Six matchups to watch in Blackhawks vs. Red Wings series

DETROIT -- In hockey circles, the Original Six means something.

Even if the National Hockey League itself has done little to nothing to promote what should be its greatest rivalries, the six teams that were the league until the great expansion of 1967 carry significant weight.

That's what makes this Western Conference finals matchup between the Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings extra special. They are long-time rivals who have been going at it since 1926 and have only nurtured that rivalry even as the NHL allows them to play in the Western Conference, separated from the other four Original Six teams: the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs.

In honor of the Original Six heritage, here are six matchups that should figure prominently in the best-of-seven West finals that start today at Joe Louis Arena.

1. Nikolai Khabibulin vs. Chris Osgood

Both goalies have won Stanley Cups, which puts them in an elite club among NHL goaltenders. They are among a group of only five goalies playing today who have won Cups.

Khabibulin comes into the series with just a .896 save percentage in the playoffs, but that doesn't tell the whole story. He has made the big saves at critical times for the Hawks.

The much maligned Osgood struggled during the regular to the point where Red Wings coach Mike Babcock wasn't sure if it would be Osgood or Ty Conklin in the playoffs.

But Osgood comes in 8-3 in the postseason with a 2.06 goals-against average and .921 save percentage.

"He is proven," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "The last two goalies we faced, two of the best in the league (in Miikka Kiprusoff and Roberto Luongo), I don't think we want to change our approach. It's second and third opportunities that are going to get the job done. Make it hard for him to find the puck."

2. Nicklas Lidstrom vs. Hawks top players

Lidstrom, the league's best defenseman for a decade, is the straw that stirs the drink in Detroit, so to speak, even at age 39.

Lidstrom, a six-time Norris Trophy winner, can control the entire pace of the game and always seems to have the puck. Babcock likely will want Lidstrom on the ice whenever Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are out for the Hawks, but Lidstrom plays so many minutes he might draw the Martin Havlat assignment as well.

3. Keith and Seabrook vs. Detroit's top players

Quenneville has a tough call to make with what line he wants his best defensemen to play against.

In Thursday's Game 7 win over Anaheim, Babcock split up Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk. He put Zetterberg at center between Johan Franzen and Dan Cleary and had Datsyuk with Tomas Holmstrom and Marian Hossa.

For Quenneville, it's pick your poison.

4. Hawks power play vs. Wings power play

The Red Wings had the best power play during the regular season, but the Hawks are No. 1 in the playoffs at 29.4 percent (15-for-51). Detroit is second (14-for-53).

Lidstrom is Detroit's quarterback from the left point. His shots always seem to get through, and when they do there is Holmstrom camped in front, the best in the business at bugging goalies.

Franzen has 3 power-play goals in the playoffs with Lidstrom, Hossa and Valtteri Filppula owning 2 each.

"Staying out of the penalty box is a big part of it," Quenneville said. "Taking dump or stupid penalties can make the difference in the series."

Toews leads the Hawks with 3 playoff power-play goals.

5. Quenneville vs. Babcock

They claim to be friends, but the only handshake will come when the series ends.

"We've said before that meeting later on in the playoffs wouldn't be a bad thing," Quenneville said. "But somebody's moving on."

Babcock has been to the Stanley Cup Finals twice (with Anaheim and Detroit), winning his first Cup last season with the Red Wings.

Quenneville has a career record of 21-49-12 against Detroit, regular season and playoffs, and is just 9-29-5 coaching the St. Louis Blues, the Colorado Avalanche and the Hawks at Joe Louis Arena.

He is 0-for-4 against the Red Wings in playoff series.

6. Hawks fans vs. Red Wings fans

There were tickets available for Games 1 and 2 as late as Friday, which means there could be a decent number of Hawks' fans at Joe Louis Arena.

Gone are the days when the United Center would be inundated with Red Wings fans, as least for these playoffs, with Hawks' tickets the hottest tickets in town.

"I can remember the Wings coming (to the UC) and hear the Red Wings fans outcheer the Hawks fans," Patrick Sharp said. "I don't think that's going to be the case this series."

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=294180">Today's first Blackhawks vs. Red Wings faceoff </a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=294177">Six matchups to watch</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=294178">Hawks look to find their rhythm</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=294179">Defense will be big factor </a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=294181">For Byfuglien, & Holmstrom, nothing better than blocking the view </a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=294185">Wings see a little Yzerman in Blackhawk's Toews </a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <p class="factboxtextbold12col"><b>Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings</b></p> <p class="factboxtextbold12col"><b>Game 1:</b> 2 p.m. Sunday at Detroit, Channel 5</p> <p class="factboxtextbold12col"><b>Game 2:</b> 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Detroit, on Versus</p> <p class="factboxtextbold12col"><b>Game 3:</b> 7 p.m. Friday at United Center, Versus</p> <p class="factboxtextbold12col"><b>Game 4:</b> 2 p.m. Sunday, May 24, at United Center, Channel 5</p> <p class="factboxtextbold12col">*<b> Game 5:</b> 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 27, at Detroit, Versus</p> <p class="factboxtextbold12col">* <b>Game 6:</b> 7 p.m. Saturday, May 30, at United Center, Versus</p> <p class="factboxtextbold12col">* <b>Game 7:</b> 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 1, at Detroit, Versus</p> <p class="factboxtextbold12col">* if necessary</p>