Championship To Chicago. Hawks Win Stanley Cup

For the 2nd time in the last four years, the Stanley Cup will make its home in the city of Chicago. The Blackhawks claim the 2013 Stanley Cup Championship, the fifth title in the history of the franchise. With Chicago holding a 3–2 series lead heading into Game 6, the desperate Bruins outshot the Blackhawks 12–6 in the first period, with the Bruins ending the period up 1–0 due to Chris Kelly's goal. For Kelly, it was his 2nd goal of this years playoffs, with both goals coming in this series. Kelly scored his first goal in game two of the finals.

However, Chicago would fight back in the second period, as Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews scored on a shorthanded breakaway to tie the game (Toews' goal would be recorded as an even strength goal, as it entered the net just after Andrew Shaw's penalty expired). For Towes it was his 3rd of the playoffs, and two of his three goals coming in the finals. Despite being outplayed by the Bruins in the opening period, Chicago came storming back and took control of the game the rest of the way. Shots went in favor of the Hawks in the middle frame 9-6, and the quality of scoring chances was in favor of the Hawks as well, and by a wide margin.

 The teams entered the third period with the game tied 1–1. However, Milan Lucic would score at 12:11 of the third period to put the Bruins in front again. For Lucic, the goal would be his 7th of the playoffs, and he had established himself as a major force in this series. With the Bruins clinging onto a 2–1 lead late in the third period, the Blackhawks pulled goalie Corey Crawford for the extra attacker. This resulted in Bryan Bickell scoring his 9th of the playoffs, the game-tying goal with 76 seconds remaining in the game. Thus, with the score tied 2–2, it appeared the the Finals would go to overtime for the fourth time. However, only 17 seconds after Bickell's goal, this happened:


Dave Bolland scored what proved to be the game-winning goal, his 3rd of the playoffs. The Bruins were unable to get an equalizer in the final minute with goalie Tuukka Rask on the bench. Bolland's goal at 19:01 of the third period broke the record for the latest Stanley Cup game-winner scored in regulation.

And with that late game heroics from Dave Bolland the party broke out as the Hawks claim the Cup for the 2nd time in four years. Here's the final seconds and ensuing celebration:


With Patrick Kane winning the Conn Smyth Trophy as Playoff MVP, he becomes only the 4th American to ever win the trophy. The other three were Brian Leetch (1994 Rangers), Tim Thomas (2011 Bruins) and Jonathan Quick (2012 Kings). Of all the guys on the Hawks on this years championship team, eight guys were on the team that won the cup in 2010: Jonathan Towes, Patrick Kane Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp, Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Dave Bolland and Niklas Hjalmarsson. Of note, Hawks backup goalie Ray Emery was also involved in that 2010 Cup win for the Hawks, bu he was on the wrong end of that finals as he was the Flyers backup. And of note, since the last lockout in 2004-05, the team that has won the cup has done so on home ice only three times: Carolina Hurricanes (2006), Anaheim Ducks (2007) and the Los Angeles Kings (2012).

So there you have it the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals is in the books. Here are the important dates to pay attention to this offseason. The NHL Draft is Sunday June 30th, while free agency begins on July 5th and the schedule for next season is announced on July 17th.

So with the 2013 season in the books, everybody can rest and relax for the summer and gear up for what will be an exciting 2013-14 NHL season!