WASHINGTON: The Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins, who each won a league-best 36 games in a shortened National Hockey League season, are co-favourites in the Stanley Cup play-offs that start today.
A campaign that began with acrimony over financial issues was revived by a Chicago team that set an NHL record by producing standings points in its first 24 games, going 21-0-3 before suffering a defeat in regulation-time.
Pittsburgh followed in March with a 15-game win streak, matching the second-longest victory run in NHL history, two shy of the league record the Penguins set in the 1992-93 season.
A four-month lockout over money issues was finally settled between players and club owners with a new collective bargaining agreement in January, but not before the season was reduced from 82 to 48 games per team.
As a result, the 2013 campaign was an intense 100-day charge to set up a full 16-team post-season that starts about three weeks later than normal, with a champion to be crowned in late June.
In the Western Conference first round, top seed Chicago will face Minnesota, second seed Anaheim will face Detroit, third seed Vancouver will meet San Jose and defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles will play fourth seed St Louis.
In the Eastern Conference first round, top seed Pittsburgh will meet the New York Islanders, second seed Montreal will play Ottawa, third seed Washington will face the New York Rangers and fourth seed Boston will play Toronto.
Chicago, sparked by Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, began the season 21-0-3 before suffering a regulation-time loss and the Blackhawks went on to finish with a NHL-low seven regulation defeats.
Minnesota slumped in the final month of the season and the Wild were the last team to clinch a playoff berth, winning their final game to sneak inside the line. Minnesota lost two of three regular-season games against Chicago.AFP
