2013 NHL Playoffs - Western Conference Finals

The Western Conference Finals feature the winner of this year's President's Trophy versus the defending Stanley Cup champions. That would be the Chicago Blackhawks and the Los Angeles Kings. You can't get a much better matchup than that. Both teams endured grueling 7-game series in the Semis to get here. The Blackhawks made an improbable comeback against the Detroit Red Wings, winning the final three games of the series to escape 4-3. The Kings traded blows with San Jose before winning 4-3, as the home team won every game in that series. Unfortunately for LA, they don't possess home ice in this series.

      
1 Chicago (-160) vs. 5 Los Angeles (+140)

The Chicago Blackhawks are flying high right now. They trailed the hated Red Wings 3-1 in the West Semis, before rattling off three consecutive wins that included an OT thriller in Game 7. They are one step away from getting back to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since they hoisted the Cup in 2010. The LA Kings have been there a little more recently, as they sipped out of Lord Stanley's Cup just a year ago. The Kings are riding their hot goalie, Jonathan Quick. Quick was one of the primary reasons LA won it all last year, and is one of the primary reasons that they have a chance to repeat. Both teams know how to win in the postseason, so experience shouldn't be a factor. The Blackhawks have had the best team in the West all season. They will prove it once again and advance to play for the Cup.

Prediction - Chicago over Los Angeles 4-1