Hawks, Flyers have more in common than attacking styles

Even though the Blackhawks finished with 24 more points than the Philadelphia Flyers during the regular season, these two teams are alike in a lot of ways.

• Hawks coach Joel Quenneville and Flyers coach Peter Laviolette both favor an up-tempo speed game where they want their players to get the puck and go and have no problem rolling four lines.

• Much of the offense on both teams starts from the defense. The Hawks' Duncan Keith had 69 points during the regular season while the Flyers' Chris Pronger finished with 55.

• Pronger makes great outlet passes, as do Hawks Keith, Brent Seabrook and Brian Campbell.

• Pronger won the Norris Trophy in 2000 while with St. Louis. Keith is a finalist this year and a favorite to win it.

• The Hawks and Flyers are young teams led by young captains who are the backbone of the team. Hawks captain Jonathan Toews and Flyers captain Mike Richards play a similar, two-way gritty game.

• The Hawks' Patrick Kane and the Flyers' Jeff Carter are two of the best young goal scorers in the NHL.

• Kane was the first pick in the 2007 draft with Flyers winger James van Riemsdyk going second. It was the first time Americans ever went 1-2 in the draft. Kane and van Riemsdyk came from the same U.S. developmental programs.

• Both teams entered the playoffs with question marks in goals, but Antti Niemi and Michael Leighton are having the last laugh.

• Both teams have long Stanley Cup droughts: 49 years for the Hawks and 35 years for the Flyers. The Hawks' is the longest current streak in the NHL.