Blackhawks Drop Canucks To Advance–Capitals Force Game 7 With Win Over Penguins

The Chicago Blackhawks advanced to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1995, with a 7-5 victory over the Vancouver Canucks last night at the United Center. This was a wild game from start to finish.  It seemed that every goal was scored a minute or two apart with no team really taking control of the game until Chicago did with 4:30 minutes to go in the game.  There was a lot of back and forth.  The Blackhawks offense was led by Patrick Kane’s Hat trick and Jonathan Toews’ two goals.  Chicago’s quick, talented team will make the franchise’s first appearance in the conference finals since 1995 and fittingly it was the two young stars, Kane and Toews, leading the way.  Kane record the first playoff hat trick by a Blackhawk since Gary Suter did so in Game 4 of the 1994 Western Conference quarterfinals.  Chicago won a playoff series without home-ice advantage for the first time since doing so vs. Detroit in 1992.

The Vancouver Canucks who were led by Daniel Sedin’s pair of goals, lost the final three games of the series in a disappointing end to what the Canucks hoped would be a run to the Stanley Cup.  the goaltending Vancouver was hoping for was not to be had.  Roberto Luongo got an old fashion whooping, giving up 7 goals will do that to a club.  Well for Vancouver it’s now time to regroup and focus on re signing the Sedin twins to new contracts.  If one thing was proved it’s that these two players are the heart and soul of the Vancouver Canucks.

It was Alex Ovechkin’s turn to play the role of playmaker and play the role he did.  He ended setting up 3 of Washington’s 5 goals to help the Capitals force a seventh game in this best of seven series by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 in a thrilling overtime game.  Both teams superstars came out to play tonight and didn’t disappoint.  The Penguins were led by Art Ross Trophy Winner Evegni Malkin 3 assists and Sidney Crosby’s 10th goal of the playoffs.  Crosby added an assist as well.  It was the third overtime game of the series, the most in any round of these NHL playoffs. Pittsburgh won the first two, both on deflections off Capitals defensemen.  Game seven will be played back in Washington on Wednesday night.  I would imagine that that would be a hard ticket to get, scalpers will probably have a field day.