PHILADELPHIA—After 49 years, it’s done! The Blackhawks are Stanley Cup Champions! Patrick Kane tucked the puck under Michael Leighton at 4:06 of overtime and the Hawks flew off their bench and began a couple of hours of celebration. Kane’s game winner was needed after Phlly’s Scott Hartnell tied the game-getting second of the contest with 3:59 left in regulation with a tip in,giving his team momentum heading into extra time. The Hawks pretty much dominated this contest from the start,but the Flyers hung around. Dustin Byfuglien gave the Hawks first blood at 16:49 of the first period by tipping in Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Toews’s shot on the power play as Chris Pronger served a high sticking penalty. But with Brent Sopel in the box for interference late in the period, Hartnell tied it. The Flyers had to feel great being even after one considering that they were outshot by the Blackhawks 17-7. Philadelphia took it’s only lead at 8:00 of the second period when Daniel Briere scored on a rebound that Antti Niemi could not cover up. But Patrick Sharp got it back at 9:58 when his screened shot got past Leighton.It stayed that way until Andrew Ladd tipped in Niklas Hjalmarsson’s slap shot at 17:43 of the second. Things went back and forth for most of the third period until Hartnell struck from out of no nwhere to bring another record crowd at the Wachovia Center into delerioum. They would be sent home unhappy once Kane scored in extra time.
NOTES—About a thousand Hawk Fans who got tickets for this historic game,hung around and celebrated from behind the dasher boards on both sides of the rink….Toews is the Hawks first ever Conn Smythe winner…..The Hawks outshot the Flyers 41-24…..This was the Hawks first ever win at Wachovia Center and their first in Philadelphia since 1996(at the Spectrum).
LES