CHICAGO, Ill – Usually when a new Stanley Cup champion is crowned the winning goaltender is subsequently known as a clutch top-notch player at the peak of his profession. That tradition may change this year because based on the goaltending in Game 1 both teams in this year’s finals may feel their goaltending situation is still unsettled, even should they win the Cup.
Game 1 was more befitting a September exhibition game than a Stanley Cup Final as the Chicago Blackhawks outscored the Philadelphia Flyers 6-5 to take the first game of the series.
The score was knotted at four goals midway through the game and the goaltending and defensive lapses were poor enough on both sides that the prorated score of 8-8 seemed a certainty.
Chicago started Antti Niemi in goal while Philadelphia responded with Michael Leighton. Both netminders had played well in the playoffs but neither one would be on top of their games on Saturday. The game see-sawed back and forth as the clubs traded leads and momentum throughout the evening.
The game settled after the mid-way point with the score tied at four apiece. Chicago took the lead late in the second period when Troy Brouwer connected for his second goal of the game. At that point Philadelphia head coach Peter Laviolette had seen enough of Leighton and inserted Brian Boucher in goal.
“It definitely gives us confidence knowing we can score 5 on 5, Brouwer said following the win. “And we had one short‑handed scorer tonight, great effort by Bolly. The power‑plays will come. We’re not a team completely based on our power‑play, even though we do have a very skilled team and a great power‑play. As long as the goals are coming from wherever the goals are coming, we’re okay.”
Boucher responded with some strong play and by that time Niemi had relatively settled in for the Blackhawks. The new Philadelphia goaltender stopped 11 of the 12 shots directed on him while Niemi did allow a tying goal by Arron Asham late in the second period.
The score held at five until Boucher, who as mentioned before had played well, was outflanked by Chicago’s Tomas Kopecky at the 8:25 mark of the final frame. Kopecky picked up a pass from Kris Versteeg and patiently held onto the puck until Boucher had committed to trying to stop Kopecky before the ‘Hawks forward could make his deke. But Kopecky avoided Boucher and deftly slid the puck into the now-empty net.
“We were getting a lot of chances,” said Marian Hossa after the game. “For whatever reason the puck doesn’t go in for our line, and we tried to stay patient. Tonight was one of those nights we made those chances again. This time the puck was in. That’s how we have to play in the Series. Because we know we have to help the team offensively too.”
Philadelphia led the charge in the first period and had a chance to break the game open early on yet were unable to do so. Ville Leino tallied first to put Philadelphia up 1-0, but Brouwer scored his first in response. Philadelphia then had a chance to go ahead on the power play, but Chicago’s Dave Bolland knocked the puck off of Philadelphia defenseman Braydon Coburn’s stick and scored a shorthanded breakaway goal. At that point the Flyers took control of the period and accepted scores from Scott Hartnell and Daniel Briere to take a 17-9 lead in shots and a three goals to two lead.
It would be Chicago’s second period as they outshot the Flyers by a 15 to 9 margin and scored three times to Philadelphia’s two goals. Patrick Sharp, Versteeg and Brouwer scored for the Blackhawks while Blair Betts and Asham scored for the Flyers. “The first period, physically was a little jittery for both teams,” said Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville. “More so us, and even in the second I still think we were a little bit more emotional than we normally are. And then all of a sudden we picked up the tempo, and pace that we wanted to set and continue. That’s the standard we want to move on going forward to the next game.” Notes: The win was Chicago’s first in the Finals since 1973. They were swept in the 1992 Finals by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Coincidentally the last Finals game in which 11 goals were scored was the final game of the 1992 series when the Penguins defeated Chicago 6-5. The five first period goals were the most in a Finals game since 1982 when the New York Islanders (3) and the Vancouver Canucks (2) notched five goals in an eventual Islanders’ 6-5 win…Prior to Game 1 Kopecky had been scratched for the last five games of the playoffs. His services were required due to an injury to Andrew Ladd…Chicago was assessed four minor penalties while the Flyers skated penalty-detected free…Teams which have won the first game of the Finals have gone on to win 77% of the time..Chicago led the league in shorthanded goals during the regular season and are currently doing so in the playoffs…The Blackhawks have the longest current Stanley Cup drought in the NHL as they have not won the Cup since the 1961 season…Chicago’s Jonathan Toews entered the Finals leading all playoff scorers with 26 points…The fact Leighton was originally drafted by the Blackhawks has been documented, but he is not the only player to have switched sides. Blackhawks Colin Fraser, Patrick Sharp and Ben Eager came to ChiTown through Philly. Philadelphia’s other goaltender, Boucher, also played for the Blackhawks…This is the first appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals since 1997 for the Flyers. Contact Tom.Schettino@prohockeynews.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.