Champions: Blackhawks win 3rd Stanley Cup in 6 seasons
Duncan Keith capped a stellar playoff run by scoring the winning goal late in the second period of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, leading the Chicago Blackhawks to their third championship in six seasons with a 2-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Patrick Kane added to the lead in the third period and Corey Crawford made 25 saves for his fifth career postseason shutout, capping a three-game run where he allowed two goals on 82 shots. Chicago won despite failing to capitalize on three power-play opportunities.
Both teams traded quality chances early on but Tampa Bay netminder Ben Bishop was busiest in the opening period, stopping 13 shots - including a highlight-reel save on Chicago captain Jonathan Toews. Crawford robbed Lightning captain Steven Stamkos on a breakaway early in the second period and turned aside 14 shots in the third to seal the win.
Star Performer: Keith was everywhere for Chicago, playing a game-high 30:19. He led the team in power-play time on ice (4:15) as well as shots (6) and also recorded four blocked shots. He played at least 28:52 in every game of the series, helping to limit Tampa Bay's prolific scorers like Stamkos and Tyler Johnson.
Keith was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP for his efforts.
Turning Point: The Blackhawks entered Game 6 with a 32-0-0 record when leading after two periods, but it was Kane's goal that truly put the game out of reach for Tampa Bay. The Lightning pulled Bishop with Andrew Desjardins in the penalty box for tripping late in the period, but it was too little, too late.
Goalie Comparison: Crawford was perfect, but it's tough not to give Bishop credit for playing through an obvious groin ailment. Bishop labored back to his feet after every save and struggled to move laterally, yet still finished 30 saves.
Goalie | Shots | GA | Saves | SV% |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bishop | 32 | 2 | 30 | .938 |
Crawford | 25 | 0 | 25 | 1.000 |
Stat of the night: The Lightning had not lost three in a row all season prior to dropping Games 4, 5, and 6 in the Cup Final.
Series at a glance
Game 1: Blackhawks 2, Lightning 1
Game 2: Lightning 4, Blackhawks 3
Game 3: Lightning 3, Blackhawks 2
Game 4: Blackhawks 2, Lightning 1
Game 5: Blackhawks 2, Lightning 1
Game 6: Blackhawks 2, Lightning 0
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