Stanley is Home After a trying season the Chicago Blackhawks have accomplished the ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup for the 3rd time in 6 years. After a grueling seven game series against the Anaheim Ducks everyone thought that we would just blow right through Tampa Bay in a quick series. Things did not happen as expected though. The Lightning were very sound in their puck control and the “triplets’ line” was giving the Hawks fits in the first couple games. But the tide turned when the youngest player on the team made 2 of the biggest plays of the season to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Thanks to some untimely injuries to goalie Ben Bishop and forward Tyler Johnson, the Hawks were able to win their first championship at home since 1937-38. Duncan Keith was unreal on defense for the Hawks after Rosvizal went down to a gruesome injury. Keith became one of the very few to go over 700 minutes of ice time which shows his incredible stamina and why he deserved to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. But Cory Crawford was a brick wall in net and he held a Lightning team that has great firepower to only 10 goals in 6 Stanley Cup final games, capping it off with a shutout at home in game six. Give the Lightning credit though, they kept Patrick Kane off stat sheets for a few games before he sealed victory off a sweet no look pass from Brad Richards in game six. But the real struggle begins now for GM Stan Bowman. He has to find a way to stay under the salary cap but still keep the Hawks core intact. But if there is any GM that can do it it would be Stan, he is the guy that brought Richards, Vermette, Timonen and Desjardins over to the team and changed the complexion of the whole season. So rest easy for now Hawks fans, Lord Stanley’s Cup is home for the 3rd time in 6 years. I would say that is a dynasty.
