Chicago applies patience, benefits from experience in 2-1 win

TAMPA, Florida – As the playoffs advance, consistently good play is often rewarded with good results whether it is scoring, defense or goaltending. The Chicago Blackhawks relied on the consistently good play of Corey Crawford and the timely scoring from an unlikely source to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in the opening game of the Stanley Cup Final.

Crawford stopped 22 of 23 shots, many of them spectacular chances by Tampa Bay and defenseman Teuvo Tarvainen scored the tying goal and assisted on the winning goal, both late in the third period. While the game ended the way Chicago wanted, the first 55 minutes were not what the Blackhawks expected.

Tampa Bay started with great flow in the opening minutes, taking the play to Chicago at every chance. In the opening minutes, Anton Stralman nearly stuffed in a loose puck from behind the net while in close. The rebound came to teammate Alex Killorn, who, surprised by the loose puck, shot it just wide from eight feet out. The entire sequence came from a nice set-up by captain Steven Stamkos deep in the zone.

Finally, the early energy and effort paid off. Alex Killorn began with a strong break out from his own zone. He head-manned it to Stamkos across the ice along the far boards. Stamkos dumped the puck deep into the Chicago zone.

Valteri Filppula muscled the puck away from Chicago’s Duncan Keith on the near boards and sent it back to Anton Stralman who flung it on net. The puck was headed eight feet wide, but as it approached the end line, Killorn, standing just to the side of the Chicago goal, extended the lower part of his stick and with a backhand motion, re-directed the puck behind Crawford and into the net. No one in the world expected that puck to go in. It was Killorn’s eighth of the playoffs.

Not satisfied with just one goal, Tampa Bay continued the pressure. With Andrew Shaw off for tripping the Lightning’s Ondrej Palat, the home team went to work. Tyler Johnson had a great drive off Crawford’s left shoulder. Nikita Kucherov then fired a blast off the outside of the cage. The Lightning held the puck in the Chicago zone nearly the entire power play, but only mustered one recordable shot.

Tampa continued the aggressive play against Chicago, pinning the Blackhawks in their own zone and getting chances off turnovers. As Lightning defensemen were advancing and pinching on the play against Chicago, the Lighthing forwards would cover for them in a risky, but effective cycle, which had the Blackhawks’ heads spinning.

More shots were fired on the Chicago goal. With just more than eight minutes left and right off the draw, Cedric Paquette let a low drive go that Crawford just barely snared with his glove. The play seemed to catch the Chicago goaltender off guard, but his positioning allowed him to make the clean save.

When the Lightning weren’t getting scoring chances against Chicago, they were getting chances to separate the Blackhawks from the puck. Tampa Bay’s Ryan Callahan plowed into rugged Andrew Shaw, sending him flying along the boards. Brandon Saad was creamed as he was coming out of his own zone by Stralman, just as the puck arrived. It was a rare pop on the big winger who didn’t see the Lightning defenseman coming.

For Chicago’s sake, Crawford was keeping his team in the game with numerous saves on excellent scoring chances. The Lighthing could have had a 4-0 lead if not for Crawford’s play. At the other end, Ben Bishop was barely tested, but did make a great glove save from in front on Chicago’s Johnny Oduya with six minutes to play in the period.

Chicago found some chances late. Jason Garrison was called for cross-checking Marcus Kruger with just more than three minutes left. It gave Chicago a chance to even the score before intermission, but the Blackhawks were able to muster just one shot.

Chicago had the period’s final four shots, but Tampa Bay held the edge 10-7 in first period shots and the all-important 1-0 lead on the scoreboard.

The second period started with an opportunity for the Blackhawks. Alex Killorn was called for high-sticking on Brandon Saad, a two-minute infraction, at 0:28 of the period and the Blackhawks went on the power play. But Chicago could do no harm against Bishop.

The Lightning got back into their groove once the penalty expired, though. Stamkos snapped a low shot which Crawford kicked out with his right pad. No one was there for the rebound as the puck was carelessly kicked into the slot area.

Both teams proceeded with a healthy exchange of bursts, back and forth, up and down the ice. Neither put a threat on the other’s net, almost as if they were feeling each other out a bit, being cautious and not all that comfortable with taking risks.

As play continued, Callahan continued his heavy hitting, creaming Oduya along the far boards as he attempted to hold the puck in on the far side, right in front of the Chicago bench. Not long after the hit and with 10:12 to play in the period, Tampa Bay was caught with too many men on the ice. Chicago was back on the power play.

Once again, the Blackhawks could get nothing generated on net, registering zero shots on net and spending more time in their own zone then in the Lightning’s end of the rink. It remained a frustrating game for Chicago.

