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Host, TSN The Reporters with Dave Hodge

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On TSN Radio yesterday, I was asked the following question: "Is it a foregone conclusion that the Stanley Cup will be won by the survivor of the Chicago-Anaheim Western Conference final?"

In saying "no", I mentioned the name of New York Rangers' goalie Henrik Lundqvist and offered the opinion that his presence in the Stanley Cup final would rule out any assumptions of supremacy by the Hawks or the Ducks.

Sure, at their best, Chicago and Anaheim have looked bigger and stronger and faster than the Rangers or the Tampa Bay Liightning, but of the four remaining goalies, Lundqvist is the one who could change that and every other assessment.

And last night, he showed why. Tampa Bay's second period dominance of the Rangers should have sent the Lightning to the Stanley Cup final, but Lundqvist stole their momentum and gave it to his teammates. Another such performance in Game 7 could be enough to steal the series. And after that, the Lundqvist factor would be the most important one in sizing up the two sides in the final.

That isn't to say he'd make favourites of the Rangers, but he'd cancel any foregone conclusions that said they couldn't win.

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It's not a definite "thumbs down", but I'm pointing more in that direction than the opposite one where the St. Louis Blues' retention of coach Ken Hitchcock is concerned.

At the very least, a one-year contract signals indecision on the team's part, if not Hitchcock's. It's a vote of minimal confidence. The Blues are acknowledging Hitchcock's regular-season success while being bothered by his playoff failure, so they've allowed for one more year to see if they can align the two positively.Ken Hitchcock

Hitchcock is on notice, as it were. So are his players, who were hoping the team would go in a different direction. The Blues are telling everyone to win, never mind getting along. If they win, they can realize that nothing else matters and move forward trogether. It's a good thing if that can happen. The betting is that it won't.

The danger is that Hitchcock doesn't last to take another stab at the playoffs. And the frustration for everyone in St. Louis is that the Blues should be ready to win, but aren't sure how.