The Wild and Blackhawks are facing off in the playoffs for the third consecutive season, with Chicago winning 8 of the 11 games played. This is Minnesota’s best chance to knock off the Blackhawks though after being the hottest team in hockey after the All-Star Break. Goalie roster decisions.
Plenty of times, Coach Q has stuck with players that he’s comfortable with more often than what may be best for the team over the past few seasons. Two of those decisions were benching Versteeg or Teravainen.
| GP | Points/60 | Shots/60 | iFenwick/60 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kris Versteeg | 61 | 1.9 | 7.9 | 10.39 |
| Teuvo Teravainen | 34 | 1.06 | 9.41 | 11.08 |
Individual Fenwick per 60 minutes (iFenwick/60) was included to indicate their ability to get their shot off while getting it in the vicinity of the net as opposed to having blocked shots added.
Versteeg has had decent numbers in large part because he has been paired with earned it and because he's a better option. This is the first time in a while that fans are happy with the Hawks' roster construction, but if Quenneville gets fidgety with his players, the Wild can take advantage of that having kept their top nine forwards –- their best forwards -– together over time.
Keep an Eye on: Devan Dubnyk, who recovered nicely after two shaky starts against the Blues in Round 1. The Blackhawks are a different team with different skills and are much more disciplined. Will he continue to recover as well as he has?
numberFire Algorithm Pick: Chicago Blackhawks (54.47%)