Chicago withstood a last-gasp flurry from Minnesota to win 4-3 against the Wild on Thursday and complete a 4-0 series sweep, becoming the first team through to the final four of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Tampa Bay failed at their first shot at joining the Blackhawks in the final four as the Lightning were beaten 6-2 at home by Montreal, who cut their series deficit to 3-1.
Chicago fans were already celebrating when the Blackhawks scored to make it 4-1 with 3 minutes, 7 seconds left to play, but goals by Jason Pominville and Nino Niederreiter suddenly made it interesting.
Photo: AFP
However the Wild’s desperation shots in the final minute were either wide or turned aside by commanding Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford, who made 34 saves.
“It may have looked a little hectic, but our team remained calm and we did what we had to do,” left wing Patrick Sharp said.
Crawford stopped 124 of 131 shots over the series and the Blackhawks improved to 30-0 this season when leading after two periods.
“They want to be successful. They want to find ways to win and in the end they want to be champions,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said, praising the resolve of his players over that final frantic sequence.
Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist, while Brent Seabrook, Andrew Shaw and Marian Hossa also scored for the Blackhawks, who were down to five defensemen after a serious injury to veteran Michal Roszival.
Jonathan Toews and Bryan Bickell had two assists apiece as Chicago eliminated Minnesota from the playoffs for the third straight year.
Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk, who made 21 saves before being pulled for an extra skater in the final four minutes, said he felt “sick” about the series result.
“To be with the group that we have, to finish it that way, it just doesn’t feel right,” he said.
Erik Haula scored in the second period for Minnesota; the first goal by a Wild forward in a stretch of 177 minutes, 11 seconds since the second period of Game 1.
Montreal went to hostile territory and claimed the win they needed to stay alive against Tampa Bay.
Carey Price stopped 22 shots and Max Pacioretty had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens.
Pacioretty and Andrei Markov scored in the first period as the Canadiens beat the Lightning for the first time in nine attempts this season. Game 5 was set for yesterday in Montreal, where Tampa Bay won the first two games of the series.
Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop allowed three goals on 14 shots before he was pulled a little more than five minutes into the second period.
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