2010 Stanley Cup Final Schedule - Sharp ready to face former team in Cup Final

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) May 26, 2010 -- The National Hockey League announced today the schedule for the 2010 Stanley Cup Final between the Western Conference champion Chicago Blackhawks and the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia Flyers.

Based on their superior regular-season performance, the Blackhawks will host Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, as well as Games 5 and 7, if necessary. Games 3 and 4 will be in Philadelphia, as well as Game 6, if necessary.

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2010 Stanley Cup Final Schedule - Sharp ready to face former team in Cup Final

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NBC will telecast Games 1 and 2 and, if necessary, Games 5 through 7 of the best-of-seven series in the U.S., while VERSUS will broadcast Games 3 and 4. In Canada, CBC and RDS will provide coverage for the entire series. All games also will be carried on Sirius XM Satellite Radio.

NHL Network, the League's 24-hour, all-access pass to the most comprehensive hockey coverage, will feature special programming surrounding the Stanley Cup Final. NHL.com will continue to provide extensive digital coverage.

Sharp ready to face former team in Cup Final

Four years ago, things couldn't have been more different for Patrick Sharp.

After he'd played 22 games with Philadelphia in 2005-06, the Flyers traded him to Chicago along with Eric Meloche for Matt Ellison and a third-round pick in the 2006 Entry Draft. At the time, the Flyers were a first-place team, while the Hawks, well, weren't.

In fact, they weren't even close -- and were having trouble drawing fans to United Center. At one point, the team even had players going around town literally giving tickets away. Now, the Hawks are the hottest ticket in town and one of the most talented, exciting young teams in the League. They're also back in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1992 playing -- as luck would have it -- the Flyers in Saturday's series opener at United Center (8 p.m., Versus, CBC, RDS).

"I didn't know much about 'em," Sharp said of the Hawks, following a spirited practice Wednesday. "I'd been with Philly for four years and played in the minors with Philly. I'd stayed in the same city the whole time and really didn't know much about the Hawks -- other than playing against a bunch of these guys in the minors. It was real different."

It's also different now. A lot different.

Sharp came to Chicago an untested player looking for playing time. Since getting it, he has become one of the Hawks' most recognizable names and faces. He has scored more than 60 points in two of the last three seasons and had a career-high 36 goals in 2007-08.

In this postseason run, Sharp was shifted from wing to center on the second line by Hawks coach Joel Quenneville and the transition was seamless. Sharp, an alternate captain, has seven goals to go with nine assists in 16 playoff games. Now, he's getting attention for trying to win the Cup by beating his old team.

"A trade you can look at two ways," Sharp said. "Either a team's giving up on you or another team is happy to have you. Anyone who's been traded a few times ... especially the first one, which is the hardest ... is out to prove they can play in the League and be an impact player. That's certainly what happened with me."

Still, he says there isn't ill will toward his old team -- he still has friends in the organization.

More information can be found online at http://www.nhl.com/cup/round4/index.html

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