A National Hockey League season that nearly never was will be remembered as one of the greatest after the Chicago Blackhawks stunned the Boston Bruins on Monday for their second Stanley Cup in four years.
A labor dispute that delayed the start of the season by four months was all but forgotten when the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final came to a close with a wild Game 6 that saw Chicago score 17 seconds apart in the final 76 seconds for a 3-2 win.
For Chicago, it was their third consecutive win and it ended a season that began with the team setting an NHL record by going on a remarkable run in which they earned at least one point in their first 24 games.
Photo: AFP
“It was one of those seasons we were saying, we’re almost charmed the way we started the season and the way we ended,” Chicago coach Joel Quenneville told reporters. “Nobody saw that one coming either way. A lot of great things in between, some great challenges in this playoff series or this playoff round, and then let alone the other three [series], but it was one of those seasons, fairy-tale ending and an amazing season.”
While it was a fairy-tale finish for the Blackhawks, it was a nightmare end to the season for Boston.
Bruins fans had believed the series was headed back to the Madhouse on Madison in Chicago for a winner-take-all Game 7 after Milan Lucic scored late in the third period to put the Bruins 2-1 ahead, but with the TD Garden in full party mode, the Blackhawks staged an improbable rally that is sure to go down as one of the most spectacular comebacks in a Stanley Cup Final.
With Chicago goalie Corey Crawford pulled in favor of an extra attacker, Bryan Bickell tied the game with a tap-in from the side of the net moments before Dave Bolland crushed Boston’s Cup dreams when he drove a loose puck into the Bruins goal.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Blackhawks players poured off the team bench, tossing their sticks and gloves into the air as the arena fell silent.
By the time the Blackhawks paraded the treasured silver mug around the ice it was to a mostly deserted arena as Bruins fans had no interest in watching their Original Six rivals celebrate.
While it was anything but hockey weather with temperatures soaring to 35oC, Boston had been caught in the grips of hockey fever, with the Bruins facing a do-or-die moment needing a victory to extend the series.
With the Stanley Cup in the TD Garden and champagne on ice, it was all hands on deck for Chicago captain Jonathan Toews and Bruins top face-off man Patrice Bergeron on the ice after they missed the end of the previous game with undisclosed injuries.
For many of the players who took part in the traditional handshake at the end of the game, they were not so much winners as survivors of a punishing playoffs marathon that featured four hugely entertaining, but bone-jarring best-of-seven series.
Toews was among the wounded, admitting afterwards that he had his bell rung in Game 5, while Bergeron soldiered on despite a separated shoulder and damaged ribs.
The Conn Smythe Trophy winner the last time the Blackhawks won the Cup in 2010, Toews was fit enough to tie the game after Chris Kelly had given Boston a 1-0 first-period lead.
“Since the start of the Stanley Cup, we had some injuries,” Boston coach Claude Julien said. “It’s hard to keep guys out. They want to play through it and some guys were able to do that, but playing hurt is part of it and our guys did that, and that’s why I said earlier you’ve got to be extremely proud of those guys.”
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely