Defenseman depth may decide Blackhawks-Ducks series - Free Audiobook

Hawks switching up defender lineup in Game 2

Depth among defenders may be the biggest factor in who wins the NHL's Western Conference Finals.

In the Anaheim Ducks' Game 1 win, the Chicago Blackhawks relied heavily on their top three defensemen, with the 4th, David Rundblad, only seeing 11 minutes of ice time, during which the Ducks scored twice. Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf thinks that's a weakness his team can continue to exploit...

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The Hawks are addressing this weakness by adding defenseman Kyle Cumiskey to the lineup. Cumiskey hadn't played in the NHL for four years before the Hawks brought him up from the AHL's Rockford IceHogs for seven games this season. While he was named defenseman of the year for the IceHogs, Cumiskey knows NHL playoff hockey is a whole different animal...

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Cumiskey will likely take Rundblad's spot in the lineup tonight. The puck is set for Game 2 in Anaheim after 9pm eastern time.