On a rush up ice, Kris Verseteeg pursued the puck into the Lightning zone, but struggled to shake loose of Anton Stralman. As the play approached Bishop, the Lightning goalie poke checked the puck away, but Versteeg kept coming, crashing into the net and bringing the goalie with him. The Chicago forward was called for goaltender interference and the Lightning went to work on the man-advantage.

The Lightning generated just one shot on goal, off the stick of defenseman Victor Hedman. Crawford handled it and no more harm came his way while his team was shorthanded.

The Lightning did have a great chance on net when a puck, shot by Tampa Bay’s Hedman, was deflected off the stick of Jonathan Toews and gloved by Crawford. The Chicago captain tapped his goaltender on the pads to thank him for covering for his mistake on the deflection.

With under two minutes to play, Killorn picked up the puck along the near boards at neutral ice and found Stamkos wide open across the ice on the far boards. Stamkos took a few steps and laid into a drive which Crawford saved cleanly after coming out to cut down the angle.

Off the draw, though, the Lightning won the puck and pursued the play behind the Chicago net. Killorn centered to Stamkos and the Lightning captain fired a snap shot on Crawford. He got an arm on the drive and smothered it in front of him to get another face-off. It was the last chance for either team in the middle frame.

The period ended with Tampa Bay leading in shots 18-13 for the game, 8-6 for the period. They led in hits 20-16 and face-offs won 22-9, leading to better puck possession. For the period, Chicago had the edge in blocked shots 8-0 and 9-7 for the game. It was a testament to the Lightning’s more frequent chances, all stopped by Chicago blocking the lanes leading to Crawford.

The third period began with tentative play by both clubs and lots of neutral zone activity. With Chicago looking for an opening, the Lightning closed the passing lanes with their speed and size. Just more than seven minutes into the final period, Brad Richards circled in the neutral zone and found Marian Hossa streaking near the Lightning line. He turned and sent a drive on Bishop which was saved cleanly. It was the start of something bigger for the Blackhawks, though.

About a minute after that sequence, Ryan Callahan picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and sped in on Crawford. He sent a drive on net which Crawford just got his blocker on, turning the puck into the right corner. It was the first shot on goal Tampa Bay had in the first two-thirds of the period. The turning point was about to take shape.

While pressuring in the Tampa Bay zone, Andrew Shaw circled inside the blue line finding Duncan Keith along the near boards. The Chicago defenseman then found Teuvo Teravainen at the left point. The Blackhawk defenseman sent a drive on net. Screened by teammate Valteri Filppula and Chicago’s Marcus Kruger, Bishop could not see the puck and Chicago had the tying goal, Teravainen’s 3^rd of the playoffs. The Blackhawks had life.

Just two minutes later, Chicago used the momentum shift to push the game into their favor. Having dumped the puck into the Tampa Bay zone, Victor Hedman had trouble clearing the puck back out. Teuvo Teravainen got a stick on it, pushing the puck toward teammate Andrew Vermette. The late addition, due to Brian Bickell’s late scrastch, made no mistake in slinging a drive high into the upper right corner of the net, giving Chicago the 2-1 lead. Experience and patience served the Blackhawks well, enabling them to get back into the game and take control.

But the Lightning were not done. Tampa Bay pushed for the equalizer, getting key chances from Filppula with two minutes to play and another drive from Hedman seconds later. Crawford turned both of them aside. Stamkos had a final drive with a minute and a half to play, but Crawford stopped that. Efforts with the extra attacker proved futile and Chicago survived.

The Blackhawks had the upper hand in shots in the final period 8-5 despite trailing in the game 23-21. Chicago also swung the pendulum their direction in face-offs won. They dominated 10-0 in the final period. It allowed them to control the puck off the draw.

Game 2 is set for Saturday night at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Face-off is set for 7:15 PM ET and is being televised on NBC, CBC, TVA Sports. The schedule for the remaining games in the Stanley Cup Final are listed below.

Game 3 Mon., June 8th at 8 p.m. Tampa Bay at Chicago NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

Game 4 Wed., June 10th at 8 p.m. Tampa Bay at Chicago NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

*Game 5 Sat., June 13th at 8 p.m. Chicago at Tampa Bay NBC, CBC, TVA Sports

*Game 6 Mon., June 15th at 8 p.m. Tampa Bay at Chicago NBC, CBC, TVA Sports

*Game 7 Wed., June 17th at 8 p.m. Chicago at Tampa Bay NBC, CBC, TVA Sports

* if necessary