The Chicago Blackhawks beat the Boston Bruins 3-1 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals. This gives the Blackhawks a 3 games to 2 lead in the series. Patrick Kane scored 2 goals to lead the Blackhawks, with Dave Bolland getting an empty-net goal to finish off the Bruins on Saturday night in Chicago.
Corey Crawford, the Blackhawks goalie stopped all but one of the 25 shots he faced in the game. Zdeno Chara scored the only Boston goal early in the third period. Jonathan Toews also had another good game, with assists on both of Kane’s goals. They have really lifted their game since their head coach, Joel Quenneville put them back on the same line together, before Game 4. Kane has 3 goals and an assist, while Toews has 1 goal and 2 assists in the last 2 games.
Game 6 will be back in Boston on Monday night. Now it’s time for the best line of the playoffs, to produce like they did in the first 3 rounds. David Krejci, Nathan Horton, and Milan Lucic need to come through in a big way in Game 6 for the Bruins. Krejci still leads everyone with 25 points in the playoffs, while Horton is tied with Kane for second with 19, and Lucic is 4th with 18 points. They are also #1, 2 and 3 in the playoffs in +/-, with Horton leading the way at a +21.
Lucic has 3 goals in the finals, but Krecji and Horton don’t have any goals since the Eastern Conference Finals. Their line has to heat up quickly, especially with the injury to Patrice Bergeron in Game 5. He was taken to the hospital in an ambulance, but there is no report of what the injury is at this point. Also injured in the game was Toews. He is reported to have an upper body injury. That’s about as specific as injuries get in the NHL. He was blasted a few times in this game, especially by Boston’s Johnny Boychuk in front of the Bruins’ net.
The Boston Bruins were in this same situation 2 years ago. They trailed the Vancouver Canucks 3 games to 2, then won Games 6 and 7 to win the title. However, the Blackhawks were also in the same situation 3 years ago. They lead the Philadelphia Flyers 3 games to 2, but then finished them off in Game 6. Something’s got to give. I hope Boston wins Game 6, so we will have one more game left in the Stanley Cup Finals. I’m not ready to have 5 weeks with no football, basketball, or hockey.
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Sports With Frank Thomas
