By the Numbers: Wings & Blackhawks

by Christy on May 16, 2009 11:42 PM CDT

PensBurgh took a look at the numbers for the Carolina-Pittsburgh series so I figured I would do the same for the Western Conference Finals, featuring the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks.

703 -- number of times Chicago and Detroit have met in the regular season

1995 -- the last time these two teams faced in the playoffs, also the WCF

40,818 -- number of fans who attended the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field

9 -- consecutive 100-point seasons for Detroit, setting an NHL record

18 -- consecutive playoff berths for Detroit, the longest current streak in pro sports

25.5% -- Detroit's top-ranked power play during the regular season, also a franchise best

26.4% -- Detroit's power play success rate in the 2009 playoffs

997 -- number of points Nicklas Lidstrom has in his career, which puts him at eighth all-time among defensemen

305 -- number of wins Chris Osgood has in the Winged Wheel, which is second most in the franchise and just the ninth goalie to win 300 games with one team

12 -- the number of years Henrik Zetterberg re-signed with Detroit for in January

40.2 -- the average shots per game Detroit registered this postseason

15 -- the number of points Johan Franzen has in his 11 postseason games this year

29.4% -- Chicago's postseason power play success rate

25.6 -- the Blackhawks average age on the roster

1,000,000 -- the number of fans who attended a Hawks game this season

13 -- number of points in 12 playoff games registered by Chicago's Martin Havlat

94 -- the highway connecting Detroit and Chicago (I-94)

8 -- number of wins needed for a team to clinch the Stanley Cup

6 -- both teams are members of the exclusive Original 6 club

6 -- the number of games I think it will take Detroit to win this series

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You forgot

28 years in a row, the second best streak (only one year behind Boston at 29) in NHL history to make it to the playoffs in a row. Yeah I know, we didn’t win a fucking thing either. lol :(

by SLAZZ on May 17, 2009 12:27 AM CDT reply actions

Wings in 6?

Hawks in 5! Die Wings die!
Sorry, no love from me.
Love the stats and numbers you posted though, Christy!

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on May 17, 2009 1:37 AM CDT reply actions

Lord help me...

You forgot a couple of numbers,

7 — the nuber of ganes is this series, and the number of probable heart attacks for me.

4 — the number of games the Blackhawks should win this series.

2 — the number of OT games this series, and the number of probable strokes for me.

SHOOOOOOOT IT!!!! Anon

by burpchelischili on May 17, 2009 5:02 AM CDT reply actions

Completely agree

with the Wings in 6….Blackhawks are up n coming young team with a lot of talent (hurts me to say that)…but like the Penguins found out last year…it’s not your time Chicago.

8 down....8 to go for a repeat Go Wings!!!

by TuLoRocks2008 on May 17, 2009 8:47 AM CDT reply actions

My picks...

East: Pittsburgh in 6. I have no rational reason behind this pick: I simply hate the Hurricanes. Have I mentioned that Peter Karmanos can go to hell lately? Because he can.

West: Wings In 6. You know what comes to mind? The Pistons/Celtics series in 1987, when the Pistons were the up and coming team, and the Celtics were the old guard, and the Celts won that series, but the Pistons learned from it. Trust me: the Blackhawks will learn this series about intensity, and Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews will grow exponentially. The Anaheim series was a street fight. This series will be about skill and strategy.

As for the six: I really feel it’ll go 7, but I would love to see the Wings win it at the United Center, not to rub it in for the Blackhawks fans, but to let the fans have a chance to say thanks to that team. It is impossible to describe the change that has taken place in Chicago when it comes to hockey in the past year, and how Rocky Wirtz has single-handedly turned his family name from one of derision to one of admiration and worship. He gave a city back their hockey team.

by joehass on May 17, 2009 9:59 AM CDT reply actions

hopefully

12 will have a new connotation following these playoffs

www.wingingitinmotown.com

by Casey Richey on May 17, 2009 10:09 AM CDT reply actions

Wings in 4

Detroit has done incredibly well in the playoffs without goals from their top players. And experience trumps all at this point in the season.

I predict(based on my psychic ability)that the wings will win todays game….6-1.

by BIGWalt2990 on May 17, 2009 11:25 AM CDT reply actions

wow, there’s more activity on Pride of Detroit than here. WTF. More interest in our 0-16 team than the best franchise in sports. I’m disappointed fellas.

by BIGWalt2990 on May 17, 2009 12:07 PM CDT up reply actions

lack of interest doesn’t track with lack of activity on a single website….there are a couple of Wings blogs that are probably already hopping today, fans just haven’t found their way over here yet…

by ahtrap on May 17, 2009 12:10 PM CDT up reply actions

Agree on the Wings in 6 sentiment

http://www.secondcityhockey.com/2009/5/15/876068/wings-fan-comin-a-trollin

posted my thought on the series over at Second City Hockey, the Hawks SB Nation blog….think I’ll float in and out of their game thread and the one here….along the lines of what Joe said, I’m looking at the Hawks as a talented team, but one that hasn’t gone through the fire yet of coming close, and getting denied, and learning what it takes to climb the mountain. My comparison was to the Jordan-led Bulls teams, who came up across the World Champion Pistons twice, before getting over the hurdle, and then going on to dominate the 90s.

I actually think the rested Hawks will get the jump on the Wings and steal game 1, but Detroit will come back to win the series in 6.

by ahtrap on May 17, 2009 12:14 PM CDT reply actions