Photo Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki/USA TODAY Sports
I’ve been very quiet this entire post hockey season, and no, not because I have a few biased bones in my body (ok maybe there’s more than a few,) but because I totally didn’t want to jinx anything. Not like that matters now anyway, right?
Though I stand by my Rangers in a loss, a win, a shutout, any situation, I’m always going to give credit where credit is due.
It was in game 1 of the first series between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Nashville Predators, in Nashville, mind you, where I realized even though it was the first game, the Cup Finals were basically decided. The cup had already belonged to the Blackhawks long before the post-season ended, and we all know playoff hockey, and playoff hockey is long, especially if your team is just that good.
Duncan Keith’s late, late goal in a sudden death double overtime gave them the lead in that series, and ironically, it was Keith’s late goal yet again last night that gave his team the go-ahead to shut down game 6 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
With everybody in the United Center on the edge of their seats, and even myself who nearly fell off the treadmill while watching the final minutes of the second period, we all knew that a goal was well underway.
And then it happened. Right off of his own rebound, Keith did what felt right, and that was to shoot the puck.
Though Lightning goalie Ben Bishop made a solid save, he left the rebound open for anybody. Keith flew past Cedric Paquette, to put the puck right over Bishop’s glove, to find it’s way to the back of the net. Bad defense from the Lightning put an end to the 0-0 tied score.
There were no callbacks and no questions. This was a solid goal from a solid play and it was as good as any.
Patrick Kane scored the Cup-clinching goal, bringing his team to another Stanley Cup victory. Keith went on to win the Stanley Cup and ultimately was a unanimous choice for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
The victory parade is set for Thursday through downtown Chicago, with a celebratory ending at Grant Park.
