CHICAGO -- For all the difficulties they endured along the way, the Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings are still standing. They might want to buckle up, though. The ride could get even wilder. The Blackhawks and Kings are poised for what could be a tight and lengthy Western Conference final, with Game 1 at the United Center on Saturday (TSN and TSN Moblie TV at 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt). The Kings already have more playoff losses than they did a year ago when they went on a 16-4 run through the post-season to capture the Stanley Cup as an eighth seed. "I cited critical moments last year," Kings general manager Dean Lombardi said. "There were several of them this year where they were severely tested. They keep finding a way to fight through, as theyve done at times during the playoffs. " The Blackhawks? All they did was rally from a 3-1 deficit to beat Detroit in the conference semifinals, taking Game 7 by 2-1 on Brent Seabrooks overtime goal to remain in the hunt for their second title in four years. "You dont draw it up, you dont plan to win a seven-game series coming back from 3-1," Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said. "Looking back, I think it is a good thing for our team to have gone through what we just went through, to kind of be pushed to the end, for a moment (to) feel like that was it. You have certain negative thoughts that kind of creep in. You try not to think about them, that youre up against a tough team and the odds are against you. "But we stayed positive. We stuck with it. We just had that attitude that you take it one shift at the same time, you win one game at a time, anything can happen." The next challenge is a big one, too. No goalie is more on his game at the moment than the Kings Jonathan Quick. All the 2012 Conn Smythe Trophy winner has done is allow just 20 goals in 13 post-season games while carrying Los Angeles to its second straight conference final. He leads the playoffs in goals-against average (1.50), save percentage (.948) and shutouts (three), and the Kings have needed it with their offence generating little. Theyre averaging just two goals per game in the post-season, and they realize they need to rediscover their scoring touch. That wasnt an issue during the regular season, when they were 10th in the NHL and boasted the Western Conferences top goal scorer in Jeff Carter. Getting centre Jarret Stoll back would help. He suffered an apparent concussion on an illegal hit to the head in the series opener against San Jose and has been sidelined since. He skated with the team this week, but coach Darryl Sutter had no update Friday. "Hes been our best faceoff guy all year, so thats one of our strengths, and on the (penalty kill), even on the (power play) if he does play," centre Anze Kopitar said. "It gives us a right-handed faceoff man that we didnt have." Despite their difficulties putting the puck in the net, the Kings have gotten by. They dropped the first two games at St. Louis and needed seven to take out San Jose in the semifinals, with all four wins coming at home. It was a physical series that probably didnt earn many style points. And to that, the Kings basically say so what. "Well, I dont really care what you think, if that has anything to do with it," Sutter said. "Is that what theyre saying in Boston, too?" Dustin Brown added: "We could bore you all to death. If we keep on winning, I could care less what people think of our game. We found something thats successful for us as a group, and sometimes people dont think its exciting. It depends on your opinion." Now, its the Blackhawks with the home-ice advantage and games on back-to-back days in their arena. Clearly, they see an opportunity there. But they also had their difficulties with a physical Detroit team, and here come the hard-hitting Kings. "Yeah. Theyre big, and they do a good job protecting the net," Patrick Sharp said. "Theyre physical, as well, so weve got to be aware of that. Hopefully we can use our speed and our skill to kind of neutralize that, but this is all just talk. Well see what happens this series." Clearance Air Max Shoes . Schenn scored the game-winning goal and added two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday. Nike Air Max Mens Sale . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. http://www.airmaxtrainerswholesale.com/ . A forerunning sled crashed into the worker Thursday at the Sanki Sliding Center. The unidentified worker broke both legs and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. Nike Air Max Online Store .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. Nike Air Max Womens Sale . -- If Henry Burris has his way, he will be the starting quarterback to lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats back to the Grey Cup next year. NEW YORK -- Left fielder Yoenis Cespedes would not have returned to the New York Mets without a full no-trade clause as part of his new four-year, $110 million contract, agent Brodie Van Wagenen said Wednesday.Without the ability to secure his future here, he wouldnt have signed here, Van Wagenen said as Cespedes new contract with the club was announced at a news conference at Citi Field. That was absolutely a deal point that had to be part of the contract.Since arriving from Cuba for the 2012 season, Cespedes has been traded away by three teams and twice become a free agent after contracts with the Mets expired. So Cespedes valued having a stable home, especially in a place where he has thrived and he has enjoyed.Ive experienced that now several times with Oakland, Boston, Detroit and then coming here, Cespedes said through an interpreter. I didnt like that feeling of just when I was starting to get comfortable with the team that I could be gone. So that was a very important part for me.Van Wagenen provided additional explanation.Its easier for players to be loyal if its the only organization theyve ever known, Van Wagenen said. I think David Wright has demonstrated that here with this franchise that homegrown players oftentimes have a desire to be here. I think it is unique that a player that is traded for at the trade deadline signs up for another term because he had such a great experience.Cespedes four-year deal matches the longest awarded to a free agent during Sandy Aldersons seven winters as Mets general manager. Curtis Granderson received a four-year contract during the 2013-14 offseason, although that was for a relatively modest $60 million.It is a four-year contract, Alderson said. Its not a five-, six-, seven-, eight-year contract. ... [Four years] from our standpoint was much more desirable. But I think, as has been pointed out, when you get to a certain point and your team is on the brink, youve got to take some risks financially and performance-wise. This is someething we thought we could live with and, in fact, thought we needed to do.ddddddddddddespedes said he was unsure entering the offseason whether he would remain with the Mets, although that was his strong preference.I wasnt 100 percent sure, but what I did know was that my teammates and a lot of the people in the organization, they were really rooting for me to be back, Cespedes said. I didnt know for sure. But in my heart, thats what I really wanted it to be.Alderson offered his take.I felt fairly confident that we would be a strong contender. But youre never quite sure what may happen, Alderson said. He signed a four-deal with us with a very high AAV [average annual value], but somebody could have come in with a Justin Upton?kind of contract [six years, $132.75 million]. Then, who knows? But I felt good that, one, we wanted him back and, two, he wanted to come back -- and that we were going to have to reach a reasonable accommodation on the value of the contract, but that given his interest in returning that was going to be a possibility.Van Wagenen said the labor issue and the possibility of a lockout that would suspend free agency did not factor into the decision.Aldersons next task is to trade one of his surplus outfielders. Either Jay Bruce or Granderson is expected to be dealt. Bruce ($13 million) and Granderson ($15 million) both are free agents after the 2017 season.Alderson did not acknowledge which outfielder he would trade from the Mets collection.But Alderson did say regarding next weeks winter meetings: Weve come a long way from no outfield to an overcrowded one. But thats a nicer problem to have, and well deal with it next week in some way.The bottom line, according to Cespedes, is that he never wanted to leave.The way Im treated, just the way the fans support me and this team, it really makes this place feel like home, Cespedes said. ' ' '