Blackhawks Stun Bruins With Last-Minute Rally To Capture The Stanley Cup

There have been so many brutal losses in the last few years by Boston sports teams: Patriots Super Bowls in 2007 and 2012, Celtics losing Game 7 to Lakers in 2010 NBA Finals and the Bruins Game 7 loss to the Flyers in 2010. It's almost impossible to crack that unwanted starting lineup but tonight's 3-2 loss in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden to the Blackhawks was a very painful new chapter for the B's and their dedicated fanbase.

Chicago won its second Cup in four years and Patrick Kane was the third straight American (joining Tim Thomas and Jonathan Quick) to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP). The Blackhawks were the better team-by a slim margin-in this series and they are about as likable an opponent as you can imagine but the Bruins and their fans will be left wondering for years what could have been after they blew a 2-1 lead with less than 1:30 left in regulation.

Bryan Bickell tied it at two at 18:44 on a one-timer from Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith. It was Bickell's ninth goal of the postseason and it came after a bunch of incredible plays by his teammates to win the puck then find him.

Before the TD Garden PA announcer could even mention that goal, Dave Bolland scored the Cup-clinching goal only 17 seconds later. Yes, Dave Bolland. Michael Frolik's shot went off the post and Bolland was there to sweep in the rebound past Tuukka Rask (28 saves). Johnny Oduya had the second assist on Bolland's third goal of the postseason. He has to be one of the most obscure players to get the game-winner in a Cup-clincher.

Not to say the Blackhawks didn't have injuries but the Bruins were extremely banged up which is part of the reason that their loss felt so rough. Chris Kelly made it 1-0 at 7:19 of the first period as Daniel Paille chipped the puck to Tyler Seguin who gloved it down then sauced it over to Kelly for his second goal of the postseason.

Boston absolutely dominated the first period, outshooting Chicago 12-6, and they should have forged a bigger lead. I was thinking that even before Toews tied it at one at 4:24 of the second period. His 2-on-1 snap shot beat Rask through his five-hole for Chicago's captain's third goal of the postseason, unassisted.

Milan Lucic looked to be the hero for Boston as he put the B's up 2-1 with 7:49 left in regulation. His seventh goal of the postseason was assisted by David Krejci who stationed himself behind Chicago's net and Corey Crawford (23 saves). Looch was out in front to poke in the rebound that he had created.

After the shocking loss, Patrice Bergeron admitted that he had a broken rib and torn cartilage in his ribs from Game 5 on top of a separated shoulder he suffered tonight. It is incredible that he suited up in Game 6 and wasn't a liability by any means. Expect to hear about many more injuries for both teams in the coming days now that the season is finally over.

It's a strange feeling, there won't be any Bruins games until October but it might take a little while to realize that depressing fact. They took us all on an incredible journey this spring/early summer and further bolstered their resume as the most likable squad (by far) in Boston. They survived three rounds of playoffs and went toe-to-toe with the best team in the NHL. Chicago outscored Boston 17-15 in the Final with four one-goal games (3 OT games) and a pair of two-goal games showing how close this series was and also how difficult it is to win a Cup (making us appreciate 2011 even more).

Thank you Bruins, we can't wait for next season!

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Blackhawks Win Game 5 3-1 to Take 3-2 Series Lead In The Stanley Cup Final

The Bruins have run out of options, to win their second Stanley Cup in three seasons now they'll have to win their final two games after they fell 3-1 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final tonight at the United Center to the Blackhawks. Chicago will have a chance to capture their second Cup in four years on Monday (8, NBC) at TD Garden. Boston won Games 2 & 3 but Chicago has rallied to win Games 4 & 5.

It would be bad enough to be facing elimination at the hands of a very worthy opponent but the B's also have to worry about the health of one of their most invaluable players-Patrice Bergeron. Between the second and third period, he left the arena in an ambulance and after the game it was reported that he has a spleen injury. Yikes. The only solace for Boston is that if Bergeron can't play in Game 6, his Chicago counterpart Jonathan Toews also seems unlikely to suit up after he suffered what appeared to be a concussion from a hit by Johnny Boychuk in the second period.

Chicago won Game 5 because of the offensive brilliance of Patrick Kane who had their first two goals. Corey Crawford (24 saves) was good but Kane showed that there's a reason he's known for more than his bozo mullet and late-night antics.

Kane opened the scoring at 17:27 after Johnny Oduya's shot broke Dennis Seidenberg's stick then deflected off Toews to Kane who was able to shovel it in past Tuukka Rask (29 saves). It was Kane's eighth goal of the postseason.

He showed off more of his world class skill in the second period as he roofed a backhander over Rask at 5:13. Bryan Bickell and Toews assisted as the former wrapped around the net and Kane once again found himself in front of the net for the rebound.

