Michael Ivins-USA TODAY Sports
What a finish. The Chicago Blackhawks were minutes away from returning home to host a deciding Game 7 with the Boston Bruins, but those plans got scratched after yet another comeback.
The Hawks came out flat, and really didn’t find much of a groove until after Milan Lucic scored to give Boston the lead. Then, as if on cue, the 2013 Presidents Trophy winners dug deep. And the final result– two goals 17 seconds apart, from Bryan Bickell and Dave Bolland–was amazing, propelling Chicago to their second Stanley Cup in four years.
It wasn’t all easy for the Hawks though. They found themselves on the brink of elimination not once, not twice, but three times in their semifinal series against the storied Detroit Red Wings. Brent Seabrook came away the hero, speaking volumes about this teams depth as both Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews struggled early on.
Meanwhile, Boston faced their own challenges. Down 4-1 with under 10 minutes left in regulation against the Toronto Maple Leafs, lots of fans had started giving up hope. You could see it everywhere; from the masses exiting TD Garden to those obligatory tweets of congratulations.
But the Bruins didn’t care. They just went about their business, with Nathan Horton (yes, HIM!) starting the comeback. After two more goals, in the final minutes no less, both teams found themselves staring at overtime. Enter Patrice Bergeron, who wasted little time burying the game-winner that sent Boston into the second round.
Given that history, many around the hockey world expected this Stanley Cup final to be close. Neither team disappointed there, as fans were treated to three overtime games, one of which wasn’t decided until midway through the third overtime. Yes, you heard that right: One game went long enough to be considered two games.
That being said, congratulations to the Blackhawks–2013 Stanley Cup champions!
Lauren Burg is a Tampa Bay Lightning and NHL writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow her on Twitter, like her on Facebook and join her Google network.
