Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings ready to battle in Western Conference Finals – NHL News
It is now down to the top four teams in the National Hockey League (NHL) who have managed to defy all odds and are working for a chance to get into the 2013 NHL Playoffs Stanley Cup Finals by going in their respective
conferences for one last time.
In the Eastern Conference, Pittsburgh Penguins are up against 2011 Stanley Cup winners, the Boston Bruins, which should definitely be an exciting matchup, but the West is a totally different story altogether.
The Los Angeles Kings are currently the defending champions of the cup and were termed to be the team most likely to repeat the feat because of the momentum level they possess. It was not as easy for them like
it was last year and now having to go up against a fighter team like Chicago, things may get even more difficult in retaining the title of Western Conference champions.
If the Kings manage to win the trophy for the second straight year, they will become the first team to do so in the NHL after the Detroit Red Wings won it consecutively in 1997 and 98. Also, the Dustin Brown,
captain of Los Angeles, will be the first team skipper in LA history to have achieved the record as well.
Chicago knows that LA will not be an easy team to beat but they are confident in their abilities and are looking to give everything that they have got.
"We're excited, we're looking forward to it, we're ready to play," Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook said. "I think we found our game in the later games here in this series, and we're looking forward to getting
that one started Saturday night."
Being down 1-3 against the Detroit Red Wings after just four games in the semi-finals, Chicago bounced back and proved themselves to be the survivors by winning the next three straight and being on the verge
of elimination in every single match. It definitely is not easy playing in such pressure situations but the Blackhawks managed to breakthrough every single time.
"We know that this series we just played was one of the toughest we've had in a while," Sharp told NHL Network. "You look ahead to the Kings -- it's only going to get harder. They're a big, strong, fast, physical
team. They've got a great golatender, they protect their net well. It's that time of year where whoever you face it's going to be a battle. We're just excited to move on."
Chicago and Los Angeles are scheduled to play Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday at 5 PM ET at the United Center.
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