Boston never had a power play in Game 5 and Bergeron's absence certainly didn't help their sputtering offense. Rask kept them in the game with a couple top-notch saves and Zdeno Chara cut it to 2-1 at 3:40 of the third period. His one-timer from David Krejci and Milan Lucic was such a rocket that it immediately came back out of the top corner of the net.

The Bruins didn't get that much pressure on the Blackhawks for the tying goal but they did take their timeout and won a faceoff in Chicago's end with time running out. Torey Krug tried to keep the puck in the zone at the point but he got blatantly tripped. This led to a Chicago rush and empty-netter by Dave Bolland with 14 seconds left. Look, the B's didn't lose because of that no-call but I just wanted to mention it since it was so obvious.

Carl Soderberg made his NHL playoff debut and believe it or not, he didn't look bad at all. It makes you wonder why Kaspars Daugavins had been playing since Gregory Campbell went down because the Dog man is atrocious. Soderberg started on the fourth line with Rich Peverley and Shawn Thornton but moved up to Bergeron's spot after he left. Something to keep an eye on in Game 6. I shudder to think who would be in the lineup without Bergeron (most likely Jordan Caron or Daugavins).

Aside from our own rooting interest, I hope that the Stanley Cup Final goes the distance (seven games) since this has been such a wonderful series for the sport. It's impossible to predict what exactly will happen Monday but you have to feel like the B's will throw everything they've got at the Blackhawks after coming this far.

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There Is No Way To Sugarcoat Losing The 5th Longest Game In Stanley Cup Finals History

It's been hours since Game 1 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals but honestly my brain is complete mush after witnessing the longest game of the postseason. I can't even imagine how the players feel after Chicago rallied for a 4-3 triple overtime win over Boston, the fifth longest contest in Finals history. The Blackhawks snapped the Bruins' five-game win streak by coming back from a pair of two-goal deficits (2-0 and 3-1) and getting all four goals by role players: capped off by Andrew Shaw's game-winner at 12:08.

Game 2 is thankfully an extra day away, Saturday (8 p.m., NBC) back at United Center. B's goaltender Tuukka Rask (career-high 59 saves) was superb but victimized by a pair of fluky goals: Johnny Oduya's goal at 12:14 in the third period went off Andrew Ference's skate and Shaw's goal was the result of the dreaded double deflection.

Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford (51 saves) wasn't as busy as Rask but he held the fort while the B's controlled play in OT (outshooting Blackhawks 29-24). The problem for Boston in the extra sessions is that the best chances went to the last guys they'd want with the puck on their stick: Kaspars Daugavins, Shawn Thornton and Tyler Seguin among others. Of course, Crawford also earned the win by stoning David Krejci (2 assists) twice. Oh and Jaromir Jagr's tip of Zdeno Chara's shot from the point in the last seconds of double overtime went off the post but not in.

True to form, Boston's power play ended up being one of the main reasons they lost. You see the B's got the only two power plays in overtime (too many men on the ice for Chicago in the first overtime and end of the second overtime which ended in the third) but couldn't cash in either of them. The Bruins penalty kill deserved better as they held the Blackhawks to 0 for 3 on the power play including a two-man advantage for 1:17 in the second period.

The B's couldn't have asked for a better start as Milan Lucic scored a pair of goals to give Boston a 2-0 lead early in the second period. It was the fifth straight game that the Bruins had scored first. His first came after tic tac toe passing from Nathan Horton and Krejci, leading to Lucic's fourth goal of the playoffs at 13:11. The best line in the NHL (during the postseason) flexed its muscles again with Lucic causing a turnover in the neutral zone then Krejci dropping off a pass to him to shoot past Crawford 51 seconds into the second period.

Blackhawks rookie Brandon Saad answered at 3:08 with his first goal of the playoffs, from Marian Hossa. A turnover by the Bruins behind the net gave Hossa the puck and he found Saad who buried it past with top-shelf. Great shot.

All seemed to be right though for the Black and Gold as Patrice Bergeron made it 3-1 with a power play goal at 6:09 in the third period from Tyler Seguin and Lucic. Bergeron hammered a one-timer that pinged the inside of the post.

Bruins rookie defensemen Torey Krug didn't do much in the Penguins series but tonight was his first real bad game in the playoffs. His brutal giveaway in Boston's zone led to Chicago's second goal, by another nobody-Dave Bolland at 8:00 from Andrew Shaw. Krug's mistake left Rask out to dry with little chance to stop the odd man rush.

The B's had been 4-1 in OT and the Blackhawks were 3-1 but this was a friendly reminder that A) Chicago is mentally much tougher than Pittsburgh and B) anything can happen in overtime.

The result was depressing enough but the Bruins could be in for worse news tomorrow since Horton left in the first overtime with an upper body injury and never returned. It was bizarre since he wasn't hit, it just looked like his shoulder popped out of the socket or something. Yikes, I'd feel awful for him if he had to miss most of the Finals for the second time in three years. He's been excellent in the postseason and it would leave a huge hole on Boston's top line. I'll guess we'll worry about that later though (fingers crossed).

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