NHL '10 Used by EA Sports To Predict Chicago Blackhawks As 2010 Stanley Cup Champs

The Chicago Blackhawks will win the Stanley Cup for the first time since the 1960-61 season, according to the official EA SPORTS simulation of the 2010 NHL playoffs on the award-winning NHL 10 videogame. The Blackhawks defeated the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins in a seven game series to end a 49 year Stanley Cup drought.

Chicago all-star forward Jonathan Toews scored the series-clinching goal seven minutes into overtime of the seventh game, and Cristobal Huet stopped 43 of 44 shots to knock-off the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins. Conn Smythe Trophy winner Duncan Keith was a force on the blue line both offensively and defensively, potting four goals and netting a +5 rating in the match up against the Penguins. He finished with 25 points in the playoffs, including 17 assists. Patrick Kane led the Hawks in playoff scoring with 27 points while Pittsburgh centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin tied for the lead in playoff scoring with 31 points apiece.

2010 Stanley Cup Finals
Game 1 – Chicago 3 Pittsburgh 2 OT
Game 2 – Pittsburgh 2 Chicago 1
Game 3 – Chicago 4 Pittsburgh 1
Game 4 – Pittsburgh 5 Chicago 2
Game 5 – Chicago 5 Pittsburgh 1
Game 6 – Pittsburgh 4 Chicago 3 OT
Game 7 – Chicago 2 Pittsburgh 1 OT

Notable 2010 Playoff Highlights
* The Vancouver Canucks will reach the conference finals for the first time since their improbable Cup run in 1993-1994 NHL playoffs, but are eliminated by the Chicago Blackhawks for the second consecutive post-season.
* The Phoenix Coyotes make the playoffs for the first time since the 2002 season, but are eliminated in their first round match-up against the Detroit Red Wings.
* The 2009 Stanley Cup Finalist, Detroit Red Wings are handed an early exit by the Vancouver Canucks in the conference semi-finals.
* Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin face off in the Eastern Conference Final. Crosby’s Penguins walk away with the victory in this high scoring seven game series.

Jonathan Widro is the owner and founder of Inside Pulse. Over a decade ago he burst onto the scene with a pro-WCW reporting style that earned him the nickname WCWidro. Check him out on Twitter for mostly inane non sequiturs