Game 1 - Chicago @ Anaheim 1-4 - Sun, May 17 - Sucks Lead 1-0
The Ducks are unbeaten in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs when scoring first, and they looked quite comfortable playing from ahead in a 4-1 victory against the Blackhawks in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final. After taking a two-goal lead then yielding a last-minute goal in the second period, the Ducks protected, and built on, their advantage with a strong third. The Ducks are 5-0 in the postseason when scoring first; they were 36-5-6 during the regular season. Despite showing its ability for come-from-behind victories this season, getting a lead is a priority for Anaheim in this series; Chicago is 30-0-0 in the regular season and playoffs when leading after two periods. Nate Thompson, who scored Anaheim's other third-line goal, Jakob Silfverberg and defenseman Hampus Lindholm each had two points, and Andersen made 32 saves for the Ducks. Thompson gave the Ducks a 3-1 lead at 12:05 of the third. Duncan Keith tried to cut off a long pass at center ice, but the puck got behind him. After Chicago goalie Corey Crawford kicked the rebound of an Andrew Cogliano shot into the slot, Palmieri whiffed on the first rebound attempt, but Thompson put the second into the net for his second goal and first multipoint game of the playoffs. Silfverberg scored an empty-net goal to seal the Anaheim win. His first try hit the right post, but after a scramble for the rebound, the puck ended up in the net with 1:18 remaining. It was Silfverberg's fourth goal of the postseason. He has 13 points, tied with Getzlaf for second on the Ducks. Top storylines entering the series included Getzlaf and Perry against Chicago's Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, plus the individual matchup between old rivals Toews and Kesler, but Silfverberg is a great example of the depth the Ducks can deploy. He played 18:31, more than Perry and Kesler. The Blackhawks dominated large stretches of the first period, but Lindholm scored the lone goal when he one-timed a Silfverberg pass from the Stanley Cup logo near the left point at 8:48.
The shot seemed to fool Crawford. Beleskey knocked David Rundblad to the ice in front of Crawford just as the puck was about to arrive. Lindholm has two goals and eight points in the playoffs, including seven in the past eight games.
The Blackhawks outshot the Ducks 16-7 and had 27 shot attempts to Anaheim's 13 in the first period, but Andersen kept it a 1-0 game. His stick save on Kane was the highlight of a strong period for the goaltender. Anaheim pushed the lead to two goals early in the second period. The Ducks didn't touch the puck in the Chicago zone for nearly three minutes and didn't put a shot on net until 3:57 in, but a great shift by the fourth line was followed by another from the third line, and Palmieri made it 2-0 at 4:17 of the second. Palmieri knocked Rundblad off the puck and then cycled it into the corner. Thompson sent the puck toward the net, and when Crawford tried to paddle it away from danger, he put it right on Palmieri's stick in the left circle. It was Palmieri's first goal of the playoffs. Brad Richards scored in the final minute of the second period after the Blackhawks had failed to generate much following the Ducks' second goal.
A harmless-looking play turned fortuitous after the puck hopped over Francois Beauchemin's stick near center ice. The Anaheim defenseman retreated and collected the puck, but when he tried to flip it toward the Chicago end, Richards knocked it down, and then went around Beauchemin and in alone on Andersen for his second goal of the postseason at 19:20. The Ducks seemed to play better as the game wore on, and the Blackhawks weren't able to capitalize on any momentum typically associated with a late-period goal.
Patrick Kane: "We have to take it as it's one game. We still have a chance to come here and do what we want to do and take one from them and try to get home ice back in our favour. We still have that opportunity. Obviously, the next game is huge. We have to come ready to play. I think we have a little bit of a better effort to offer too."
