Blackhawks Stage Huge Rally, Tie Series

After blowing a three-goal lead in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series Thursday, Vancouver was able to stage a late rally and win the game. Trying to follow a similar formula Saturday night in Game 2, the Canucks ran into a buzzsaw. Vancouver took a 2-0 lead in the first period, had their home crowd in a frenzy, and proceeded to completely fall apart.

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The Chicago Blackhawks scored five consecutive goals over the second and third periods, stunning the Canucks 6-3 in Vancouver to even the best-of-seven series at a win apiece.

In three of their last four road playoff games (going back to Game 4 against Calgary), the Blackhawks have staged a rally from a deficit of at least two goals to tie or take a lead. This was the first time they actually won the game, but there is no questioning the character or resolve of this young Blackhawk team.

Never again should you be suckered into thinking that experience is a major deciding factor in the playoffs. The most significant playoff experience on this Blackhawk team belongs to guys like Nikolai Khabibulin and Sami Pahlsson, who have won Stanley Cups elsewhere, and forward Martin Havlat, who had a couple runs while a member of the Ottawa Senators. Among the team's designated leaders, the only professional playoff experience comes in the AHL (assistant captains Duncan Keith and Patrick Sharp). Captain Jonathan Toews hasn't played in playoff games since he was in college at North Dakota.

Outside of Havlat, none of their offensive stars have any notable NHL playoff experience.

Yes, experience counts, but this Chicago team is making waves against older teams simply by playing their fast-paced game and getting huge contributions from their young kids. Sharp scored twice. Dave Bolland picked up two goals, including a short-handed breakaway late in the second period that gave Chicago the lead for good. Patrick Kane scored his fifth of the playoffs and third of the series. Coach Joel Quenneville has sold his team on the notion that they can win without a bunch of grizzled veterans telling them how to handle life in the playoffs.

As for Vancouver, there are some serious issues that they have to address. For starters, they are getting severely outplayed in five-on-five situations, especially on Saturday, when they were outscored 4-0 while playing at even strength. Roberto Luongo hasn't been awful, making the first save most of the time, but he was beaten badly on Bolland's shortie and a third-period tally by Kane, who went five-hole while all alone in front of the net. Where Luongo has to clean up his game is on rebounds. He has to give his defense more of a chance at clearing pucks, and he has to do a better job smothering those first shots.

Chicago can't count on too many off nights from an all-World goaltender. What they can do is continue to win the little battles in front of Luongo, making his life and the lives of Canuck defenders very difficult. That, and not the play of Luongo (the Blackhawks can't just flip a switch and turn him into a sieve), will dictate their success for the remainder of this series.

The teams get an extra day of rest, as Game 3 is not until Tuesday night in Chicago.