Seat belts suggested for Hawks-Canucks

While the perception is that the Blackhawks ran roughshod over the Canucks in the conference semis a year ago, it wasn't quite as easy as memory might have you believe.

In fact, the Hawks trailed in the series 2-1 after losing Game 3 at home, with Roberto Luongo starring in net.

He played his second straight strong game - after two shaky ones in Vancouver in which the Hawks rallied - and was on the verge of shutting out the Hawks in Game 4 when Andrew Ladd saved the day.

In danger of being down 3-1 in the series, with two games left on the road and handcuffed by a suddenly serious Vancouver defense, the Canucks' Willie Mitchell tried to go up the boards, but Ladd was precisely where he was supposed to be at that moment - not off on his own program with less than three minutes remaining and the Hawks down a goal.

He stuffed Mitchell, quieted the puck, and while surrounded by three Canucks he deftly tucked a no-look pass between skates and handed a gift to a wide-open Martin Havlat, who moved in a few feet and quickly beat Luongo high glove side for a 1-1 tie.

Ladd also tipped in the game-winner a couple minutes into OT and the series was tied at 2-2, but it was his play along the boards that was the turning point of the series and symbolized the Hawks' at their best a year ago.

They won Game 5, 4-2 in Vancouver, and then came home for that wild 7-5, series-clinching victory in Game 6 that everyone remembers because of the Patrick Kane hat trick, and the 6 goals the two teams combined to score late in the third period, including 4 in a span of 4:02.

But without Ladd's play, who knows? It was that close.

This time around, neither team wants a Game 6 type shootout, but you have to believe there's going to be a game or three where systems break down and the scoreboard operators have a tough time keeping up.

Unlike the Predators, the Canucks' offense is potentially explosive. They lead all playoff teams in postseason scoring with more than 4 goals per game, but they know a track meet with the Hawks doesn't benefit them through a seven-game series, so expect them to tighten it up, try to intimidate the Hawks physically, and wait for a break.

The Hawks are plenty scary themselves when it comes to offense, and they've proven you must play 60 minutes against them. Martin Erat will remember all summer that not even 59:46 is good enough.

As they were in the first series, the Hawks are the better team top to bottom.

As was also the case in the first series, however, the Hawks have a tendency to forget this is playoff hockey, and you have to show up to win games.

At some point, they must stop using youth as an excuse, and understand this game is harder for most than it's been for them the last two years.

It's not the regular season and they can't just throw their sticks on the ice and believe that's all they have to do, something Joel Quenneville, Jonathan Toews and John Madden have gone to great lengths to remind them, sometimes with no success and much frustration.

Too often, the Hawks act like something's been promised them, while the Hawks' opponents use their arrogance against them.

Too often, they whine about being hit instead of giving it back.

Too often, they forget that effort and energy is the greatest weapon they possess.

It's Quenneville's job, and to a lesser extent Toews' mission, to make sure they're prepared to provide that effort, that they offer the necessary puck support, cut down on turnovers and get the puck deep.

If they do that, if they stick to the plan, they'll win what should be a very long and entertaining series.

I make it the Hawks in seven.

• Listen to Barry Rozner from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays on the Score's "Hit and Run" show at WSCR 670-AM.