from Tony Gallagher of the Vancouver Province,

The question is, after easily beating the Kings in five last year, can they do it again given how L.A. has added scoring punch in the nine playoff goals of Marian Gaborik?

“I don’t think our intensity was as high against them (Minnesota in the first round last year) and you could probably say the same thing this year,” Patrick Kane told the Chicago Tribune at the conclusion of the second round series for Chicago.

“But it’s good to get through this series and know that we can win these games even when we’re not playing our best.”

Indeed the Hawks have kind of slumbered through the first two rounds. They’re that good. Some say the real star of this team has not been Kane, who once again has scored big goals, but rather goalie Corey Crawford, who has long been thought to be something of a Chris Osgood figure. You know, a goalie the team won in spite of, not because of.

Well, against Minny, Crawford was spectacular, totally punting that theory (grossly unfair to Osgood one might add) right out the window. Time and again he strung great saves together to allow this team to continue slumbering, saving perhaps it’s best for when they get to 2-2 in a series. Once that happens, they come alive as a team and the opponent is toast.

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