June 24, 2013

Stunning comeback gives Chicago Blackhawks the Cup: Bryan Bickell and Dave Bolland goals in a span of 18 seconds late in the 3rd period propelled the Hawks to a stunning 3-2 win and a second Stanley Cup championship in four years. Bickell scored at the 18:44 mark after Toews sent a pass through the wickets of the Bruins' Zdeno Chara in front of the net, with Bickell then one-timing a score through Tuukka Rask's five-hole for the stunning equalizer to make it 2-2.

posted by tommytrump to hockey at 11:14 PM - 13 comments

First the Spurs-Heat Game 6, then this Game 6.

Approaching 86 World Series territory.

At least the Bruins were not up 3 games to 2. Seems more merciful to have the series end decisively with the devastating blow rather than be a handful of seconds away from a title and then have the reaper's scythe hanging over your head for another couple of days.

Have to give the Hawks credit. They weren't playing for overtime after equalizing. Their energy level after their second goal was tremendous, even for just that short period of time. The potential for another goal in the brief time remaining was palpable.

posted by beaverboard at 11:35 PM on June 24, 2013

Now Boston fans know what it is like to be on the flip side of what their team subjected Toronto fans to. Yes, smaller deficit overcome, but much higher stakes.

Hats off to the Blackhawks, though -- they started the year off strong and never really let up (although the Wings had them on the ropes in R2, it sadly was not meant to be). Great run by the Bruins as well.

Fireworks outside and I can hear all of the obnoxious bandwagon fans in my neighborhood screaming and honking their horns. This place will be insufferable for the next couple of days.

posted by holden at 11:43 PM on June 24, 2013

Psst - Luongo is available.

posted by cixelsyd at 11:44 PM on June 24, 2013

Boston fans already know what it's like to be subjected to playoff devastation courtesy of the Flyers, as grum charitably reminded us after the Bruins beat the Leafs.

Now we know what it's like again. Yep, we do.

posted by beaverboard at 12:09 AM on June 25, 2013

Now Boston fans know what it is like to be on the flip side of what their team subjected Toronto fans to

Interesting to me, Rask said the exact same thing in his comments last night.

posted by yerfatma at 11:10 AM on June 25, 2013

What an amazing game, and a great series overall. I think it's hard to dispute that the two best teams were playing for the championship this year. There seemed to be a tremendous amount of exitement among casual hockey fans, too, which is great considering the lockout's potential to drive those fans away once and for all.

When the first 4 penalties of the game were called on Chicago, I was fairly certain that the NHL desperately wanted a game 7 to keep that momentum going, but the late powerplays to the Blackhawks disproved my Dale Gribble-like conspiracy theory.

posted by tahoemoj at 11:20 AM on June 25, 2013

A last question from this series: there was a lot of talk about the sloppy ice in Boston. Is this a problem anywhere else in the league during the end of the playoffs? We're on arena #2 that has a problem on hot days. Assuming it's not something done intentionally by the arena (I know that was a suggestion), is the problem exacerbated by having a train station directly under the arena or what?

posted by yerfatma at 09:34 AM on June 26, 2013

Couple of things about the ice. First, it was extraordinarily hot in Boston that day (I believe highest recorded temp for that day in history, or perhaps in last X years). Second, way more humid than is good for ice. I do not think the North Station being underneath TD Garden has anything to do with it.

I think there is always bad ice when things are hot and muggy. Things were exacerbated this year by the fact that the playoffs went a couple weeks long due to the lockout (Game 6 of the finals last year was June 11).

Pretty sure the ice cost the Bruins a goal when the puck stood up after Marchand's pretty move and, as a result, when end-over-end on his feed across to Krecji for an open net tap in that ended up in the netting.

posted by holden at 03:38 PM on June 26, 2013

Not that it matters, but the Fog Game was on May 24th.

posted by yerfatma at 04:16 PM on June 26, 2013

Is this a problem anywhere else in the league during the end of the playoffs?

There has been talk of problems with the Capitals' ice in previous years. Of course, that talk didn't necessarily center on the end of the playoffs.

posted by bender at 04:29 PM on June 26, 2013

If I recall, there were a ton of complaints about the ice in Dallas in 1999 and 2000.

posted by tahoemoj at 05:06 PM on June 26, 2013

If I recall, there were a ton of complaints about the ice in Dallas in 1999 and 2000.

I remember them having problems with the ice in the past when the Wings played them.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 09:12 PM on June 26, 2013

The ice problem teams had in Dallas back then was the neutral zone trap. The Stars played it to perfection.

posted by rcade at 10:48 AM on June 27, 2013

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