2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs

[Billy B]

This feeling is just unreal. It's the first time one of my favorite teams has won a championship that I will remember (I was too young to remember the 4 titles the Bulls won while I was alive). And it's the Blackhawks that did. The parade on Friday is going to be a great time. It probably won't soak in that they actually won until then. And this team gave the Blackhawks so many more fans. There are plenty of bandwagoners now, but there are just as many people that made fun of hockey two years ago that actually understand the game and I think will be fans for life now. The only way this could have ended better is if Brent Sopel put it in to end the game.

[TheOldRoman]

Somewhere in Heaven, "Dollar Bill" Wirtz is probably frowning, realizing a profit won't be had from the tickets sales of that one last home game.

Congrats to the Blackhawks! Never would have thought it.

They asked Rocky Wirtz after the game what his dad would say, and he responded "Couldn't we take a mulligan on this one so we can play game 7 back at home?"

[charger77]

Does this guarentee that Philly goes after a goalie in the off season?

[The_Admiral]

- I dont get Toews as Conn Smythe. He was a -5 in the finals, I guess I didnt watch enough Hawks games leading up to the finals, so maybe one of the Hawk fans on here can fill me in, was he THAT good in the first 3 rounds to win playoff MVP? I would have went with Kane (nothing to do with scoring the Cup winner)

Led the team in points and second to Briere overall. There was no clear-cut MVP from the Hawks, so they had to give it to the captain for all his....captaining

[BBTV]

Does this guarentee that Philly goes after a goalie in the off season?

No, it doesn't. Not at all. From Ed Snider on down, the organization has never valued goaltending, and has never gone after a "#1" goalie. They had opportunities to get Curtis Joseph (and from some accounts he wanted to come here) but chose to get Vanbiesbrouck instead, because he was cheaper (and in the pre-cap days, they were one of the highest-spending teams in the league, so the decision was not based on money, but on preceived value.)

Since Ron Hextall, their starting goalies have been guys like Ken Wregget, Brian Boucher v1.0, Sean Burke, Vanbiesbrouck, Roman Cechmaneck, Anturo Nittimakki, Marty Biron, and Ray Emery. Their general philosophy is that goaltending is simply not important. Some feel that it is because Bobby Clarke is bitter that Bernie Parent got as much credit as he did for the Bullies winning the cup in the '70s, and has wanted to prove ever since that goalies don't win cups. I really thought that when Clarke stepped down that things would change, but Paul Holmgren is of the exact same mold (and is another former player and one who routinely was among the leaders in penalty minutes).

[The_Admiral]

Their general philosophy is that goaltending is simply not important.

They might be on to something. How many goaltenders in this league are dominant in the way that goaltenders were dominant six years ago? We've reached a sort of parity level where every NHL goaltender is just as capable of making your jaw drop as he is capable of pissing down his leg. It's not like the crazy late '80s where there was Patrick Roy and everybody else, there's just too much talent everywhere among skaters and goalies that they're not as singular as they used to be.

[habsfan1]

LOL!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44dtiT6uGVc&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fakhaKOJ2E

[The_Admiral]

Awesome. I love that guy's Dany Heatley videos. I mean hyeah!

[Cujo]

While I'm not a 'Hawks fan, I was certainly pleased to see them hoist the Cup after their half-century drought. Congrats, Chicago! ....and thanks for giving us Cubs fans some hope.

[Corvus]

- I dont get Toews as Conn Smythe. He was a -5 in the finals, I guess I didnt watch enough Hawks games leading up to the finals, so maybe one of the Hawk fans on here can fill me in, was he THAT good in the first 3 rounds to win playoff MVP? I would have went with Kane (nothing to do with scoring the Cup winner)

Led the team in points and second to Briere overall. There was no clear-cut MVP from the Hawks, so they had to give it to the captain for all his....captaining

I think Duncan Keith would have been a better choice as MVP.

Now, I hope this offseason the Canucks don't get into that "we lost to the cup champs so we're pretty close" mental trap some teams get into. On to Draft, Free Agency, and jersey unveiling until September.

