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CHICAGO -- Sometimes, before a playoff series begins, you take an educated guess it will be entertaining.
The Vancouver Canucks first-round victory over the Los Angeles Kings falls into that category.
Some, you simply hope will be entertaining, but end up pleasantly surprised. The Montreal-Washington set that went the distance is the perfect example.
There are times, though, you just know it will be a knock-em-down, drag-em-out thriller from start to finish.
Before the anthems are sung and the puck is dropped, there are no doubts the best-of-seven NHL series will be one you don't want to miss.
Welcome to the Chicago Blackhawks-Vancouver Canucks second-round series set to kick off in the Windy City.
The NHL playoffs were a thrill ride through the first round, but the best series before the Stanley Cup is handed out could very well be the one featuring the Blackhawks and Canucks.
Nothing is lacking.
This spring's playoffs has become the return of offence, and this matchup features two of the most prolific scoring teams in the league.
Led by the sublime Sedin twins, Vancouver was second in the regular season in goals scored, behind only the Washington Capitals. The Canucks attack goes beyond Henrik and Daniel, too. Two players hit the 30-goal mark -- Alexandre Burrows and Mikael Samuelsson -- and another pair in Ryan Kesler and Mason Raymond notched 20 goals.
Right behind Vancouver was a Chicago squad paced by Patrick Kane, who also had five more 20-goal teammates in the mix.
Vancouver continued to light the lamp against Los Angeles, while the Blackhawks needed a few games to find their scoring against Nashville, but it did arrive in time for them to vanquish the Predators.
Add to the equation the fact both teams have goalies capable of going from eye-popping one minute to cover-your-eyes the next, and the action should be fast and furious.
It's a good bet both Roberto Luongo of Vancouver and Chicago's Antti Niemi will take a curtain call at one point this series as game star, and also receive the hook in another outing.
Still, it's not just goal scoring that will have the United Center and GM Place rocking.
The real key is the heated rivalry that's developed between the two clubs.
The Canucks were smarting after falling to Chicago in the second round of the playoffs last year.
Vancouver was the favourite, but when the final buzzer sounded on the 7-5 victory the Blackhawks used to clinch the series in six games, it was obvious to all the Blackhawks were the better team with firepower the Canucks couldn't match.
One year later, the Canucks have their chance to avenge.
Best yet, the revenge factor won't end there.
Bad blood from last year's playoffs spilled into this season, highlighted by Kesler calling Andrew Ladd a coward and then the pair having a celebrated dust-up with Ladd pointing out he'd left quite a mark on his opponent's face.
Even if players want to downplay that element of the series, it will flare up.
More nastiness will come, too.
Rest assured, the Canucks will scream to high heaven when Chicago's wide-body Dustin Byfuglien uses Luongo as a couch. Just like the Blackhawks will be upset when Kesler and Burrows "accidentally" fall on Niemi.
Be certain players who tend to give an old-fashioned face wash after the whistle -- Vancouver's Shane O'Brien and Kevin Bieksa and Chicago's Adam Burish and Ben Eager to name a few candidates -- will raise the ire of opposing fans and players.
And you know full well the quick lips from the likes of Blackhawk Kris Versteeg and Canucks Kesler and Burrows will spark a war of words on the ice.
Sit back and enjoy. You won't want to miss a minute of this one.