The 2013 Stanley Cup Finals series between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins was certainly one for the ages and most hockey fans – at least Hawks fans – would say it came to a fitting conclusion.
After beginning the 2013 regular season with a record-setting 24-game point streak, the Blackhawks finished what they started by winning the 2013 Stanley Cup in thrilling fashion on Monday night, as they scored two goals in a span of 17 seconds in the final two minutes of game six to edge the Bruins by a score of 3-2.
The two quick goals suddenly turned what looked like a game-six defeat into an incredible rally for the Blackhawks, who claimed their second Cup victory in just four years.
“We thought we were going home for Game 7. You still think you’re going to overtime and you’re going to try to win it there. Then Bolly (Dave Bolland) scores a huge goal 17 seconds later,” said Chicago forward Patrick Kane, according to ESPN.com. “It feels like the last 58 seconds were an eternity.”
Kane, who put in two points and one goal in the win, was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason’s most valuable player, but Bryan Bickell and Bolland – who scored the game-tying and game-winning goals, respectively – will likely be remembered as the real heroes of the 2013 Blackhawks.
“Dave Bolland, what else can you say about that guy?” Kane said. “He just shows up in big playoff games.”
And the view of the two late goals was just as sweet from the other side of the ice.
“I still can’t believe that finish. Oh my God, we never quit,” Chicago goalie Corey Crawford said. “I never lost confidence. No one in our room ever did.”
As the clock ticked down and after Boston failed to retie the game, the Blackhawks began to celebrate, throwing their gloves and sticks down to embrace teammates, but they were the only ones at TD Garden in Boston with smiles on their faces at the end of the night.
“It’s obviously shocking when you think you have everything under control,” Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask said.
Stunned and saddened, many of nearly 18,000 Bruins fans in attendance had left by the time the Stanley Cup was presented to the Blackhawks. Then, as the Hawks were nearly finished passing the Cup around, the arena was basically empty.
Though, Chicago surely would have rather won the Cup in front of its home fans, the victory was definitely something special for every member of the squad.
“This time around, we know definitely how much work it takes and how much sacrifice it takes to get back here and this is an unbelievable group,” Chicago center Jonathan Toews said. “We’ve been through a lot together this year and this is a sweet way to finish it off.”
Congratulations to the 2013 Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks!