent championship level?

Can Patrick Kane create more memories for the Blackhawks?

Kane has been the Blackhawks' big-time difference-maker throughout his playoff career. 

He has scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in 2010 vs. the Philadelphia Flyers, series winners in overtime vs. the Los Angeles Kings in 2013 and Minnesota in 2014 and key Stanley Cup Final goals vs. the Boston Bruins in 2013. He has made a career of finding the back of the net at the biggest moments, and the Blackhawks will almost certainly need more of the same here.

Players to Watch

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Zach Parise, Minnesota Wild

When the Wild signed Parise as a free agent in 2012, it wasn't because of his solid regular-season numbers. It was because he had become a first-rate leader for the New Jersey Devils and had proved his mettle in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Parise demonstrated his postseason talents against the Blues in the clinching game, as he scored two goals in Game 6 that helped put St. Louis away. Parise scored three goals and four assists in the series, and the Wild are going to need that same kind of production against the Blackhawks if they are going to come away with the victory.

Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks

Toews has risen to meet nearly every challenge he has faced in his NHL career because of his intensity, commitment and talent. When he looks across the ice and sees hungry players like Parise and Ryan Suter, it is sure to inspire him to a top effort.

Toews will always put good offensive numbers on the board, but it is his defensive strength and his skill in the faceoff circle that make him so consistent. Toews never takes the easy way out, and he sets the example for his teammates with his work ethic.

Toews scored three goals and five assists in the first round vs. the Predators after scoring 28 goals and 38 assists during the regular season. If the Wild can't contain him, it will be difficult for them to win the series.

Ryan Suter, Minnesota Wild

The Wild are very good at giving goaltender Devan Dubnyk plenty of assistance. One of the key reasons for this is the strength, endurance and savvy of defenseman Ryan Suter.

Suter sells out on an every-shift basis, and opponents who try to establish themselves in front of the Minnesota net pay a big price because he is one of the best hitters in the game. While Vladimir Tarasenko scored six goals in the opening round for the Blues, Suter refused to let the rest of the St. Louis forwards get comfortable in front of the net.

His ability to do the same against the Blackhawks will have a key role on the outcome of this series.

Goaltender Breakdown

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Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild

We have already gone over Dubnyk's regular-season numbers. He had one serious setback in the first-round series against the Blues when he gave up six goals in a Game 4 loss, but Dubnyk bounced back from that effort with two consecutive wins. He finished the series with a 2.32 GAA and a .913 save percentage.

Dubnyk was also in goal for the Wild in both of their regular-season wins against the Blackhawks, and he shut them out in one game and allowed just one goal in the other. Since goaltending was an issue for the Wild in their two previous playoff series with the Blackhawks, they should go into this series with full confidence that Dubnyk can get the job done in the postseason against this dangerous opponent.

Corey Crawford and Scott Darling, Chicago Blackhawks

After both of his goaltenders had up-and-down moments in the first-round series against the Nashville Predators, it was no surprise that head coach Joel Quenneville announced on Monday that Crawford would start in Game 1 of the series.

However, if Crawford struggles again, it's almost a certainty that Darling (2.28 GAA and .934 save percentage against Nashville) will get another chance to play.

Crawford has a strong track record, however. He backstopped the Blackhawks to their 2013 Stanley Cup victory, and he is also coming off a solid season in which he had a 2.27 GAA and a .924 save percentage.

Crawford's numbers in the first round were dreadful, as he has a 4.19 GAA and an .850 save percentage. However, he did not allow a goal in Game 6 after coming in to relieve Darling. Crawford has bounced back from sketchy performances in the past, and it would not be a shocker if he did it again in this series.

Biggest Mismatch: Possession Time

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The Chicago Blackhawks are known for their star power and their ability to possess the puck. This often manifests itself in a significant advantage over their opponents in shots per game.

Even though the Blackhawks were not as dominant in the regular-season standings as they have been in the past, they were the top team in the league with 33.9 shots per game. The Wild ranked 13th in this area with 30.8 shots per game.

This is a significant difference over the course of a long season, and it could have a decisive impact in this series. The point of this statistic is that the Blackhawks have a number of skilled players who can hold on to the puck and take the time to make plays before passing or shooting.

Good teams have star players who can hold on to the puck without panicking. The Blackhawks can lean on Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp and explosive Brandon Saad among their forwards for this ability. They can also get a lot out of defensemen Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook in this area.

The Wild have a slew of good players, but they don't have comparable star players. Zach Parise and Ryan Suter can dominate, but aside from those two, Minnesota has a hard time matching up with the talented and experienced superstars on the Chicago roster.

The Wild Will Win If...

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...they get clutch scoring.

Going into the first round against the Blues, there were legitimate questions about Devan Dubnyk in goal.

While he had enjoyed a remarkable performance in the regular season as the Wild goaltender, it's quite another to stand up to the pressure in the playoffs. Dubnyk gave an excellent indication that playoff pressure is not too much for him.

In addition to coming out on the winning end of the series, Dubnyk showed the ability to put a bad game behind him and bounce back with outstanding performances. He should be able to play well against the Blackhawks.

But if the Wild are going to win this series, they must solve the Blackhawks defense by getting good scoring opportunities and taking advantage of them. It's not just Zach Parise who has to score either. The Wild need to get goals from Jason Pominville, Nino Niederreiter, Mikael Granlund, Jason Zucker and Thomas Vanek if they are going to survive.

If they are going to depend on Dubnyk and Parise, it won't be enough to allow them to survive this series. They need solid offensive production from their supporting forwards if they are going to beat the Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks Will Win If...

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...they get consistent goaltending. 

The Blackhawks have won two Stanley Cups since 2010, and they have gotten quality and clutch goaltending performances in their Cup runs in 2010 and 2013.

Corey Crawford was largely responsible for that 2013 run, and he showed that he could survive long series and tough overtime games.

However, the goaltending issue is about the here and now. Crawford was not good against the Predators until Joel Quenneville sent him into Game 6 to relieve Scott Darling. The Blackhawks were not sure that Crawford was going to get the job done in that game, but he found a way to keep the puck out of the net.

Can he backstop the Blackhawks to another series victory? He was shaky against Nashville, and his numbers show that. Can he simply turn it around and perform in dynamic fashion?

He is going to have to prove himself once again. If Crawford can find his game once again, the talented Blackhawks have an excellent chance to win this series.

Prediction: Wild in 7

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It is very difficult to beat the Chicago Blackhawks in a seven-game series. When the Los Angeles Kings defeated them in last year's Western Conference Final, they needed overtime of the seventh game to accomplish the feat.

That's because the Blackhawks are talented and resilient. They don't always play well, but they almost always respond to a bad start or a poor game with an overwhelming effort the next time out.

This is the third year in a row that these two teams have met in the playoffs. The Wild are sick and tired of getting beaten by the Blackhawks, and they will almost certainly have the same kind of emotion on their side that the Vancouver Canucks had in 2011. The Blackhawks beat the Canucks in the two previous years, and they found a way to beat Chicago in seven games that year.

The Wild also have better goaltending this time around. In the past, the Blackhawks were confident that Corey Crawford would get the job done, and the Wild hoped their goaltending would be good enough. 

Now the shoe is on the other foot. The Wild know that Devan Dubnyk is playing very well in net, while the Blackhawks can't be sure that Crawford will stop key shots. He simply is not playing as well as he did in the past.

This will be a tight, close series. The Wild will force a seventh game, and nearly everyone will expect the Blackhawks to survive that game at home. However, Minnesota will go into the United Center and steal that game to advance to the Western Conference Final.