2011 NHL Playoffs: Can the Chicago Blackhawks Handle the Truth?

In killing time before the Chicago Blackhawks playoff opener with Vancouver Wednesday evening, I stumbled across the movie "A Few Good Men." 

No surprise there—it's on all the time, it seems.

As my focus turned to hockey and the game developed, I kept thinking about that movie (if you're like me, you've seen it a few dozen times).

The words of Colonel Nathan Jessup rang through my ears again and again: "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!"

The 'Hawks came out flat, got physically bullied and fell behind before rebounding to play 40 minutes of a 60 minute playoff game.

The 'Hawks had difficulties finding the playoff switch in a game that necessitated playoff intensity, though the highly-motivated Canucks had something to do with that.

The truth is that we saw a similar Chicago team to the one we saw for the bulk of this season. The result was a first period spanking at the hands of a team that has been the best in the conference over 82 games.

If Corey Crawford doesn't show his stones in the opening 20 minutes, it could have been 4-0 game. Instead, the Blackhawks staggered into the locker room looking at a two-goal deficit.

The Canucks administered a beating to Chicago in the first period that suggested that Vancouver had been waiting for this game for a while. The Hawks were outhit 47-21 for the contest.

I'm surprised Troy Brouwer survived the barrage. Some of the Blackhawks may not have.

Tomas Kopecky and Ryan Johnson both left the game and did not return. Their status in unclear as of Thursday morning. The thought of Chicago becoming even thinner up front when Vancouver was clearly the deeper team in the first game of the series is anything but comforting.

Reaching for positives, the Canucks top line was held in check. Crawford stopped 31 of 33 shots in his playoff baptism by fire. Brouwer was on the ice and his arm didn't fall off. 

The Hawks seemed to step up the intensity after the first intermission, but how could you not in light of the pounding taken in the first period?

Last night, the truth was evident: The motivated Canucks were the deeper and better team Wednesday night. 

Remember that Vancouver has won the series opener in the previous two meetings with the Blackhawks.  We can at least take heart in the fact that the Blackhawks were able to answer in those series, albeit with a deeper roster.

Friday is another shot in Rogers Arena and Chicago has to regroup, refocus and respond.