Stanley Cup - at Chicago Blackhouks

In the final, the Chicago team beat the Tampa Bay Lighting club with a score of 4-2 in a series of up to four victories

On the night of June 16, Stanley's Cup found its owner - Chicago Blackhouks won the trophy for the third time in the last six years. In the final, the Chicago team beat the Tampa Bay Lighting club with a score of 4-2 in a series of up to four victories. And if the “hawks” output to the final was not an unexpected event, then the progress of the Tampa team can be called a sensation.

According to the results of the regular championship in the playoffs, such regulars of matches did not hit the right back as Boston Bruins (2011 champion) and Los Angeles Kings (champion-2012 and 2014). The failure of the Colorado Evelansh also looked unexpected, which last year, after the long years of existence at the bottom of the table, "shot" under the leadership of the new coach Patrick Rua. He did not fall into the playoffs and his permanent participant in the last years of San Jose Sharks, which caused the resignation of the mentor "Shark" Todd McLellan. Under it, the chair staggered after last year’s departure from the playoffs. However, we recall that it was McLellan that led the Canadian team to victory at the World Cup in the Czech Republic.

The first circle of playoffs brought several unexpected results. "Kalgary" beat 4-2 in a series of up to four victories "Vancouver Canax." Suddenly, Saint-Louis Blues surrendered meekly. The club was a formidable force along the “regular season”, sometimes literally “rolling” the rivals by the forces of Vladimir Tarasenko, Alexander Stin, Tjei Mlagie and others. Moreover, the Bluesmen Minnesota Wilde lost, which only in the second part of the regular championship could hardly get into the playoffs. Pittsburgh Penguins lost 1-4 more balanced and powerful New York Rangers.

“Washington” and “Tampa” took seven matches to determine the winner in the series with New York Ailenders and Detroit Red Wings

“Anahaim Dax” expectedly defeated “Winnipeg Jets” (4-0), and the “Montreal Canadiens” returning to the Ottawa Senators returning to the deceive of the decrease. "Chicago" defeated "Nashville" with a score of 4-2. “Washington” and “Tamppe” needed seven matches to determine the winner in the series with the New York Ailenders and Detroit Red Wings, respectively. And, if the fight between the "islanders" and the "metropolitan", which turned into the duel of Ovechkin and Tavares, was relatively equal, then Detroit, weakened by injuries, rested from Pavel Datsyuk with the last strength, but still lost the younger team from the Tampa.

In the semifinals of the Western conference, everything ended relatively predictably. “Chicago” did not give a single chance “Minnesota” (4-0), which left a lot of effort in confrontation with St. Louis. And "Calgary Flamz" lost to the favorite of the West "Anaheim".

In the east, to seven matches, Kapitals played with Rangers. The "rangers" eventually prevailed, despite the fact that Washington, through the efforts of Ovechkin and Kuznetsov, led 3-1 in the series. "Montreal" lost "Tampa-2-4 according to the sum of the meetings.

Conference finals (Chicago-"Anahaim"; "Tampa"-"New York Rangers") presented two magnificent seven-made series, in which the advantage alternately passed from one to others.

But they could no longer count on more "lightning". Chicago won the next match at home and did not miss his own further

The finale was expected to be impatiently. A young team with a young mentor John Cooper, who came from a farm club this season along with a group of young talents, is probably the most tested in the cup battles of the team, a two-time Stanley Cup over the past five years, with Joel Kenneville on the coaching bridge.

It all started with the victory of Chicago at a party, then Tampa equalized and even stepped forward in Chicago. But they could no longer count on more "lightning". Chicago won the next match at home and did not miss his further.

“Lightning” was very difficult - the goalkeeper Bishop played with an injury, on the injections, even giving way to Andrei Vasilevsky for one match. Stamkos was fatally unlucky, the remaining Bombarder of the playoffs Tyler Johnson was silent at the wrong time, and Nikita Kucherov was injured at the beginning of the fifth match. But the team, which Steve Aizerman and John Cooper began to build this season, was generally brilliant. It shone nicknamed "triple" to the link of Kucherov-Johnson-Palat. Stephen Stamkos showed that he can be a leader. And Victor Hedman could seriously claim the title of the best player player if Tampa won the final.

Having a little feeling in the series with Nashville, Kory Crawford then showed a sample of reliability at the gate

But what about Chicago? Kenneville relied on his tested fighters, who were with him in 2010 and in 2013, releasing the whale, Sibruk, Tavez and Kane through the shift. The coach was criticized that he did not give rest to his leaders. But they withstood, taking the upper lines in the lists of the most productive players of the playoffs. Dankan Kit, following Tavez in 2010 and Kane in 2013, became the owner of Conn Smite Trophy, repeated Chris Celios’s record for the glasses gained by the defender and spent an average of 30 (!) Minutes of the game time at the site for the match, defending and attacking equally well. It was his puck that became victorious in the last game with Tampa.

The bombardry talent was discovered by the defender Brent Sibruk, who abandoned seven goals in the playoffs. Having thought a little in the series with Nashville, Korya Crawford then showed a sample of reliability at the gate. The experienced center of the second link Brad Richards came to the court. In his third season, Brandon Saad became a real star, a player capable of solving the fate of important matches, which he clearly demonstrated in the final series with the "Tempa".

He is a full member of the Triple Golden Club, and the youngest in history at the time of entry

And finally, the captain of Chicago Jonathan Taves. He proved himself a true leader on the site and outside it, scored 23 points in the playoffs and blocked the myriad of rivals. In Chicago there has not been such a captain since the legendary Stan Mikita. And this is the third Cup of Jonathan as a captain. He won the first at twenty -two years. During the honor of the team in the White House on the occasion of the conquest of the second Cup in 2013, Barack Obama noted that he vaguely remembers that he himself did in his twenty -five years, while Tavez brought Chicago to the second Cup of Stanley to this age. Taves also won two Olympics and the World Cup. That is, he is a full member of the Triple Golden Club, and the youngest in history at the time of entry.

In some ways, this “Chicago” resembles the football “Manchester United” by Sir Alex Ferguson. The gambling, sparkling game, in which everything is unclear until the very last second: such teams love the fans and remember for many years. Despite the fact that with their unpredictable game they sometimes bring the public to a pre -infarction state. Rather - it is for this that such teams love.