The Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Boston Bruins 3-2 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals at TD Garden in Boston to become NHL champions for the fifth time in franchise history. The victory marks the second Stanley Cup in four seasons for Chicago and the first since 2010.
The Blackhawks were facing defeat with 76 seconds remaining before Bryan Bickell tied the game at 2-2. 17 seconds later, Dave Bolland scored to give the Blackhawks the 3-2 victory just before the end of regulation.
The Blackhawks overcame the deficit and the threat of a Game 7 matchup with the clutch goals, completely taking the emotion out of the hometown Boston crowd and the Bruins.
"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 scores a huge goal 17 seconds later," said Chicago forward Patrick Kane, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason's most valuable player. "It feels like the last 58 seconds were an eternity."
It was a memorable season for the Blackhawks who started play with a 24-game winning streak after the NHL resumed action following a lockout. Following a 2-1 deficit to begin the series, Chicago bounced back to take three consecutive wins en route to their championship victory.
Goaltender Corey Crawford recorded 23 saves in Monday's decisive win. Jonathan Toews scored the team's first goal and set-up Bickell on the tying play after returning to action from an injury.
"I still can't believe that finish. Oh my God, we never quit," Crawford said. "I never lost confidence. No one in our room ever did."
Chicago pulled Crawford down 2-1 late in the game to gain an extra skater. The scheme worked as Chicago successfully completed their seventeen second scoring effort, avoiding both a potential Game 7 and overtime action.
The Blackhawks' final two goals can be viewed below:
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