Game 2 - Chicago @ Anaheim 3-2 3OT - Tue, May 19 - Series Tied 1-1
For more than 56 minutes of overtime, pucks went off posts, crossbars and goaltenders but not in the net. One went off a helmet and into the net, but that potential winning goal was disallowed. Eventually, the puck hit Marcus Kruger's glove and fell to the ice. Fortunately for the Blackhawks, Kruger was standing inches from the Ducks goal line, and at 16:12 of the third overtime he ended Game 2 of the Western Conference Final at Honda Center. Kruger's goal gave Chicago a 3-2 victory, ended the longest game in Blackhawks history and evened the best-of-7 series at 1-1. So often the Blackhawks accomplish something and then point to their collective experience as a reason. Teams don't reach the conference finals five times in seven seasons without working through just about every situation a hockey game can offer. This game was no different. Chicago has been involved in the past four Stanley Cup Playoff games to reach a third overtime, including one earlier in this postseason (Game 1 of the first round against the Nashville Predators). The Blackhawks are 3-1 in those games. Andrew Shaw scored one goal and had a second disallowed because he deliberately headed the puck across the goal line for the Blackhawks. Marian Hossa also scored, and goaltender Corey Crawford made 60 saves, including at least a dozen excellent ones after regulation. The Ducks will use Wednesday to try to regroup and travel to Chicago. They erased a two-goal lead, did not allow a goal for 99:53 and were one bounce from a 2-0 series lead in Game 2. Frederik Andersen made 53 saves in the loss. The Blackhawks thought they scored the winning goal in the second overtime when Shaw headed the puck into the net with Chicago on the power play, but the goal was waved off after video review. Rule 78.5 says a goal will be disallowed "when the puck has been directed, batted or thrown into the net by an attacking player other than with a stick." Anaheim hit the post or crossbar three times in the first two overtimes, and Corey Perry had the best chance for either team with an unmarked shot from the slot that Crawford managed to deflect. Chicago scored twice on the power play in the opening seven minutes. Shaw deflected Duncan Keith's shot from the left point at 2:14 with Patrick Maroon in the box for boarding to give the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead. Hossa was credited with Chicago's second goal at 6:19 when he tipped the puck after Bryan Bickell's shot had beaten Andersen. He actually deflected it the wrong way, but it went off the stick of Simon Despres and across the goal line. At that point, the Blackhawks held an 8-1 advantage in shots on goal, but the Ducks controlled the rest of the period and made it 2-1 at 9:14. Nate Thompson threw the puck at the net from the right wing and it glanced off Cogliano's skate past Crawford. It was Cogliano's third goal of the playoffs and Thompson's third point in the series.
Chicago had six of the first eight shots on goal in the second period. Leaning heavily on four defensemen using Kimmo Timonen and Kyle Cumiskey sparingly, at that point the Blackhawks held the Ducks to nine shots on goal in about 27 minutes. Anaheim outshot Chicago 17-1 in the final 11:27 of the period, and the Ducks tied the game 2-2. Parked in front of Crawford, Perry deflected Ryan Getzlaf's shot at 17:30 for his eighth goal of the postseason.
Perry and Tyler Johnson are tied for the postseason lead with 16 points, though Perry has played four fewer games. Getzlaf's 14 points are tied for third; his 12 assists lead the playoffs. It was the second-longest game in Ducks history. Anaheim defeated the Dallas Stars 4-3 in the fifth overtime of Game 1 of the conference semifinals on April 24, 2003.
Marcus Kruger: "I lost the puck there when it went D to D [from Johnny Oduya to Brent Seabrook at the right point]; it hit my glove first, and then I tried to get a stick on it. Happy to put it in."
Patrick Sharp: "We've been through that a few times now in the last couple of years, and I think the idea is more relief, some excitement. I know [Kruger] scored that goal, but it seems like every time [Seabrook] handles that puck in overtime, he's dangerous and something's gonna happen. It was a big goal for us. We're excited to go back home."
Joel Quenneville: "It's as intense a game as I've ever been a part of. Unbelievable game and pace. Both teams left it out on the rink. Both teams had some excellent chances to win the game and end it different times in different periods. We won the battle and stuck with it. [Kruger] gets a big goal because he's one of those guys who's a warrior, but across the board, commend everybody."
Bryan Bickell: "That's going to take the wind out of their sails, definitely. Now, we need to back it up in Chicago. We've got the momentum, [though] it doesn't feel like we do, because I'm really tired."
