"Shot and a gooooooaaaal!"
The Chicago Blackhawks' Patrick Kane wristed a shot under the stick of the Philadelphia Flyers' goalie Michael Leighton for the sudden death victory in overtime Wednesday. With that the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup Trophy for the first time since 1961.
Kane and Jonathan Toews, the series MVP, and their teammates outmatched the Flyers with speed and talent. The Flyers were tenacious, but they could not overcome the unrelenting Blackhawk offense and strong defense.
Chicago is one of the original six franchises of the National Hockey League. It had been in decline for the last forty years primarily due to stingy ownership. But Rocky Wirtz became owner a couple years ago, taking over for his father, and pledged to bring a trophy to Chicago.
Wirtz focused on bringing in a mixture of proven veterans and a lot of youthful players. This team is deep, every line is loaded with talent. Fast, quick, big bodied, the Blackhawks can be physical as well as graceful. This is the NHL 2010.
The "Golden Jet" Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita led the Blackhawks to their 1961 victory. Hull was a superstar then, fast and quick, he could split the defensemen and then blow a slapshot by the goalie. Today Hull would be just another of the star players on the Blackhawks' roster.
In 1948 my grandmother attended a Blackhawk game during a visit from her home in New Orleans. She loved it so much she reportedly told my dad, "I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out"
Last night I watched a hockey game and history was made.
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