Five things learned in the Chicago Blackhawks' 6-5 overtime win over the Boston Bruins in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final last night
BLACKHAWKS BOUNCE BACK
The Blackhawks had plenty to celebrate after splitting two games in Boston. Chicago will host Game 5 on Saturday with the series tied at 2 instead of being in a 3-1 hole. The Blackhawks also atoned for their listless performance in a 2-0 loss in Game 3 on Monday. Chicago had six shots on goalie Tuukka Rask before the Bruins had any. The Blackhawks also came out hitting and never let up, showing grit that was lacking in the previous game. While the Bruins rallied to
tie it three different times, the Blackhawks never trailed. "They keep coming. They're a hard-working team. They have skill on all their lines," Chicago coach Joel Quennville said. "They have a mobile and active D. They have big shots. Defensively you're always going to get challenged and tested. But I thought we did a better job of our offense putting some pressure on their D."
OT AGAIN
Maybe the 48-game lockout-shortened schedule was a good thing, because the
postseason is getting stretched to the max. Last night's game was the 27th
overtime game of this year's playoffs, one short of the record set in 1993. That
was also the last time three games in the finals went beyond regulation, with
Montreal taking all three while beating Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings.
"It's exciting. Everybody worked so hard tonight. Everybody's worked so hard
through the playoffs," said Brent Seabrook, who scored on a slap shot 9:51 into
OT. "We're all contributing. It doesn't matter if I score or anybody else
scores, it's nice to get the win and move on to the next day." The Blackhawks
are 5-2 in OT during the playoffs and the Bruins are 5-3, losing for the first
time in an OT game in Boston in these playoffs.
RASK ROUGHED
Boston goalie Tuukka Rask's remarkable postseason run stalled, and his shutout
streak of more than 129 minutes was long forgotten by the time it was over. Rask
had allowed seven goals over the previous seven games before the Blackhawks
cracked him in the largest offensive outburst of the series. Chicago had just
five goals in the series entering Game 4, and the teams had combined for just 12
before striking for 11 yesterday. The final one came on Seabrook's slap shot as
captain Jonathan Toews provided a bulky screen in front of Rask as the puck got
past him and tucked inside the far post. "We were just around the net. We were
getting inside and found the rebounds," said Toews, who had gone 10 games
without a goal before he scored early in the second to put Chicago up 2-1. "Ugly
goals, we don't care. We'll find a way. It's something we need to keep doing."
Boston coach Claude Julien did not blame Rask for the loss in his postgame
comments, but didn't exactly rush to his goalie's defense, either. "I don't
evaluate the players publicly here," Julien said. "I look at our whole team and
tell you our whole team was average. You can take what you want from that. I
think we can be a lot better. We have an opportunity to be better next game.
Hopefully, if anything, that makes us even hungrier."
NO GLOVE
The Bruins made it a long night for Chicago goalie Corey Crawford as well,
finding a vulnerable spot on his glove side and targeting it all game. All five
of Boston's goals were to Crawford's glove side, and the Bruins tested him there
one final time in OT on a snap shot by Rich Peverley. Crawford juggled the puck
slightly, but held on to it and forced a faceoff. Seabrook scored 19 seconds
later and Crawford had another win in the finals despite allowing five goals.
"Corey has been great for us all year, all playoffs. He just moves forward,"
coach Joel Quenneville said. "Commend him. We got the win. You know, he'll be
fine."
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Bruins scored a pair of power-play goals, the Blackhawks scored once while a
man up and another down a man as special teams finally were a factor. The
Blackhawks were scoreless in 11 power plays through the first three games and
mired in a 0-for-29 drought before Patrick Sharp scored to put Chicago up 5-4
with 9:41 left in regulation. The goal came just after a 5-on-3 advantage for
Chicago expired, but before Boston's Jaromir Jagr could get from the penalty box
into the play. The Bruins had killed 27 straight penalties entering the game.
The Blackhawks had plenty to celebrate after splitting two games in Boston. Chicago will host Game 5 on Saturday with the series tied at 2 instead of being in a 3-1 hole. The Blackhawks also atoned for their listless performance in a 2-0 loss in Game 3 on Monday. Chicago had six shots on goalie Tuukka Rask before the Bruins had any. The Blackhawks also came out hitting and never let up, showing grit that was lacking in the previous game. While the Bruins rallied to
tie it three different times, the Blackhawks never trailed. "They keep coming. They're a hard-working team. They have skill on all their lines," Chicago coach Joel Quennville said. "They have a mobile and active D. They have big shots. Defensively you're always going to get challenged and tested. But I thought we did a better job of our offense putting some pressure on their D."
OT AGAIN
Maybe the 48-game lockout-shortened schedule was a good thing, because the
postseason is getting stretched to the max. Last night's game was the 27th
overtime game of this year's playoffs, one short of the record set in 1993. That
was also the last time three games in the finals went beyond regulation, with
Montreal taking all three while beating Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings.
"It's exciting. Everybody worked so hard tonight. Everybody's worked so hard
through the playoffs," said Brent Seabrook, who scored on a slap shot 9:51 into
OT. "We're all contributing. It doesn't matter if I score or anybody else
scores, it's nice to get the win and move on to the next day." The Blackhawks
are 5-2 in OT during the playoffs and the Bruins are 5-3, losing for the first
time in an OT game in Boston in these playoffs.
RASK ROUGHED
Boston goalie Tuukka Rask's remarkable postseason run stalled, and his shutout
streak of more than 129 minutes was long forgotten by the time it was over. Rask
had allowed seven goals over the previous seven games before the Blackhawks
cracked him in the largest offensive outburst of the series. Chicago had just
five goals in the series entering Game 4, and the teams had combined for just 12
before striking for 11 yesterday. The final one came on Seabrook's slap shot as
captain Jonathan Toews provided a bulky screen in front of Rask as the puck got
past him and tucked inside the far post. "We were just around the net. We were
getting inside and found the rebounds," said Toews, who had gone 10 games
without a goal before he scored early in the second to put Chicago up 2-1. "Ugly
goals, we don't care. We'll find a way. It's something we need to keep doing."
Boston coach Claude Julien did not blame Rask for the loss in his postgame
comments, but didn't exactly rush to his goalie's defense, either. "I don't
evaluate the players publicly here," Julien said. "I look at our whole team and
tell you our whole team was average. You can take what you want from that. I
think we can be a lot better. We have an opportunity to be better next game.
Hopefully, if anything, that makes us even hungrier."
NO GLOVE
The Bruins made it a long night for Chicago goalie Corey Crawford as well,
finding a vulnerable spot on his glove side and targeting it all game. All five
of Boston's goals were to Crawford's glove side, and the Bruins tested him there
one final time in OT on a snap shot by Rich Peverley. Crawford juggled the puck
slightly, but held on to it and forced a faceoff. Seabrook scored 19 seconds
later and Crawford had another win in the finals despite allowing five goals.
"Corey has been great for us all year, all playoffs. He just moves forward,"
coach Joel Quenneville said. "Commend him. We got the win. You know, he'll be
fine."
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Bruins scored a pair of power-play goals, the Blackhawks scored once while a
man up and another down a man as special teams finally were a factor. The
Blackhawks were scoreless in 11 power plays through the first three games and
mired in a 0-for-29 drought before Patrick Sharp scored to put Chicago up 5-4
with 9:41 left in regulation. The goal came just after a 5-on-3 advantage for
Chicago expired, but before Boston's Jaromir Jagr could get from the penalty box
into the play. The Bruins had killed 27 straight penalties entering the game.
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