Game 3 - Anaheim @ Chicago 2-1 - Thu, May 21 - Sucks Lead 2-1
At different points during the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, there have been opportunities to compare these Ducks to the two previous editions. The Ducks provided another example Thursday of why the current group might be different than the previous two, which fell short in the postseason after very successful regular seasons. Two days after losing late in the third overtime of Game 2, the Ducks came to United Center and grinded out a 2-1 victory against the Blackhawks in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final. Teams that lose after playing for so long in an NHL postseason game historically have trouble rebounding from such a deflating defeat. The Ducks killed off five power plays, including four in the first period, and held a one-goal lead for the entire third period to earn the Game 3 win. Anaheim survived thanks to 27 saves from goaltender Frederik Andersen, including 10 in the third, and two goals set up by Getzlaf. Simon Despres' first career NHL playoff goal late in the second period was the difference. Despres, acquired at the 2015 NHL Trade Deadline from the Pittsburgh Penguins, scored on a one-timer from outside the right faceoff circle off a pass from Getzlaf. After he got the puck back from defenseman Cam Fowler at the top of the Chicago zone, Getzlaf faked a shot and moved it to his right to Despres, who beat Chicago goalie Corey Crawford short side at 19:05.
Getzlaf's 14 assists are five more than anyone else in the postseason; the Ducks have played 12 games, four fewer than the Tampa Bay Lightning, three fewer than the New York Rangers and one fewer than the Blackhawks. His 16 points are tied with linemate Corey Perry and Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov for second behind Tampa Bay's Tyler Johnson, who has 18. Patrick Maroon opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 12:55 of the first period. After a pass from Getzlaf to Hampus Lindholm, Maroon deflected the defenseman's shot in the high slot, and the puck slipped past Crawford with a little help from a screen by Perry at the edge of the crease. It was Maroon's fifth goal of the postseason.
The Blackhawks had more than seven minutes on the power play in the first period, including a double minor against the Ducks' Jakob Silfverberg for high sticking, but were unable to score. Chicago hit the post twice with the man-advantage, and a third time at even strength when Niklas Hjalmarsson one-timed a Perry clearing attempt. Chicago did eventually score an equalizer late in the first. A Blackhawks rush appeared to be nullified when Brad Richards' pass hit Patrick Kane in the skate in the middle of the ice, but two Ducks swerved to avoid a collision and left Kane with the puck all alone in the slot. Kane backhanded a shot past Andersen with 57 seconds left. It was his eighth goal of the postseason, but first of the series after scoring six in five games prior to the start of this round. Andersen made 32 saves to help the Ducks win Game 1 of this series 4-1 at Honda Center. Marcus Kruger scored late in the third overtime of Game 2 to earn Chicago a 3-2 victory and a split in Anaheim. Crawford made a career-high 60 saves in the longest game in Blackhawks history, and the second longest for the Ducks. The Ducks responded two nights later, and they have regained control of the series. It was the third time this postseason the Blackhawks followed a multi-overtime victory with a loss, after doing so twice against the Nashville Predators in a first-round series.
Joel Quenneville: "We didn't have zone time. We didn't get them tired. We're the ones getting tired because we had to keep breaking out. So, you know, I think that was a stretch there we didn't get the momentum where we should have put a little bit more heat on them. We had them taking penalties and we didn't make them pay."
Patrick Sharp: "It's probably not the way it's drawn up, but it's not surprising being in a close series like this, one-goal games. They're a good team. I feel we're a good team as well. Learn as much as we can from the way they're playing, the way we're playing, and try to be better next time."
