Important players ahead of the 2011 National Hockey League play-offs - Part 5
Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks
Antti Niemi was undoubtedly the star for the Chicago Blackhawks last year as they won the Stanley Cup. Niemi played a very important role while keeping the goal and led the Hawks all the way. However, at the beginning of the season he was traded away and
it was the Corey Crawford who took the job in his hands.
So far, he has been able to perform very well if not excellent. The Hawks had been facing problems offensively at the start of the season. This prevailed throughout but the back-line did a decent job to support the team. Though it looked as if the Hawks
would be knocked out of the play-offs at one stage, but they managed to make their way into the cut.
This was after a big favour by the Minnesota Wild who defeated the Stars on the final day of the season to leave them trailing the Hawks by a single point. Crawford on the other hand, played his part in the team finishing with a 2.30 goals against average.
This is superb given the fact that that Hawks’ defence has been vulnerable more often than not. He finished the regular season as the eighth best goal-keeper, which is quite an achievement given that it was his first season with the Hawks.
The Hawks are up against the Vancouver Canucks for the third consecutive season. However, for the first time in three years they are not the favourites to win the series. The Canucks have shown that they are the dominating force in the NHL both offensively
and defensively.
If the Hawks are to win the series then it will require Crawford to take the leading role and make the defence strong so that the weak offence of the Hawks can come up with something. At the moment, the Canucks are not only the favourites to win the series,
but also to lift the Stanley Cup.
All of the players in the Canucks are high on confidence and are in good shape. Crawford is the one player who can guide the Hawks to the series win.
Sergei Bobrovsky, Philadelphia Flyers
Bobrovsky had an absolutely stunning rookie year in the National Hockey League. This led to a lot being expected out of him. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to carry that form and has been off ever since his first year in the league.
He maintained 2.59 goals against percentage and could only bag 28 wins during the course of the season. An old saying in the NHL says that if you want to make your way into the play-offs then it is important that you do it with a single goal-keeper.
The Flyers showed that they could do this with two goal-keepers last year and this time they have the added abilities of Bobrovsky. He kicked off the season not only being the best rookie goal-keeper, but also the best goal-keeper in the NHL.
The Flyers are one of those teams in the league that were ahead of the pack in the Eastern Conference, but the goal-keeping problems in the end cost them the top seed in the Conference.
If the Flyers want to avoid this in the play-offs then they need to stick to Bobrovsky and he needs to perform.
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