Based on absolutely nothing, I suspect Q will have Keith/Seabrook and Hjalmarsson/Oduya, followed by a mix and match third pairing -- one of those four (maybe three, exclude Oduya) with Runblad or Timonnen, then one of those four with one of those four. I'd say that's why he was monkeying around today. One of the top two pairings is on the ice for the Getzlaf line and the Kesler line.
Given those pairing in practice, that would mean Runblad and Timonnen, and I don't see that happening even with a four goal lead in the third.
Figure:
Keith/Seabrook
Oduya/Hjarmalsson
Keith/Runblad
Timonnen/Seabrook
Keith/Hjarmalsson
Oduya/Seabrook
Keith/Seabrook
Oduya/Hjarmalsson
It runs the risk of being a bit confusing -- they've have some comical changes in the playoffs -- but it's Q's version of the blender on defense. And Keith has paired with Runblad this season, Seabrook with Timonnen this post-season. Just my guess on how the Blackhawks want to add "depth" and control TOI for Duncan Keith.
sachmoney said:
That line should be expected to outperform the Ducks counterpart. I expect the Blackhawks to advance to the finals.
Which is part of the trick -- will that line outperform the Ducks second line? Or will they be matched up with the Ducks third line, making that the real comparison?
I'm assuming it'll be Richards/Bickell/Kane. (Though Boudreau hasn't matched lines a lot) Anaheim should counter with Fowler/Despres and ??? There's the question. If it's Getzlaf or Kesler, the Hawks send one of their two good defensive pairs out. If it's Cogliano's line, I think the Hawks have weaker defenders out. If Anaheim's defense can contain and/or muscle the Kane line, Cogliano's line has a big opportunity to be the difference makers.
That then means Getlaf gets Kruger's line and Kelser's line gets Toews (or maybe the other way around, but Towes/Kesler was a great match-up when he was with Vancouver.) Kruger and Toews get backed by either of the two good defensive pairs. That means Richards and Vermette don't get the same support, generally speaking. The Richards line is easily the weakest defensively (and that's okay, because they have Patrick Kane), but Anaheim can make hay on the counter-attack.
I also expect the Blackhawks to advance to the finals.