Game 4 - Anaheim @ Chicago 4-5 2OT - Sat, May 23 - Series Tied 2-2
The core of this Blackhawks team has more than 100 Stanley Cup Playoff games together. They've experienced and overcome plenty. They hadn't survived an epic third-period collapse quite like three goals allowed in 37 seconds before, so add that to the list. They did in Game 4 because Antoine Vermette scored at 5:37 of the second overtime to give them a 5-4 win against the Ducks in the Western Conference Final at United Center. Vermette was a healthy scratch in Game 3. Corey Crawford made 47 saves. Vermette had a great look from the middle of the ice after a pass from behind the net by Patrick Sharp. His shot didn't reach the net because of an outstanding play by Ducks center Rickard Rakell, who dove to his right and knocked the shot out of the air. The puck did not leave the danger area though, and Vermette regained control near the goal line to the right of goaltender Frederik Andersen. Vermette tucked a shot just inside the far post for his second goal of this postseason. This was Chicago's second multiple-overtime win in this best-of-7 series, which is tied 2-2. The Blackhawks are 4-0 in the 2015 playoffs in overtime and are the first team in NHL history to win four games that required more than one overtime in one postseason. The Ducks took a 4-3 lead in the third period with the second-fastest three goals in Stanley Cup Playoff history. Their three losses this postseason have been in overtime (Game 3 in the second round against the Calgary Flames, and Games 2 and 4 of this series). Chicago tied it 4-4 on the power play with 7:21 left in the third. Patrick Kane had the puck in the left corner and sent it to the right point for Brad Richards. After skating to his left and getting Anaheim's Nate Thompson to commit to a shot block, Richards went back to Kane, whose soft one-timer trickled through Andersen's legs. Toews gave the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead 2:38 into the third period. Brandon Saad kicked the puck from the left side of the slot to Toews on the right, and he waited for Andersen to slide across before snapping a shot into the top part of the net for his fifth goal of the postseason. Toews' line had another dominant shift and scored five minutes later. Saad tried to stuff the puck on a wraparound but he lost it into the slot. Brent Seabrook was there for a one-timer through traffic at 7:38 for his fourth goal of these playoffs. That's when things got a little crazy and the Ducks scored three in a row to take the lead. Ryan Kesler made it 3-2 at 8:47 with a one-timer in the slot from Jakob Silfverberg. It was 3-3 at 9:05. Matt Beleskey stripped Vermette of the puck as he was about to skate it out of the Chicago zone and then snapped a wrist shot just inside the left post from the inside edge of the right circle. Chicago called timeout but could not slow Anaheim. Corey Perry scored while falling down on a rebound to give the Ducks the lead at 9:19. The three-goal sequence trails only the Toronto Maple Leafs' three in 23 seconds against the Atlanta Flames during the 1979 preliminary round. Quenneville had an assist on that third Toronto goal. Saad scored the only goal of a dominant first period, shorthanded, for the Blackhawks. Francois Beauchemin stumbled after contact with referee Chris Rooney along the left wall in the Chicago zone, and Saad went by him and the other player near the blue line, center Ryan Kesler, with the puck and in alone on Andersen for his fourth of the postseason. The Blackhawks finished the period with a 30-12 advantage in shot attempts. Anaheim tied it 1-1 late in the second period after three minutes of offensive pressure. Toews went to the penalty box for high-sticking at 15:15; the Ducks did not convert the power play, but Emerson Etem scored at 18:14 after Kyle Palmieri's shot deflected off his body. Marcus Kruger scored late in the third overtime of Game 2 to give the Blackhawks a split at Honda Center with a 3-2 victory. The Ducks responded with a 2-1 win in Game 3 when Simon Despres scored his first NHL playoff goal late in the second period. Anaheim will have to show similar resolve after another sudden-death defeat.
Corey Crawford: "It's a great feeling. We battled hard to get the lead tonight then lost it pretty quick. It seems like another team, that would break your backs, but we kept playing."
Antoine Vermette: "I think overall on that shift, we talk about our speed, and I think we are effective when we move our feet. I think that was an illustration of that. We get the puck going in their end a little bit. We stuck with it. ... Lucky enough we got it back and put it in."
Jonathan Toews: "That's a really tough thing to play through, when you finally are thrown out there, the game is fast, intense, every single play matters, you've got to find a way to play through that and make smart plays. So it's a huge testament to the guy sitting next to me (Vermette) and some other individuals in our locker room that are putting their own ego, their own wants and needs aside, and are ready for those opportunities when they do come."
Joel Quenneville: "I thought it was the worst timeout I ever called. They scored right away; I'm going, 'Oh, my God, we don't have a timeout, down a goal, 10 minutes to go in the game.' My group finds ways. It was one of those stretches where our guys find ways instead of looking for the out. It's an amazing group. Tonight is a good illustration of it."