[philly97flyer]

Dont get me wrong, Im happy for Toews. He happens to be one of my favorite players in the league. Not only am I a Flyers fan, but Im a hockey fan. I can really appreciate the talent, hard work, and class he brings to the table. If it wasnt Mike Richards lifting the Cup at the end of the season, I cant think of a guy who Id want to raise it more than Toews. Hes not a diver, not a cheap shot, he doesnt run his mouth, hes just a kid who "gets it". When he was presented with the Cup last night, I, along with many other Flyer fans still in attendance, cheered for him and his teammates because they deserved it. The boos you heard that, unfortunately, drowned out the cheers, were from the idiot bandwagoners who you wont hear from again until next April. I am fortunate to now have seen 2 Cup clinching games (03 Devils), and I hope that the next time I see it, itll be the Flyers skating around the ice.

[Viper]

I just found an MP3 of the Blackhawks' own radio announcers calling the Cup-clinching goal.

And here it is.

[NJTank]

I just found an MP3 of the Blackhawks' own radio announcers calling the Cup-clinching goal.

And here it is.

Great Call

[NEW.ERA]

Fans are going nuts during the Hawks parade.

[PurpleRush]

Congrats to the Blackhawks and their fans.

[NEW.ERA]

Had to laugh when Byfuglien said "All the Cab drivers better watch out" when he handed the title to Patty Kane.

[Sodboy13]

My favorite was when Sharpie came up to the mic, iPhone in hand, and asked, "So, anyone want Pat Kane's phone number?" CPD estimated 300,000 would show for the rally, which was a ridiculous lowball number on its face. Two million showed. More than the Sox rally, probably more than the Bears Super Bowl, and probably as big as a 3-peat's worth of Bulls rallies.

Also, I got to see the Cup in person last night on my bike ride home from work. The Blackhawks' all-day bar crawl had stopped at a bar in Lincoln Park, about 8 blocks from where I live. People were crowding around the front door to get a look; I look back, and in the exit doorway from the kitchen, there's Kaner, sipping a beer and taking it all in.

[BBTV]

I just found an MP3 of the Blackhawks' own radio announcers calling the Cup-clinching goal.

And here it is.

Great Call

Meh, not really. Especially with the dope yelling "it's in!" over top of the PBP guy. I hate that. Larry Andersen does that on Phillies radio broadcasts, and it sounds so unprofessional to hear an announcer basically cheering.

To be fair, this PBP guy has probably waited his whole career to announce that whatever team he is working for has won the cup, and it has to happen on such a weird play that he didn't get to say whatever he probably had scripted for the moment.

[HedleyLamarr]

Also, I got to see the Cup in person last night on my bike ride home from work. The Blackhawks' all-day bar crawl had stopped at a bar in Lincoln Park, about 8 blocks from where I live. People were crowding around the front door to get a look; I look back, and in the exit doorway from the kitchen, there's Kaner, sipping a beer and taking it all in.

Not to be a killjoy, but isn't Kane under 21?

[The_Admiral]

You're right. Let's be honest; it's not a good call. I've heard the calls from NBC, CBC, WGN, and WIP (yeah, I know), and all four are understandably huge clusterflubs. Maybe this will prompt the NHL to effect some changes regarding goal judging so that we don't have to wonder if a team just won the championship. Remember my "Chapter x of Only the Goddamned NHL" bit from the Coyotes threads? Here we go again, indeed. It was a unique way to see a season end, yes, but not necessarily a good way. You gotta turn that red light on.

Troy Murray's the dope you're thinking of, and as one of those '80s Black Hawks that kept running into the Gretzky buzzsaw (and a longtime Chicago Guy in general), it was probably a really big deal to see his team win a Cup. He won one as a 13th forward on the '96 Avs, if I'm not mistaken, but as Jeremy Roenick showed us, players have serious feelings for this organization, despite its myriad ills of the past. Of course I'm defending him because I've spent so many nights with Blackhawks radio over the last five years, but what can you say; hometown radio isn't where you turn for unbiased professionalism in sportscasting.

Not to be a killjoy, but isn't Kane under 21?

22 in November. He can drink as long as he doesn't do anything stupid, which he eventually will.