Blackhawks win Stanley Cup

The Chicago Blackhawks clinched the Stanley Cup with a 4-3 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Blackhawks became the first team to win on the road this series, but it didn’t come easy.

They saw their Cup hopes go up in flames after losing a one-goal lead with just minutes to play, forcing overtime.

In overtime, there were a number of near misses for the Flyers before the Blackhawks finished things off in a bizarre ending.

On the game-winning goal, the lamp never lit up, confusing many and causing a strange, half-hearted celebration.

Thursday, June 10, 2010 at 5:39 pm by steve

Blackhawks fall in Game 3

The Philadelphia Flyers stayed within striking distance with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.

The game-winning goal came less than six minutes into overtime off of the stick of Claude Giroux.

Giroux said one of his friends texted him earlier in the day and told him that he was going to score the game-winner.

The win cuts the series deficit to 2-1. A loss would have meant a 3-0 deficit and an almost impossible hill to climb.

With Game 4 also being played in Philadelphia, the Flyers stand a very good chance to even up the series.

Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 8:26 am by steve

Chicago two wins away from Stanley Cup

It’s safe to say that Antti Niemi’s jitters are behind him.

After struggling in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals to the tune of five goals allowed, the Chicago Blackhawks goalie surrendered just one while making 32 saves in a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 2 to give his team a commanding 2-0 series lead. The Blackhawks are now just two wins away from ending the NHL’s longest championship drought.

In a defensive battle that was a stark contrast to the 6-5 shootout in the Finals opener, Niemi was the difference. He made 14 saves in the final period alone as Chicago thwarted a Philadelphia rally.

He was given the lead by teammates Martin Hossa and Ben Eager, who scored 28 seconds apart in the second period to give the Blackhawks a 2-0 advantage that they would never relinquish.

Simon Gagne cut the lead in half early in the third period with a power play goal, but the Flyers couldn’t get the equalizer. As a result, they now face the daunting task of doing something few teams ever have: Since the NHL went to best-of-seven in the finals in 1939, teams winning both Games 1 and 2 have won the Stanley Cup 41 of 45 times.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010 at 9:33 am by Raj Sethi

Chicago sweeps San Jose, advances to Stanley Cup Finals

The Chicago Blackhawks rallied from a two-goal deficit on Sunday, ratcheting up the intensity to seize control in a 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks to propel them to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1992. The win gave the Blackhawks a shocking sweep of the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed.

Chicago trailed 2-0 in the second period before storming back to tie it up. Then, on the power play with under six minutes remaining in regulation, Dustin Byfuglien put in a shot in front of the net to give the Blackhawks the game-winner. They later knocked in an empty-netter. Byfuglien’s goal was his third game-winner of the playoffs.

Chicago will now have a chance to end the longest Stanley Cup drought in NHL history. The franchise has gone 47 years since it last hoisted the cup. It will play the winner of the Philadelphia-Montreal series.

Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau scored in defeat for the Sharks.

Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 7:34 pm by Raj Sethi

Blackhawks pull off improbable comeback to grab series lead

The Chicago Blackhawks were staring a 3-2 deficit in the face in their first round series against the Nashville Predators. Not only were they trailing by a goal with less than a minute remaining, but star Marian Hossa sat in the penalty box after drawing a major penalty, meaning that even after they pulled the goalie, it was still just 5-on-5.

But Patrick Kane ignored the odds, sending the hometown fans into delirium by scoring with 13.6 seconds left to send the game into overtime. And then, just seconds after exiting the box, Hossa netted the game-winner to give the Blackhawks a 5-4 win and a  3-2 advantage in the best-of-seven series.

The dramatics were not without controversy, though. Hossa earned his major penalty late in the game after shoving Nashville’s Dan Hamhuis into the boards, who was injured and had to leave the game. Many analysts have voiced their displeasure about the officiating, saying that Hossa should have been ejected from the game. And there’s a consensus that the Chicago star should undoubtedly be suspended for Game 6.

Whether he plays or not, Hossa has given the heavy favorites control of the series. Who said crime doesn’t pay?

Sunday, April 25, 2010 at 2:00 pm by Raj Sethi

Kane guilty of disorderly conduct

Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane was found guilty of disorderly conduct for his incident with a Buffalo cab driver.

Kane and his cousin were accused of roughing up a cab driver over 20 cents. The driver’s glasses were broken and he had bruises on his body.

The punishment handed down by the court for both men is to write the taxi driver an apology letter. If they follow through on the letter and stay out of trouble for a year, Kane and his cousin will get off without any more punishment.

Kane and his cousin should consider themselves extremely lucky that the punishment is not much worse.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 5:32 pm by steve