Canucks have ‘something to prove’ to Blackhawks

The Vancouver Canucks claim they are fine with having to face the Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs.

The Hawks have ruined Vancouver’s season in each of the last two springs by eliminating the Canucks in the second round. This time the Canucks head into the postseason as one of the heavy favorites to win the Stanley Cup.

“I think with this group we have we don’t want to tip-toe our way to the Stanley Cup,” Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa told the Vancouver Sun. “If we are going to win it, we’d prefer to go through the best, and that being said, Chicago is the defending champs. Until someone wins it this year they are the champs. So what better way to start than with the champs?”

“We’ve got something to prove against them,” defenseman Christian Ehrhoff added.

Hawks center Ryan Johnson, who was on the other side of the rivalry as a member of the Canucks last season, isn’t sure his former team was happy to draw the Hawks instead of Dallas.

“I’m sure they were sitting there hoping there wasn’t a plane leaving Chicago (Monday) for Vancouver, I can tell you that,” Johnson said on the “Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN-1000.

The Canucks are mostly healthy except for center Manny Malhotra, who is out for the season after suffering a serious eye injury.

Hard-hitting winger Raffi Torres will sit the first two games because of a suspension.

The teams split the four-game season series with Hawks goalie Corey Crawford playing in only one of the games — the 7-1 rout of the Canucks on Nov. 20 in Vancouver.

The Hawks were 1-for-20 on the power play in the four games while Vancouver finished the regular season ranked first on the power play and No. 1 in goals against.

“They have the top power play and I think managing the Sedins (Henrik and Daniel) is something that’s going to be a challenge for the guys out against them,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. “We need everyone in this series.”