Game 5 - Chicago @ Anaheim 4-5 - Mon, May 25 - Sucks Lead 3-2
Matt Beleskey scored 45 seconds into overtime to give the Ducks a 5-4 victory against the Blackhawks in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final at Honda Center. Ryan Kesler and Sami Vatanen each had a goal and an assist for Anaheim, and Ryan Getzlaf and Jakob Silfverberg each had two assists. The Ducks lead the best-of-7 series 3-2 and can clinch their first berth in the Cup Final since 2007 in Game 6. The Blackhawks' invincibility when tied 2-2 in a Stanley Cup Playoff series is no more. Chicago had been involved in seven Stanley Cup Playoff series that were 2-2 since Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane arrived in 2007. Entering Game 5, the Blackhawks were 14-0 after that point in those series, closing out each of the seven in six games. The third overtime game of this series didn't last nearly as long as the first two. Beleskey pounced on the rebound of a Kesler shot to help the Ducks recover after a furious comeback by the Blackhawks. Toews scored his sixth and seventh goals of the postseason with goaltender Corey Crawford on the bench to erase a 4-2 deficit late in the third and send the game to overtime. The Blackhawks cut the lead to 4-3 with 1:50 remaining when Toews one-timed a pass from Marian Hossa from inside the left circle. Toews made it 4-4 with 37 seconds left on a low shot in the left corner from the goal line that glanced off Ducks goaltender Frederik Andersen's left skate and into the net. The Ducks scored three times before the Blackhawks' first shot on goal at 16:20 of the first period. Nate Thompson collected the puck in the right corner and turned away from Brad Richards to find space for a pass to the left point. Cam Fowler put a shot off the right post and in for his second goal of the postseason at 5:10. Just as they did in Game 4, the Ducks struck again in short order. Silfverberg's shot from near the Blackhawks bench glanced off Hossa's stick, Kesler's stick and the ice before making it past a bewildered Crawford, who was moving to his left to stop a shot based on the original trajectory off Silfverberg's stick, at 5:42. It was Kesler's sixth goal of the playoffs. He also had one of Anaheim's three goals in 37 seconds during Game 4. Vatanen gave the Ducks a 3-0 lead at 14:37. Crawford made a fantastic save on Kesler to stop a 2-on-0 break, but Getzlaf beat Marcus Kruger on the ensuing faceoff, and the puck went back to Vatanen for a blast from the right point. It was Vatanen's third goal of the playoffs, and the assist was Getzlaf's 18th point. His assist on the fourth Anaheim goal gave him 19, which is a new Ducks record for points in a single postseason, topping his total of 18 from 2009. The Ducks scored as many goals in the first period as the Blackhawks had shots. Teuvo Teravainen cut the lead to 3-1 with a goal 1:11 into the second period. Patrick Sharp broke up a Ducks pass in the neutral zone, and then Antoine Vermette one-touched it along to Teravainen. The 20-year-old rookie carried the puck into the offensive zone and snapped a shot through Clayton Stoner's legs from the top of the right circle for his second goal of the postseason. Teravainen set up the next goal with some hustle and soft hands. He went in on the forecheck and disrupted Francois Beauchemin and Hampus Lindholm behind the net. Sharp collected the rim attempt in the left corner and, after initially missing an open Vermette in the slot, sent the puck back to Teravainen behind the net. Brent Seabrook crept in from the right point and one-timed Teravainen's pass past Andersen with 24.8 seconds remaining in the period to make it 3-2. Patrick Maroon's goal with 5:15 remaining in the third appeared to be the insurance goal the Ducks needed. Getzlaf sent the puck from near the left wall to Vatanen, who was all alone on the right side of the ice. Instead of shooting, Vatanen connected with Maroon on a perfect slap-pass at the far post for a tap-in goal. It was Maroon's sixth goal of the playoffs. The Blackhawks are in a less than familiar position, down 3-2 in a series with a win-or-go-home Game 6 in less than two days. Chicago has been down 3-2 four times since 2010 and forced a Game 7 three times, including the 2014 Western Conference Final against the Los Angeles Kings.
Jonathan Toews: "We just weren't ready to survive the onslaught and we gave up a few too many chances. They did a good job of getting shots through traffic, and next thing you know we're down three goals and things aren't looking good, but as we always say, there's an unusual calm and just a resolve that we knew at that point of the game there was lots of tine left and it was going to [take] a heck of a job by them to try to hold us off the next two periods. You've got to draw on everything you've got, every type of experience you've been in before and dig even for more than that and see what you got. Because we know how good this team is, we know how determined they are. And I think you definitely dig deep and ask yourself those questions, too, and you find out how much you've got. I think we're confident that we've got that character and we've got what it takes to win the next game and keep ourselves alive in this series."
