Blackhawks Best Ducks 5-2, Force Game 7 in Anaheim

Image courtesy of Zimbio

After a scoreless first period in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals between the Ducks and the Blackhawks, a sudden flurry of scoring delighted the hometown crowd in Chicago, who were desperate to see their team put some points on the board in a win-or-go-home situation.

Brandan Saad made it 1-0 at 8:23 of the second, with two more quick strikes, one by Marian Hossa at 10:41 and another by Patrick Kane at 12:08, to follow. In less than four minutes a tie game for the Ducks had become a three-goal deficit.

Though throughout this epic series, if there’s anything we’ve learned, it’s that anything can happen. After all, the Hawks scored two goals in the final minutes to tie Game 5, before losing in overtime.

Anaheim calmed the crowd just two minutes later, with a goal by Patrick Maroon at 14:13. It was a huge goal for the Ducks, who did not want to go into the locker room down 0-3 on the road. They struck quickly in the third, with Clayton Stoner finding the back of the net just 1:57 into the period.

Suddenly a Game 7 was anything but certain, and the 3-2 drama lasted for awhile, at least until the Hawks finally padded their lead to two with Andrew Shaw’s goal at 16:28. The Ducks did their best, but the game was sealed on an empty netter, again by Shaw, with just over a minute remaining.

The series heads back to Anaheim for a dramatic Game 7 on Saturday, one day after the Rangers and Lightning settle up in their own Game 7 at Madison Square Garden on Friday.