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CHICAGO -- The top of the list includes Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa. Patrick Sharp is coming off another great playoff series, and Bryan Bickell and Dave Bolland have come up with big post-season goals in the past. The Chicago Blackhawks have waves of talented lines, making them a difficult matchup for any team. Months after Nicklas Lidstrom retired, they pose quite the challenge for the Detroit Red Wings. When one of the NHLs biggest rivalries resumes in the playoffs on Wednesday night, there will be a lot of talk about the play of goalies Corey Crawford of Chicago and Jimmy Howard of Detroit. The Blackhawks are going to have to find a way to shut down the Detroit trio of Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen. But Chicagos deep group of forwards against Detroits refurbished defence could go a long way to deciding the 16th post-season series between the proud Original Six franchises. "Theres going to be a test there for them," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "We just try to keep making progress. Weve had good growth on our team all year long and it has to continue to happen." Detroit lost decades of experience when Lidstrom announced his retirement a year ago. The seven-time Norris Trophy winner helped the Red Wings to four Stanley Cups and is among the best defencemen to ever play the game. Lidstroms absence left a giant hole in front of Howard, but Detroit then decided to trade Brad Stuart to San Jose in June because he made it clear that he wanted to be closer to his family. Down Lidstrom and Stuart, the Red Wings had to rely on a mix of young and unproven defencemen to provide key minutes. Due in part to the evolving lines in the back, Detroits annual appearance in the playoffs was in jeopardy until it won the last four games of the regular season to secure the seventh spot in the West and extend the longest active post-season streak in major professional sports to 22 straight seasons. "They got better as the season went on, and they got better as the playoffs went on," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "They always play a really responsible team game and I think their whole team game helps their defence as well." While the Red Wings squeaked past the Ducks in the first round of the post-season, Chicago rolled over Minnesota in five games. Eight players had at least one goal and 15 recorded at least one point as the Blackhawks outscored the Wild 17-7, including an 8-1 margin over the final two nights. It was a continuation of the regular season for Chicago, which finished second to Pittsburgh with 149 goals while rolling to the Presidents Trophy and home-ice advantage for as long as its around in the NHL playoffs. "I think we know its going to be a tough series," Zetterberg said. "They played well all regular season. They took care of Minnesota pretty quick and theyve been resting for a few days. Its going to be a challenge for us, for sure, but the same way, if we play the way we want and do all the little things right, we have a chance." The series opener against Detroit will be the first game for Chicago since it closed out Minnesota with a 5-1 victory on Thursday. The Blackhawks used all that time to rest, but it also allowed Quenneville to take a look at a couple different line combinations -- providing even more material for Detroit to consider. Bolland is healthy again after he missed the first-round series with a lower-body injury, and he is expected to centre Chicagos third line. Quenneville also said Michal Handzus is fine after he missed two days of practice. Viktor Stalberg, one of the fastest skaters on the team, has been working outside of the top four lines in practice, so his role against Detroit is up in the air. "I really dont have anything to say about it," Stalberg said. "Ask Q." Asked about what Stalberg can do to get back in the lineup, Quenneville responded: "Stay ready, stay ready. Nobody said hes out of the lineup, but keep yourself, make decisions tough on us." Stalberg had nine goals and 14 assists in 47 games this season, then had a big assist and a plus-2 rating while playing all five games in the first round against Minnesota. Its quite a luxury for Quenneville to consider leaving him off the top four lines, but such is life for the Blackhawks this season. Its also quite the problem for Detroit. "It should be a fun series," said Kane, who led the team with 55 points this season. "Were really looking forward to the challenge."Vapormax Off White Fake . Vaives lawyer Trevor Whiffen claims the former 50-goal man wasnt provided with a copy of the claim beforehand and that he would not have agreed to the allegations made against the NHL had he been asked to review its contents. Vapormax Discount .C. -- Charlotte Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said after all of these years in the NBA hes still amazed at some of the things LeBron James does. http://www.outletvapormaxireland.com/vapormax-flyknit-wholesale-china.html . Duchene scored two goals and had an assist, helping the Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Friday night to match the best 10-game start in team history. Vapormax Plus Ireland . -- Derrick Rose shook off poor shooting early to hit clutch shots late and Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 