They have three Stanley Cups in six seasons (2010, 2013, and 2015).
They have three Conn Smythe Trophy winners who are all still on the team (Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Duncan Keith).
They’ve caused me to get many photos like this from my friend Ally who lives in Chicago and went to Wrigley Field after the Chicago Blackhawks completed their trinity of Stanley Cups.
No matter how angry or how spiteful I am of the city of Chicago right now, I can’t help but deny they are the cream of the NHL crop. A run of three Stanley Cups in six seasons hasn’t been seen since the Detroit Red Wings of the late 1990s. Those Red Wings captured four cups in seven seasons — something the Blackhawks could equal if they were able to do what the 2008 and 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins did which is win back-to-back championships.
Such a feat is 100 percent possible with this Blackhawks team. They will still have Toews, Kane, and Keith on the roster next year. Brent Seabrook will continue to be a stabilizing force on the blue line. Marian Hossa will come back to do Marian Hossa things, and there is some new youth to be infused into this championship squad such as Teuvo Teräväinen — who played magnificently throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Goalie Corey Crawford will likely be back — and by “likely”, I mean there’s no chance in hell that he’d be anywhere else next season. Crawford has cemented himself as a member of Blackhawks lore. His win last night tied Tony Esposito’s mark of 45 playoff wins. Crawford is only 30 years old, and the core of his teammates aren’t going anywhere. He’ll pass Esposito soon enough.
With all due respect to Conn Smythe winner Duncan Keith, that was the story last night: Corey Crawford. After he gave up seven goals in between games two and three, Crawford spring boarded back with confidence to seal the Stanley Cup for the Blackhawks winning three straight, allowing a total of two goals, and racking up a .976 save percentage in the final three clinching games. Someone explain to me how Crawford was able to make this save on Steven Stamkos in the beginning of the second period or this stone job on Ondřej Palát late in the third while Tampa Bay was on a power play. I’m still trying to figure that out.
Kyle Alexander of Raw Charge wrote yesterday about how the Lightning were running into a hot goalie in Corey Crawford at the absolute worst possible moment. That couldn’t have been any more true last night. Much like Reggie Miller in a game of NBA Jam, Crawford was on fire for the Blackhawks.
Crawford’s re-found stability was all Chicago needed last night. By this point, they were very used to the aggressive Tampa Bay forecheck that gave them fits in games two and three (and to a lesser extent four and five). The Lightning defensemen pinched very well in the beginning of the game to continue to create chances in the offensive zone, but there was Crawford. This is literally the only time I will quote Mark Jackson, but Crawford was a bad man last night.
There was literally nothing Tampa Bay could do against him be it from the point, down in the crease or in the slot where Nikita Kucherov — who surprisingly played in Game 6 last night — had two unbelievable chances to give the Lightning an early lead.
Maybe the Lightning could make some magic happen late in the third period like they had been doing in the last few games. Maybe they could help all hockey fans everywhere get excited for those five amazing words: Stanley Cup Finals, Game 7.
Nope.
Soon to be Conn Smythe Trophy winner Duncan Keith was having none of that. With about 2:45 left in the second, Keith received a lovely pass from 2013 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Patrick Kane in the high slot, took a wrister at Ben Bishop who had been keeping his rebounds under control until Keith buried home a rebound after following his shot. (Remember, kids. Regardless of what sport you’re playing, always follow your shots. Always.)
Once Keith buried the opening goal, it just seemed the life was sucked out of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Stunned and staggered. These would be perfect words to describe Tampa Bay after that goal. It almost seemed like they knew it was over, and then when Kane scored his first goal of the Stanley Cup Finals with 5:14 to go in the third, it was over.
Would the Lightning’s chances have been any better if Ben Bishop didn’t have what was later revealed as a torn groin? Who knows? With the way Crawford was coming on in the last few games, it’d be hard to make a case. The Florida Youngsters had been resilient all series long, and it’s a testament to their team and their coach (Jon Cooper).
These are the Chicago Blackhawks, though. The Lightning learned something this season. They’re there. They’re right there with the Pittsburgh(s) and the New York(s) — both the Rangers AND Islanders. If some things bounce their way next season, they’ll be right back in the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Lightning just caught the wrong team at the wrong time — the Chicago Blackhawks in a Stanley Cup Finals. They’ve been here three times in the last six seasons, and they’ve won all three. Every team in the NHL would do terrible, unspeakable things to try and be what the Blackhawks are: the best.
It’s been said by myself and some of the guys at Total Sports Live that the Blackhawks are the “San Antonio Spurs of the NHL”. You don’t want to see them come playoff time, and you can’t assume you have them down for the count because they just keep coming back. These guys will be back again and again because much like the San Antonio Spurs and WWE’s Triple H:
“They’re that damn good!”
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