Videos:
Post-Game Interviews:
Game 6: Well this one one of those series that was so relieving when it ended. The Hawks start was very similar to Game 1. Nashville just completely dominated the Hawks defense. Darling let in two quick ones, and before you knew it, Crawford comes skating off the bench. Nolan, who was sitting next to me on the Strom's couch looks over to me and says, "If it's 3-0 by the end of the period, I'm going to play water pong". I then reminded him of Game 1. Crow received a standing ovation from the UC crowd. Which was a bit confusing, considering how the entire fan base ripped him to shreds after Game 2, but whatever. Crawford's appearance rejuvenated the Hawks offense and they came roaring back. Unfortunately, I missed the first ten minutes of the next two periods because I was busy playing "water ping" in the garage. Clearly, I didn't want to, but wasn't going to their party just to sit on the couch for three hours. It didn't really matter though because I didn't miss any goals. I walk in from the garage and there's ten minutes remaining in the third. This would be one of the most stressful periods of the season to say the least. Keith comes up with another huge goal to give the Hawks the lead late in the third. Now it's up to the Hawks struggling defense and a cold Crawford to get the job done; and of course they did. The Preds did about everything to make the Hawks lives difficult but they just couldn't put it all together.
A few interesting facts from this series: Blackhawks are the first team in NHL history to have two different goaltenders earn a win in relief in the same playoff series.
This is the first time in Blackhawks history they have won a best-of-7 series despite being outscored (21-19).
Goalie relieved after 3 goals on 12 shots.
Reliever locks it down.
Reliever locks it down.
Blackhawks rally to tie it 3-3. Keith makes it 4-3.
Game 1. Game 6.
Game 1. Game 6.
Series Recap: The Hawks-Preds series was one of the strangest I've ever seen. The goaltending situation was just a mess, but it somehow ended up working really well. When Crawford was down, Darling covered for him and vice versa. Here were the Hawks goaltenders by game.
Game 1: Crawford -> Darling
Game 2: Crawford -> Darling
Game 3: Darling
Game 4: Darling
Game 5: Darling
Game 6: Darling -> Crawford
A goaltender who no one knew at the beginning of the season came in and saved this series. Then, the always controversial Corey Crawford makes up for his inconsistency by sealing the series. Obviously, something no one could have predicited. Another thing no one predicted was the mediocre showing of Pekka Rinne. A few days prior, he was nominated for the Vezina, but there really wasn't any "Vezina-like" saves. The Hawks had his number all series long.
Notable Players:
CHI: Besides the incredible performance by Darling, there were other players who showed up this series. One of them is the captain Jonathan Toews. There was not a payer out there that worked harder than Toews. When the Hawks looked slow, Toews was still out there forechecking and never gave up on a play. The blueliners, Keith and Seabrook, both came up huge in this series, but not in the way you'd think. Keith netted two huge goals in this series: a double-OT game winner, and a series clincher. While Seabrook ended the marathon Game 4 in triple-OT. Also something to be noted, Roszival is absolute garbage and I hope we won't see him again after his season.
NSH: And now the players who pissed off Hawks players and fans alike. Colin Wilson looked like Sid the Kid out there. He was always flying up and down the ice and found the back of the net a total of five times. A Pred wh was quite the opposite of wilson was Mike Ribeiro. Ribeiro was completely irrelevant, but was a pest all series. He was picking on Hawks players constantly. The only thing I would have liked to see in his series, that didn't already happen, was a Shaw vs Ribeiro fight. The man needed to get the crap beat out of him.
The insane overtimes, goalie controversy, and Kane's unexpected comeback made this series one to remember. The crazy thing? It just keeps getting better from here on out...
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