104-95 preseason victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Vapormax Plus Sale Ireland . During the athletes parade, the 23-strong Ukrainian team was represented by a lone flagbearer in an apparent protest at the presence of Russian troops in Ukraines Crimean peninsula.SAN FRANCISCO -- Chad Gaudin might just be pitching himself right into a permanent spot in the San Francisco starting rotation. He certainly pitched the defending World Series champion Giants to an important victory to begin the seasons second half against the division-leading Arizona Diamondbacks, striking out eight in seven scoreless innings to build on his impressive monthlong stretch in a 2-0 win Friday night. "Its huge," Gaudin said. "Any win in our division is huge." All-Star Buster Posey hit an RBI double, Hunter Pence added a run-scoring single as San Francisco started a key series to open the second half by pulling within 5 1/2 games of the D-backs in the NL West race. Arizona starter Ian Kennedy (3-7) was denied career win No. 50 yet again in his eighth try. In his past four starts, Gaudin (4-1) has a 0.77 ERA, two earned runs in 23 1-3 innings. He has an 11-inning scoreless streak. "What a great job he did tonight, which we needed," manager Bruce Bochy said. Gaudin is unbeaten in seven starts since joining the rotation in early June to replace the injured Ryan Vogelsong -- and he is making for a tough decision by the Giants brass when Vogelsong is ready to return next month. "Obviously Id like to start and enjoy starting," said Gaudin, so valuable for his versatility. Not bad for a guy who signed a minor league deal with the Giants and had no guarantee of making the team out of spring training. "I signed over here to do what Im doing now," Gaudin said. "Its great. Ive put a lot of time and effort and work into having a good craft and pretty much dedicated myself to getting better and staying consistent. Its kind of surprising, but at the same time I kind of expect it out of myself." Gaudins only loss came in relief during an extra-inning loss April 24 against Arizona at home. Gaudin also got a defensive gem from Giants rookie Kensuke Tanaka. The converted infielder made a sliding catch near the foul line in left field, reaching back over his head after overrunning the play to rob Paul Goldschmidt leading off the fourth. Gaudin tipped his cap to the outfielder. The Giants are determined to put some steady play together -- and Gaudins stellar outing was a start. The club began a key stretch with 10 games at home in AT&T Park, including Tuesdays doubleheader with the Reds in which Cincinnati is the home team in the opener to make up a July 4 rainout in Ohio. Gaudin allowed three hits and didnt walk a batter for the second time in his seven starts. "Everything he does for us, its a big lift," closer Sergio Romo said.dddddddddddd Romo, the Giants fifth reliever, finished the five-hitter for his 22nd save and San Franciscos 10th shutout. Arizona was blanked for just the second time after losing 3-0 to Atlanta on June 28. "We had no offence going on at all tonight. They just shut us down," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said. Santiago Casilla escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth. Romo has a 29-game scoreless streak against the D-backs spanning 21 2-3 innings and dating to Sept. 6, 2010. Kennedy lost his third straight during an eight-start winless streak in which he went 0-3 since beating the Cubs on June 1 in Chicago. "You just try to be positive. Like, Just get that out of the way," Kennedy said. "Just keep going out there, grind away, find adjustments to do. Thats what I really tried to do." He even shaved his beard during the All-Star break to try to get on track. The right-hander said he had a professional barber give him the trim Monday, his first in 26 months since his daughter, Nora, was born in late April 2011. "I needed a change," he said. But Arizona lost its sixth straight second-half opener. Notes: D-backs RHP Brandon McCarthy is scheduled to pitch a rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Reno and likely one more after that before being re-evaluated. He collapsed at a Phoenix restaurant last month with a seizure related to the head injury he sustained while pitching last September. ... Giants RHP Ryan Vogelsong, who had surgery May 21 a day after breaking two bones in the pinkie area of his pitching hand, will face live hitters for the first time Saturday and could begin a rehab assignment early next week probably beginning with Class A San Jose before going to Double-A Richmond during the teams next road trip out East. ... San Francisco INF Joaquin Arias isnt likely to come off the DL on Tuesday when eligible as he returns from an emergency appendectomy. ... Giants CF Angel Pagan has begun baseball activities and agility work in Arizona as he tries to work back before seasons end from left hamstring surgery. ... Giants Hall of Fame broadcaster Lon Simmons celebrated his 90th birthday and threw out the ceremonial first pitch to a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 41,924. "It always has surprised me," Simmons said of the support. ... All-Star fathers: Giants Jeff Francoeur and Sandy Rosario each welcomed baby girls during the break, Emma Francoeur on Monday in Atlanta and Saadet Rosario on Thursday in New Jersey. ' ' '