NHL Playoffs 2011 Preview: Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks, Game 5

The Chicago Blackhawks staged an early Easter miracle and resurrected the championship form that had been missing from the first three playoff games (and most of the regular season).

But it appears to be too little, too late.

In this first-round matchup the Canucks are still up 3-1 in the series, and while the Blackhawks staved off elimination for one game, they have to play flawless hockey for nine more periods to pull off an upset.

To put it bluntly, if the 2011 Hawks could string together four good games, they wouldn't have needed help to back into the playoffs on the last day of the regular season.

They couldn't even string together two good games against the Red Wings with their season on the line.

The Canucks, on the other hand, had a terrible game, no question.

But they didn't win the Presidents' Trophy and dominate all statistical categories during the regular season by following up a bad game with another stinker.

For those fans that are panicking, the Canucks have a few things on their side:

First, this isn't the same team as 2009 or 2010. They are more mature, and not as easily rattled. There is more veteran leadership, including Malhotra, who is still part of the team even if he can't play.

Some commentators and fans are pointing to the third period as a sign that the Canucks imploded mentally and took penalties like in the previous series, as if that was the reason they lost.

I disagree, the third period was about frustration and sending a message. The game was lost on one epic failure of a shift that saw two goals in 17 seconds.

Second, this team has pride. They don't get beaten often, they don't get blown out, and they don't like to hear Chelsea Dagger. They'll come back hard in Game 5.

Don't forget the last time they were blown out was the 7-1 loss to Chicago in the fall, and that spurred them to rise from being a borderline playoff team (coincidentally where the Blackhawks ended the season) to running away with the President's Trophy.

Third, the Hawks simply aren't the better team. If they were the better team, they wouldn't have needed that win to stave off being the first team eliminated from the playoffs.

Fourth, the Hawks need to win two games in Vancouver to win the series. The Canucks had the best home record in the NHL during the season, and they backed it up by controlling the two games in Vancouver to start the series.

The Hawks aren't as deep as the Canucks, even with Bolland back, and having last change allows the Canucks to exploit that.

Fifth, the Canucks have depth and options for their lineup. Vigneault could decide to bring back Cody Hodgson to play centre on the third line, or shift his lines around. (My preference is to bring in Hodgson and take out Glass.) The Hawks have to make due with what they have, they don't have any more warm bodies.

If the Canucks regroup and make some adjustments, as they have all season after a loss, there isn't any reason they can't close this series out on home ice in Game 5.