2014-2015 STANLEY CUP CHAMPION CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

[Banedon]

Stole that game. I'll take it.

 

Stole? Nah I think we outplayed them the last 45 mins. Not by a ton but enough.

 

Yeah but I don't think the Hawks were better enough to win in regulation after being down 1-0 with 12 minutes left. Even the goals weren't huge rallies with dominant offensive zone play. Never saw that ending coming, but maybe it's just me.

 

Seems like most analysts and twitter people were behind the "stole that game" theory, but man, I thought that after the initial crazy surge at the beginning by an excited, at-home team....the Hawks were the better team throughout. I mean, TB had some chances, and Crawford was solid for sure, but the Hawks seemed to spend a lot of time in the TB zone, and through the whole game to me, it felt like a matter of time before they scored. I never was at all concerned they'd get shut out.

 

I told my wife repeatedly that TB needed at least another goal if they wanted to win that game. One was never going to be enough.

[Banedon]

Apparently Hulk Hogan was on NHL Network pregame, talking about "Coach Connor"....

 

 

 

@CMPunk It's okay. Most @TBLightning fans don't know the name of the coach. #Dork

 

@CMPunk Quiet everyone. @TBLightning coach Jon Conner is at the podium. Really, shouldn't he be saving us from Skynet?

[biittner77]

The "stole that game" narrative comes from the ridiculous "Crawford is the 2nd best goalie in any series he plays in" meme. That game went just about as I expected with the "4th" line shutting down one of their top 2, the top lines playing to a draw and the Hawks third line being the difference.

 

I wonder what zany lineup Q will send out there on Saturday? Hockey genius though he may be, Q is always doing wildly unpredictable things early in a playoff series.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Idk about stealing anything. TB was like wild men at the beginning, but a lot like the Ducks the BHawks just waited that barrage out and flipped the game. 1st period was all TB, 2nd a draw and 3rd all Chi. More goals went in for the good guys, no stealing in that Edited June 4, 2015 by minnesotacubsfan

[jersey cubs fan]

Idk about stealing anything. TB was like raped apes at the beginning, but a lot like the Ducks the BHawks just waited that barrage out and flipped the game. 1st period was all TB, 2nd a draw and 3rd all Chi. More goals went in for the good guys, no stealing in that

 

raped apes?

[jersey cubs fan]

Stole that game. I'll take it.

 

Stole? Nah I think we outplayed them the last 45 mins. Not by a ton but enough.

 

Yeah but I don't think the Hawks were better enough to win in regulation after being down 1-0 with 12 minutes left. Even the goals weren't huge rallies with dominant offensive zone play. Never saw that ending coming, but maybe it's just me.

 

I felt oddly confident toward the end of the game despite the 1-0 score. Seeing Tampa all but shut down made me think they were destined to at least tie it.

[bukie]

After being outchanced 13-7 in the first period, the Blackhawks outchanced the Lightning 19-7 for the rest of the game.

[Guest]

Idk about stealing anything. TB was like raped apes at the beginning, but a lot like the Ducks the BHawks just waited that barrage out and flipped the game. 1st period was all TB, 2nd a draw and 3rd all Chi. More goals went in for the good guys, no stealing in that

 

raped apes?

Those poor apes.

[UMFan83]

I wonder how many casual hockey fans saw Teuvo last night and were like 'jesus its not fair the Hawks have him'

[Banedon]

I wonder how many casual hockey fans saw Teuvo last night and were like 'jesus its not fair the Hawks have him'

 

You know, I just read through the TB HFBoards gamethread, and they mentioned just about everyone on the Hawks, except for Teuvo and Vermette.

 

Cooper's postgame comments didn't sound like he regretted the "prevent" style play late in the game at all. I'm honestly more confident than ever in this series.

[Smack]

Wait what?

 

@DarrenDreger: Hedman won't say on record Shaw bit him, but he says there's a bruise.

 

Honestly, would anyone be surprised if he did?

 

I sure wouldn't.

[Flames24Rulz]

As soon as it became evident that Tampa was hoping 1 goal would stand up, I felt a little more confident that somehow, the Hawks would score a goal. Outside of that Callahan breakaway, they only had one real good scoring chance in the third before Teuvo's goal. Nothing like hoping one goal would hold up against the Hawks...lol.

[Banedon]

http://i.imgur.com/H0qeJk3.jpg

[Brian707]

I too am more confident than ever as for the rest of this series after the way game 1 played out.

 

I also thought Versteeg played very well for a change. His goalie interference penalty, not so sure about. I fell the ref should either have not called a penalty at all or called coincidental minors on Versteeg and the TB player who pushed him.

[Soul]

 

It took me a moment to see it. Ahahahahah. Fantastic.

[Banedon]

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final did a 28.0 rating Wednesday on WMAQ-Ch. 5. That means nearly 1 million homes in the Chicago area were tuned into the game; 1 local ratings point is worth nearly 35,000 homes.