Game 6 - Anaheim @ Chicago 2-5 - Wed, May 27 - Series Tied 3-3
Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane played together a lot when they were younger, but Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville has used them on the same line only in times of need in recent seasons. Facing elimination in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final certainly qualified as one of those times, and the reunion did not disappoint. Duncan Keith assisted on three goals, including two from the new-look top line of Toews, Kane and Brandon Saad, in less than four minutes to help the Blackhawks defeat the Ducks at United Center and force a winner-takes-all conclusion to this best-of-7 series. For the second consecutive season, the Blackhawks needed a Game 6 victory to force Game 7 in the Western Conference Final and delivered. For the third consecutive season, Anaheim missed an opportunity to close out a Stanley Cup Playoff series in Game 6 when up 3-2. The Ducks did not fare well in Game 7 the past two times; the Detroit Red Wings defeated them in the opening round in 2013, and the Los Angeles Kings crushed them to close out the second round last season. This was the fourth time in five Game 6s when trailing 3-2 in a series that this core group of Chicago players has forced a Game 7. But they are 1-2 in those decisive games, defeating the Red Wings in the second round in 2013 but losing to the Vancouver Canucks in the first round in 2011 and the Kings in the conference final last season. Quenneville called the June 1, 2014, overtime loss to Los Angeles at United Center "the toughest loss of probably our lives." The Blackhawks took control of the game with a flurry of offense in the second period. For the sixth time in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Chicago scored three goals in a period, and these came in a span of 3:45. Saad opened the scoring at 8:23 of the second. Keith sent a pass into the neutral zone to Kane. After Francois Beauchemin stepped up to cancel out Kane, Saad picked up the puck and raced past Hampus Lindholm to go in alone on net before slipping a shot through goaltender Frederik Andersen's legs for his fifth goal of the postseason. Marian Hossa made it 2-0 at 10:41. Keith had the puck in the left circle as the Ducks defense collapsed into a shell in front of Andersen. He faked a shot twice before sending a diagonal pass to Hossa, who one-timed it inside the right post for his third goal of the playoffs. Kane made it 3-0 after another nice play by Keith. Clayton Stoner tried to chip the puck out of the Anaheim zone, but Keith gloved it to the ice at the right point. He sent a short pass to Kane along the right wall. Kane made a brilliant move around Matt Beleskey before scoring his 10th of the postseason at 12:08. Anaheim got one goal back a little more than two minutes later. Chicago center Brad Richards went to the penalty box for hooking at 14:08, but he wasn't there long. The Ducks won the ensuing faceoff, and Patrick Maroon deflected Cam Fowler's one-timed slap shot from the right point past Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford to cut the lead to 3-1 at 14:13 of the second. It was Maroon's seventh goal of the playoffs. Stoner brought the Ducks within one early in the third period. Nate Thompson won a race for the puck into the right corner of the Chicago zone and peeled back to find Stoner across the ice at the left point for a slap shot. Jakob Silfverberg bumped Crawford's glove just before the puck arrived at the top of the crease, but Stoner's goal was allowed at 1:57 of the third despite the goaltender's protests. The Ducks were pushing hard for an equalizer in the third period, but Andrew Shaw backhanded a shot just under the crossbar after a pass from Andrew Desjardins at 16:28 of the third to make it 4-2. Shaw scored an empty-net goal with 48.8 seconds left to ensure this series will go seven games. Crawford made 30 saves, and Andersen had 18. There will be two days between games for the first time in this series, and that probably means an extra day for the Ducks to face questions about past playoff disappointments.
Joel Quenneville: "They're very high-skilled players. They got great pace. They're very competitive. They're great leaders. The last game in the third period, they played some shifts there. They had some great looks together. That got us thinking about it. We were ready to try it. Down a game here, we tried it. Sometimes you go to the mindset of the game, we'll see what happens initially, but you're ready to go to it."
Jonathan Toews: "You think of that as the ultimate test for any player to see what you got, to see what you can bring in a high-pressure situation like that. I think that's the exciting thing. Again, we can resort to our experience in these situations and just feel confident. We're going to go work. Fate's on our side. We'll find a way to make things happen."
Brandon Saad: "Those two players [Kane and Toews], they're so good by themselves, but when you put them together, they're a pretty dynamic duo there. I had fun playing with them tonight, and hopefully we can continue to have some success."
Andrew Shaw: "It's evenly matched. This game doesn't mean anything for us if we don't win the next one. We got to get physically and mentally prepared for it. They're going to do the same. It's going to be another great game."
