The Hawks were hoping to repeat their Game 5 dominance, in which they steamrolled the Flyers 7-3. However, the Flyers had other ideas, and the game was tied 2-2 at the end of the second period.
When we scored, midway through the third period, our hope was renewed. We were mere minutes away from winning the Stanley Cup. It was so close, we could smell it. However, the Flyers, being the resilient team that they are, took advantage of our lazy defense and scored with four minutes remaining in regulation to tie the game, 3-3.
Game 3 had gone to overtime as well, but the Flyers had come out on top. Needless to say, we were very worried that Philly would win, causing a Game 7 in Chicago. I don't think I could've taken the anxiety and stress of a Game 7, so I could hardly watch the overtime, fearing a Philadelphia win.
However, we didn't have to fear for long. Four minutes had barely elapsed in the extra period when Patrick Kane received the wide-open pass from across the ice, wove his way around a defender, and fired the puck at Michael Leighton from a bad angle.
The game-winning goal was a bit anti-climatic, because nobody realized the puck had gone in. . . except Patrick Kane. He took off down the ice, dancing with joy and shedding equipment as he went, and we were still staring at the TV screen, not daring to believe that he had actually scored. Soon, the other Hawks came barreling toward the celebrating Kane and Niemi, and the the number 4 ticked onto the scoreboard. We realized that the Chicago Blackhawks were the NHL champions and began jumping around the family room, slapping high-fives and yelling at the top of our lungs.
The replay of was shown, and the puck just barely slipped through the pads of Michael Leighton and into the goal, where it was stuck in the pad of the net.
Jonathan Toews was soon presented the Conn Smythe Trophy, the award given to the MVP of the playoffs (This decision, however, was somewhat controversial. Most people agree that Patrick Kane deserves the Trophy, since he had more goals than Toews and, more importantly, he scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal. Others think that Antti Niemi should've won it, since he was phenomenal throughout the playoffs.)
Then, the moment that we'd all been waiting for arrived. The Stanley Cup was brought onto the ice by two gloved, reverent Hall of Fame hockey players. It was gently, respectfully set on a table, where the NHL Commissioner presented it to Jonathan Toews. After pausing for pictures, Toews performed the most coveted, dreamed-of act in hockey. He hoisted the Stanley Cup. The ultimate goal of every hockey player on the planet.
After whooping with glee along with his teammates and kissing the gleaming cup, he handed it to Marian Hossa, who had played in three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals with three different teams, to no avail. . . until now. The cup was passed to each team member by age, and chills went up and down my spine as they celebrated with the most storied trophy in sports.
I later pointed out to my dad that this is my first championship. I have never witnessed the Packers win a Super Bowl. I have never witnessed the Cubs win a World Series (I don't think anyone currently alive has). Now, I have witnessed the Hawks break the Stanley Cup drought.
Is this the beginning of a Chicago dynasty? We have all the ingredients. We've locked in Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, and Duncan Keith for a few years. We have the momentum. With luck, next year we can win the Blackhawk's fifth Stanley Cup of all time.
GO BLACKHAWKS!
I would also like to point out that 1961 was the year Concordia Language Villages were formed. For those of you who have no idea what that means, El Lago Del Bosque, my spanish camp, is a Concordia Language Village!!
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