Tuesday Night Game Previews

Vancouver Canucks v Chicago Blackhawks

Tonight is the night for the Blackhawks to start performing and pull themselves back into this series. The crowd need to get behind the team and cheer them forward and they need a big games, not only from Crawford but from Kane and Toews offensively. I think the previous 3 games have shown that Crawford isn't strong enough to block out the Canucks forward power and is always likely to conceed 3 / 4 goals against them. If you can't shut the goals out at the defensive end then you are going to need to get some at the other end. This is where Kane and Toews need to step to the plate. Both players currently only have 0+2 each and they need to improve on these stats if they are going to stay in this series.
The major problem Chicago face after tonight if they get a win is that they then have to do it 3 more times to get to round 2. A near impossible task against the a team that didn't lose 4 in a row all season.

All Vancouver need to do to progress from this round is keep focused and keep playing hard like the first 3 games. Luongo is far too good and won't play bad enough to gift the Blackhawks a way back into this.
Soring will keep coming from the Sedin's and as long as the likes of Samuelsson, Hansen and Higgins can keep chipping in it won't take long for the Canucks to wrap this series up.
Will they do it in this game and sweep the Blackhawks?? I don't think so. I think Chicago will want to take at least 1 game in this series and the home crowd will be able to spur them on to taking the series back to Vancouver. Can i see past a game 5? Unless there are some serious injuries or suspension to come in game 4 for Vancouvers stars then i really can't see it.

San Jose Sharks v LA Kings

San Jose relinquished their home ice advantage when losing game 2 to the Kings 4-0 last time out. They will certainly be looking to take either this game or the next and wrestle that advantage off. The Sharks have plenty up front to take them to a win, they just need to get it done and get themselves into an early lead. They allowed the Kings too many good powerplay opportunities last game and ended up finding themselves down and in an unrecoverable position. Key for the Sharks are Thornton, Heatley and Pavelski. This trio need to get on the board and take control of the game.If these 3 are big in the game then the Sharks will come out on top.
LA have had some good netminding from Quick so far this series and they will need him to be good again if they can stop the Sharks getting a win away from home. Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson were awesome in game 2, playing well both on defence and offense. If These 2 are allowed the time and space to fire shots on Niemi then don't be suprised to see them in amongst the goals tonight. LA will need to keep disciplined and shut down the Sharks from the start of the game. The further this game goes with San Jose struggling to find the net, the better chance the Kings will have of going 2-1 up in the series.
My opinion is that San Jose will win one of the two games away from home. If not tonight in game 3, it will be in game 4 and the series will go back to San Jose tied at 2 a piece.