Game 7 - Chicago @ Anaheim 5-3 - Sat, May 30 - Hawks Win 4-3
One year ago, the Blackhawks’ season ended in silence, in front of a stunned United Center crowd after Los Angeles Kings defenseman Alec Martinez scored in overtime to win Game 7 of the 2014 Western Conference Final. The 2015 Western Conference Final ended with thousands of Blackhawks fans serenading their team on enemy ground. Captain Jonathan Toews scored twice in the first period to help the Blackhawks defeat the Ducks 5-3 at Honda Center in Game 7 and advance to the 2015 Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Blackhawks will play for the Stanley Cup for the third time in six seasons; they won it in 2010 and 2013. Chicago is the first team to reach the Cup Final three times since the salary cap was instituted in 2005 and could become the first team to win three titles in six seasons since the Detroit Red Wings from 1997-2002. The Ducks ended their season with a Game 7 loss at Honda Center for the third straight season. They have progressed further each year, losing to the Detroit Red Wings in the first round in 2013 and the Kings in the second round last season. Anaheim led each of the three series 3-2, only to lose Game 6 on the road and Game 7 at home. Toews gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead 2:23 into the first period. Niklas Hjalmarsson blocked two shots at one end of the ice, including one while sitting on the ice, then received a pass from Kane at the other end. Anaheim goaltender Frederik Andersen stopped Hjalmarsson’s long-range shot, but Toews was at the edge of the crease to score off the rebound.
Jakob Silfverberg stopped Brandon Saad from having a breakaway but took a penalty midway through the first, and Toews made it 2-0 at 11:55. The puck went from Duncan Keith on the left wing to Brad Richards at the top of the offensive zone to Toews, and his shot beat Andersen with the help of a screen from Andrew Shaw. Toews has nine goals in the 2015 playoffs, which ties his career high. He has 18 points, which puts him two behind Kane for the Blackhawks lead. Saad gave the Blackhawks a 3-0 lead 1:18 into the second period. He started the play by winning a race on the forecheck. The puck went off Johnny Oduya and into Kane’s path near the left circle. Saad was ready for the pass and an easy tap-in with Andersen out of the net to challenge an expected shot from Kane. The new-look top line didn’t account for all of the goals. Marian Hossa, formerly of the top line, made it 4-0 at 13:45 of the second. Anaheim was dominating play and was desperate for a goal, but Chicago was able to counter with odd-man breaks on several occasions. Andersen stopped a shot from Richards but pushed it directly into Hossa’s path. The puck went off Hossa’s skate and in, and the goal was upheld by an official review. It was Hossa’s fourth goal of the postseason. Ryan Kesler scored late in the second period, and Corey Perry scored midway through the third period to make it 4-2, but Brent Seabrook’s slap shot on the power play after a diagonal pass from Kane gave Chicago a 5-2 lead with 6:37 remaining in the third. It was Kane’s third assist of the game; he has 20 points in 17 games this postseason. Kane fractured his left clavicle in late February and was originally projected to miss 8-12 weeks, which could have meant he would miss the conference final. He was in the lineup for Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round, and along with Keith and Toews is a leading contender for the Conn Smythe Trophy. Matt Beleskey deflected a Cam Fowler point shot with 41.3 seconds left on the power play to make it 5-3, but the Blackhawks fans in attendance had already started celebrating at that point.
Patrick Kane: “Yeah I mean, we haven’t done anything yet. It’s a great step, especially from where we were last year. We were in this position last year and we didn’t get the job done. And then we have another opportunity a year later. For that to come about, I think everyone just wanted to take advantage of the opportunity and not have the same feeling we had last year.”
Patrick Sharp: "We never really stopped believing in ourselves. We were hearing a lot of things about our team in the regular season. Seems like we put things back together at the right time and we're back in the Finals with this group. We know what we have in this room, we believe in each other, we believe in the organization, and it really doesn't matter what other people say."
Jonathan Toews: "I think you definitely feed off the confidence that it gives you. You want to consider yourself that type of player at the end of the day. But it helps when you're alongside guys that have those same intangibles. The guys I'm sitting with right here [Keith], [Kane], [Sharp], [Marian] Hossa, the guys that have been around for years and have had the experience down the stretch in the playoffs, we feed off each other. There were no easy games. There was nothing given to us. There was no moments in this series where there were any lulls that maybe Anaheim didn't play their best hockey and we got away with it. We had to earn everything against that team. It was an incredible test for both teams."
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