Going into the Chicago Blackhawks' six-game road trip, head coach Joel Quenneville knew that his team would face a test as they careened around the Western Conference and confronted the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche and Anaheim Ducks.
He also knew the biggest test was coming at the tail end of the trip, when the Blackhawks would face the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center. The Kings, as every Blackhawks fan knows, ended Chicago's season last year with a seventh-game overtime victory in the Western Conference Final at the United Center.
The challenge of playing the Kings appeared to be a difficult one because it was coming just one day after facing the Ducks. While the travel from Anaheim to Los Angeles was not a problem—unless you look at freeway traffic as an issue—the lack of preparation and recovery time was something Quenneville and his player had to overcome.
The Blackhawks earned an "A" grade in this exam. A day after pummeling the Ducks, 4-1, the Blackhawks followed up with another 4-1 victory over the rested Kings, who had not ...
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Article written by Steve Silverman
Chicago Blackhawks Make Statement with Convincing Win Over Los Angeles Kings
November 30th, 2014 by Steve Silverman Leave a reply »
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