Epic Ducks-Blackhawks Series Will Be Decided by Chicago's Championship Core

Have you heard? The Chicago Blackhawks have been forced to heavily use four defensemen during the Western Conference Final because of injuries.

Due to this development, the Anaheim Ducks have put an emphasis on hitting everything that moves, including Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford at times.

It’s a theme that’s been beaten into the ground so often that you’d think it was a Blackhawks defenseman.

A vomit-inducing gaffe by Kyle Cumiskey, Kimmo Timonen, David Rundblad or George Jorgensen—a fictional person who might win the "Play Defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks" contest during the next couple of days—could very well decide if the Blackhawks win or lose Game 7 on Saturday night in Anaheim.

Game 6, however, may have given us a glimpse into how the Blackhawks could win this series—with their championship core carrying them through one more game despite the physical wear and tear the defense is suffering.

"We give everything we got," Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews told reporters. "As games get more and more important, I think you dig deeper and deeper. That's pretty much the most you can do. That's all you can ask from your teammates and yourself."

For the Blackhawks to win Game 7, Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Patrick Sharp will have to carry the water.

Extremely bold statement: The really good players on a sports team will be crucial in deciding its fate.

But when comparing the Blackhawks to other top teams in terms of star power, the same thing inevitably happens. You’ll get to two or maybe even three players (for the Ducks: Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry…and…and…), and that’s it.

With the Blackhawks, they roll deeper than any other elite team when it comes to game-changers who can offset any puck-possession inequities or damage inflicted through the majesty of hard hits.

Kane, Hossa and Keith were front and center when the Blackhawks jumped to a 3-0 lead in Game 6. Kane sprung Brandon Saad for a breakaway with a pass that was subtle yet exceptional—the type of pass only a few players can make in that neutral-zone situation. 

Then it was Keith showing patience and skill as he set up Hossa’s goal that made it 2-0. Keith pump-faked long enough to make time stand still, allowing Hossa to pop free for a goal.

Finally, Kane turned Matt Beleskey inside out and gutted him like a trophy fish before snapping a shot through Frederik Andersen to give the Blackhawks a 3-0 lead.

After a first period that was 50-50 in terms of even-strength shot attempts, the Blackhawks’ horses put the game away in the second frame.

In a matchup as even as this one, it's the highly skilled players who can make the difference, and no team has more of those players than the Blackhawks.

Depth is great also, and the Blackhawks have that. Andrew Shaw’s dagger goal late in the third period to make it 4-2 when the Ducks were swarming for the tying goal was key, as was his empty-netter. With that said, his presence is the supplemental insurance teams hope to never need but enjoy having just in case.

It's all the other players mentioned above who serve as the million-dollar insurance policy.

Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Two days between Game 6 and Game 7 will probably benefit the Blackhawks more than the Ducks, as Keith, Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya may all play at least 25 minutes on Saturday even if the game doesn't go to overtime.

It's possible Keith is a superhuman cyborg capable of playing all 60 minutes and only plays fewer so he is not dissected by the government to study his advanced respiratory and circulatory systems, so maybe he doesn't need the rest.

"He's kind of a freak as far as his metabolism and conditioning level," coach Joel Quenneville said, via Brian Hedger of NHL.com. "I think the more he plays, the more efficient [he gets], the more he gets going. Just certain guys genetically, aerobically, anaerobically, they can sustain it. He keeps doing it."

Everyone else needs to recharge, though.

So while the storyline may be as tired as the Blackhawks' top-four defensemen, the pounding being inflicted by the Ducks is likely very real.

Game 6 was the blueprint for how the Blackhawks can offset that. The highly paid championship core of the Blackhawks will likely need to be great again if Chicago wants to keep its Stanley Cup dreams alive.

All statistics via NHL.com and Natural Stat Trick.

Dave Lozo covers the NHL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @DaveLozo.