Vermette, Teravainen shock Lightning; Blackhawks steal Game 1
The Chicago Blackhawks' unwavering resolve extends to rookies and scuffling veterans alike.
Teuvo Teravainen and Antoine Vermette scored goals two minutes apart late in the third period as the Blackhawks thieved Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Wednesday night.
Corey Crawford made 22 saves for his 10th win of the tournament, his best coming on a Ryan Callahan breakaway after a lengthy stretch of inactivity, and just seconds before Teravainen's equalizer.
The defeat is the Lightning's first in 10 games this spring in which they've scored first, and drops their record at Amalie Arena to 5-6.
Star Performer: Teravainen. After his flip from the top of the circle evaded shin pads and gave his team life in a game predominantly controlled by the Lightning, he knocked a puck off the stick of J.T. Brown to set up Vermette for the winner just moments later.
Turning Point: In true Blackhawk fashion, Crawford didn't shy away from the moment with Callahan barreling in for a chance to seal Game 1. Chicago's netminder came well out into the blue paint and made a confident pad stop that seemed to flip Game 1 on its head.
Goalie Comparison: With only 44 shots combined, neither Crawford or Ben Bishop were under siege the way many expected. Crawford was beaten once on an absolutely incredible tip from Alex Killorn and Bishop wasn't at fault for the pair he allowed.
| Goalies | Shots | GA | Saves | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crawford | 23 | 1 | 22 | 0.957 |
| Bishop | 21 | 2 | 19 | 0.907 |
Top Highlight: Garbage goals, dirty areas. Yeah, maybe next spring. Killorn's incredible deflection illustrated the immense skill, technique, and artistry that was advertised when the NHL's two most dynamic offenses emerged from their respective conferences.
Stat of the Night: To put a feather in Teravainen's cap, the Blackhawks' rookie is now rubbing shoulders with the great Jaromir Jagr. He became the second-youngest player to record a multi-point Stanley Cup Final game since the mullet-clad Czech did it in 1990.
Series at a Glance
Game 1: Blackhawks 2, Lightning 1
Game 2: Saturday, June 6, 7:15 p.m. ET
Game 3: Monday, June 8, 8 p.m. ET
Game 4: Wednesday, June 10, 8 p.m. ET
Game 5*: Saturday, June 13, 8 p.m. ET
Game 6*: Monday June 15, 8 p.m. ET
Game 7*: Wednesday June 17, 8 p.m. ET