 

By comparison, NBC’s coverage of the Bears-San Francisco game on Sunday night last September did a 31.2 local rating. Keep in mind, it only was Game 1 Wednesday. The ratings will continue to grow for the Blackhawks-Tampa Bay series.

[Guest]

Hawks stole the game? Huh? Tampa was amazing for the first 5 minutes, but their one goal was about as lucky as it can get. Granted, the lucky goal was probably a make up for the goal they should have gotten on the face-off after the first icing, but after those first 5 minutes, they dominated nothing.

[Banedon]

@NHLBlackhawks

 

Via @EliasSports, the #Blackhawks became the first road team to win in regulation via a third-period comeback in Game 1 of the SCF. #ONEGOAL

[Flames24Rulz]

Hawks stole the game? Huh? Tampa was amazing for the first 5 minutes, but their one goal was about as lucky as it can get. Granted, the lucky goal was probably a make up for the goal they should have gotten on the face-off after the first icing, but after those first 5 minutes, they dominated nothing.

 

Yeah, it was very even throughout after the initial push by Tampa. I don't really think the Hawks stole the game. The Lightning only ended up with 23 shots on goal and I'd guess that after the first 5 minutes, they probably only had about 17-18 shots on goal in 55 minutes.

 

Find a way to win on Saturday and they're in a world of hurt.

[Banedon]

@AdamRogowin

 

Congratulations to @NHLBlackhawks, which overnight became the most-followed Twitter account in the NHL #Blackhawks

[rawaction]

Stole that game. I'll take it.

 

Stole? Nah I think we outplayed them the last 45 mins. Not by a ton but enough.

 

Yeah but I don't think the Hawks were better enough to win in regulation after being down 1-0 with 12 minutes left. Even the goals weren't huge rallies with dominant offensive zone play. Never saw that ending coming, but maybe it's just me.

 

I felt oddly confident toward the end of the game despite the 1-0 score. Seeing Tampa all but shut down made me think they were destined to at least tie it.

 

Yeah, I was expecting them to get A goal. 2 in regulation? Never saw that coming. But my point is/was that it's not like the Hawks were peppering the goal with shots and TB was making a ton of saves. Didn't really seem to have a ton of great scoring chances (not that Tampa had very many or even as many as the Hawks). I guess part of it is that both goals were shots that I thought would get stopped.

[kujay]

Hawks stole the game? Huh? Tampa was amazing for the first 5 minutes, but their one goal was about as lucky as it can get. Granted, the lucky goal was probably a make up for the goal they should have gotten on the face-off after the first icing, but after those first 5 minutes, they dominated nothing.

 

Yeah, it was very even throughout after the initial push by Tampa. I don't really think the Hawks stole the game. The Lightning only ended up with 23 shots on goal and I'd guess that after the first 5 minutes, they probably only had about 17-18 shots on goal in 55 minutes.

 

Find a way to win on Saturday and they're in a world of hurt.

 

I wasn't able to see much of the game, but it seems like Tampa needs to find a way to win Saturday night. The Hawks have plenty of ways to win. They have turned the screws on this young team. All the pressure is on them Saturday night, just like it was on the Ducks in Game 7. Maybe Tampa is stronger mentally than Anaheim.

 

Now, that said, we score the first goal or two Saturday and Tampa turns it up to 11 offensively, that could be where the shootout comes in.

[jersey cubs fan]

Yeah, I was expecting them to get A goal. 2 in regulation? Never saw that coming. But my point is/was that it's not like the Hawks were peppering the goal with shots and TB was making a ton of saves. Didn't really seem to have a ton of great scoring chances (not that Tampa had very many or even as many as the Hawks). I guess part of it is that both goals were shots that I thought would get stopped.

 

True, but there were a few chances that came in right before they scored. When was the Kane with time in front of the net situation? Before or after the first goal?

[Banedon]

Maybe Tampa is stronger mentally than Anaheim.

 

I don't think this is even remotely the case. Judging from the way they played late, and the way they've reacted in the postgame pressers and today's pressers, it sound a whole lot like they're trying to convince themselves they can beat the Hawks rather than actually believing that they can.

[Soul]

Hawks stole the game? Huh? Tampa was amazing for the first 5 minutes, but their one goal was about as lucky as it can get. Granted, the lucky goal was probably a make up for the goal they should have gotten on the face-off after the first icing, but after those first 5 minutes, they dominated nothing.

 

Yeah, it was very even throughout after the initial push by Tampa. I don't really think the Hawks stole the game. The Lightning only ended up with 23 shots on goal and I'd guess that after the first 5 minutes, they probably only had about 17-18 shots on goal in 55 minutes.

 

Find a way to win on Saturday and they're in a world of hurt.

 

When Tampa scored the first goal I was worried because it so spectacular. Then as the game wore on I realized it was more lucky than anything.

 

After that I was just worried we wouldn't get the equalizer for whatever reason. Coming back in the 3rd period isn't common.

 

The Hawks blow up all kinds of trends though. I should have known better. The Ducks were supposedly unbeatable at home. Then the Hawks showed up.