Toews, Kane lead Blackhawks into Stanley Cup Final with Game 7 victory over Ducks
Jonathan Toews scored two goals and Patrick Kane added three assists as the Chicago Blackhawks moved on to the Stanley Cup Final with a 5-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 7 of the Western Conference Final on Saturday night.
Brandon Saad gave the Blackhawks a 3-0 lead and Marian Hossa tallied a controversial marker that deflected in off his skate to give Chicago a four-goal cushion in the second period.
Ryan Kesler scored on a snap shot from an odd angle later in the frame and Corey Perry closed the gap to 4-2 in the third.
Matt Beleskey cut the Blackhawks' lead to 5-3 with 42 seconds remaining, but Chicago held on to eliminate Anaheim and set up a Stanley Cup Final matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
It is Chicago's third Cup Final berth in the last six seasons.
Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau fell to 1-6 in career Game 7s, and Anaheim's season ended with a Game 7 loss at home for the third consecutive year.
Star Performer: Toews opened the scoring less than three minutes in and added another on the power play before the end of the first period.
The Blackhawks captain only registered two shots on goal, but they proved to be Chicago's margin of victory.
Turning Point: Hossa's off-the-skate goal resulted in a review and was ultimately upheld. It stood as the game-winner.
Top Highlight: Kesler's goal got the Ducks on the board and jump-started Anaheim's late rally, but it was also the most impressive play of the night.
The Ducks forward surprised Blackhawks netminder Corey Crawford with a terrific wrist shot that also briefly fooled the officials.
(Courtesy: NHL.com)
Goalie Comparison:
| Goalie | Shots | GA | Saves | SV % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crawford | 38 | 3 | 35 | .921 |
| Andersen | 26 | 5 | 21 | .808 |
Ducks goaltender Frederik Andersen wasn't tested as much as Crawford, who didn't allow a goal until late in the second period.
Andersen allowed four goals on 16 shots in the first two stanzas.
Stat of the Night: Blackhawks forward Brad Richards became the first player in NHL history to win eight consecutive Game 7s, according to the league's PR department.
Series at a Glance:
Game 1: Ducks 4, Blackhawks 1
Game 2: Blackhawks 3, Ducks 2
Game 3: Ducks 2, Blackhawks 1
Game 4: Blackhawks 5, Ducks 4
Game 5: Ducks 5, Blackhawks 4
Game 6: Blackhawks 5, Ducks 2
Game 7: Blackhawks 5, Ducks 3