Blackhawks down Lightning in Game 6 for third Stanley Cup in six seasons

Duncan Keith led the Blackhawks to a 2–0 win over the Lightning in Game 6 on Monday night, helping Chicago capture its third Stanley Cup in six seasons.

Sarah Kwak | Jun 16, 2015

Blackhawks down Lightning in Game 6 for third Stanley Cup in six seasons /

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CHICAGO — Alarm bells sounded some two hours before the puck dropped on Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, warning of possible tornadoes near downtown Chicago. The specter of doom seemed to loom over the city, which had not seen the Cup lifted on home ice since 1938. Still, a standing room only crowd made it to the Madhouse on Madison just in case. Outside, the rain dropped in sheets, the thunder clapped like the Hammer of Thor, but within the walls of the United Center on Monday night, the Lightning never struck.

Tampa Bay, the NHL’s highest scoring team this season, one that always believed its offense would come, left the ice empty-handed and empty-hearted. The Bolts fell to the Blackhawks, 2–0, and Chicago lifted its third Stanley Cup in six years. Dynasty may be too strong a word—how bout Dynasty Jr.?—but destiny is not.

Duncan Keith nabs Conn Smythe, propels Blackhawks past Lightning

After all, the winning goal came off the stickblade of the man (or suspected machine) who fittingly won the Conn Smythe Trophy with 21 points this postseason, the first blueliner to score more than 20 since Chris Pronger in 2006, and the first since Scott Niedermayer in 2007 to be anointed MVP of the playoffs: the Blackhawks’ all-world defenseman Duncan Keith. Rushing into the offensive zone late in the second period of a scoreless game, he wristed a hard shot on Tampa Bay’s net and then kept driving in on Ben Bishop in search of opportunity. The Lightning goalie, whose ability to recover on shots has never been a strength even when fully healthy, gave up a soft rebound in front where Keith snapped a clean shot over Bishop’s glove. An expectant crowd of 22,424 let out a collective boom that could challenge nature’s exclamation.

• SI VAULT (2010): Keith, Seabrook's first Cup presages dynasty

When Patrick Kane cashed in on a one-timer from the right circle with 5:14 left in regulation, his first of the series and the insurance goal that Chicago had sought, he set off the wild roaring cheers that minutes later morphed into the inimitable sound of victory. On the bench, a 40-year-old defenseman let the tears well into his worn eyes. Unlike those he shed five years ago, when (of course) Kane had scored the winner against his Flyers, Kimmo Timonen's were finally filled with joy. The 16-year veteran knew in that moment that his lifelong dream of lifting the Stanley Cup was about to come true.

“It’s been a long battle, a long journey,” Timonen said, basking on the ice while the arena blared the bopping beat of the Hall and Oates classic, You Make My Dreams Come True.

Fitting.

Timonen, who suffered a pulmonary embolism last August, sat out most of the year, unable to play while taking blood thinners. But after the clots in his lungs had dissolved, he talked to doctors about returning to the ice. “My desire was so deep inside that I wanted to give it one more shot,” he said.

• WATCH: Blackhawks' Keith puts own rebound past Bolts' Bishop in Game 6

He received clearance from doctors and joined the Blackhawks from Philadelphia at the trade deadline in March. Though his minutes were limited, he contributed where he could; in the end, it didn’t matter much. After Chicago captain Jonathan Toews accepted the silver chalice, he looked straight to Timonen. “Come on, Kimmo,” he yelled.

“I’m happy. I’m relieved,” Timonen said on the ice, the happiest 40-year-old retiree. “I’m ready to go. I leave this game a Stanley Cup champion. And I can’t ask for any more than that.”

• Bolts Bishop, Johnson reveal their Stanley Cup Final injuries

Steven Stamkos takes the blame for Lightning's missed opportunity

For Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, the sounds of the game that will resonate most will be the clang of the crossbar, the dampened thud of Corey Crawford’s left pad. In a game of inches, the 25-year-old Stamkos found his game just slightly off of victory’s axis on Monday night. Eight minutes in, he carried a nifty feed from linemate Valtteri Filppula up the right wall. With speed, time and space, Stamkos unleashed his powerful slap shot, which beat Crawford’s glove but rang the iron cage. Then, in the first minute of the second period, with the game still scoreless, he had another breakaway chance on Crawford. Chasing a loose puck into the offensive zone, Stamkos pulled up as he got a handle on it. He faked, pulled back and went forehand, but he failed to lift the puck another two inches to clear Crawford’s sprawled out pad.

“I felt sick for [Stamkos],” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “I know he's going to put a bunch of weight on his shoulders of why we didn't score. But Stammer did an unreal job for us. Nobody scored…. The well ran dry.”

But out on the streets of Chicago, flooded with rainwater and jubilation, the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup dreams ranneth over.

•Game 6 box score | recap

The Chicago Blackhawks Win The Stanley Cup

The Chicago Blackhawks celebrate after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 in Game 6 to win their third Stanley Cup in the past six years.

Chicago is the first team since the Detroit Red Wings to win three titles in a six-year stretch. Detroit did so in 1997, 1998 and 2002.

Jonathan Toews holds the Cup aloft after the Blackhawks clinched the Cup on home ice for the first time since 1938.

Duncan Keith (2), Patrick Kane and Corey Crawford enjoy an embrace during the postgame celebration.

Corey Crawford had 25 saves in his fifth career playoff shutout.

Corey Crawford and the Blackhawks held the NHL's highest-scoring team in the regular season to just 10 goals in the Stanley Cup final.

Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist in Game 6.

Jonathan Toews (19) and Patrick Sharp enjoy the moment after a grueling season.

Commissioner Gary Bettman presents the Conn Smythe Trophy to Duncan Keith, who was a unanimous selection for playoff MVP after he finished with 21 points while playing over 700 minutes in the postseason.

Duncan Keith made it a 1-0 game when he flipped in a rebounded shot in the second period against Ben Bishop.

Duncan Keith celebrates his goal.

Led by Ben Bishop and big defenseman Victor Hedman, the Lightning allowed just 13 goals in the series, but it wasn't enough against the unflappable Blackhawks. (Text credit: AP)

With the Game 6 victory, Corey Crawford and Chicago dealt Tampa Bay its first three-game losing streak of the season.

Published Jun 16, 2015

SARAH KWAK

Writer-Reporter, Sports Illustrated Sarah Kwak joinedSports Illustrated as an editorial intern in 2006 before being hired full-time as a reporter in June 2007. A graduate of Duke University, she covered the school's storied athletics program, including three Duke-UNC meetings in Cameron Indoor Stadium and a trip to the Sweet 16. Since then, she has shifted focus from the hard-court to the ice rink, primarily covering the NHL, but she has also covered golf and two Olympics (Vancouver—2010 and London–2012) for SI and SI.com. She lives in New York, well within walking distance to at least four Chipotle locations.