It's rare to win three Stanley Cups in six years, but that what the Chicago Blackhawks exactly did. Actually it's rare in any sports to win three or more medals, cups, trophies or awards within ten years. They are expectations, and now the Blackhawks successfully found themselves on this list with hard work and determination. My hats off to you guys, even the ones on the list.
Captain Jonathan Toews also finds himself is working his way to a hockey triple crown of awards. What every individual NHL professional hockey player dreams of, winning three Stanley Cups (check!), winning three gold medals in the Olympics (work in progress, he has two (2010 and 2014)) and winning three IIFH Worlds championships (another work in progress, he only had one (2007)). Toews is also known for being a captain that has good sportsmanship and also one of the notable captains to ever play in the NHL.
With a stunning look at Jonathan Toews and the rest of his teammates on his Chicago Blackhawks team. I am going breakdown the whole NHL Stanley Playoffs for you from day one to the Stanley Cup being raised over Toews's head.
Round One (April 15 - 29, 2015)
We started out with sixteen teams, for the first time ever in a long time there where five Canadian NHL teams in the play offs.
Montreal Canadians vs Ottawa Senators
Was a six game series with the Canadians winning four games which makes them head to round two.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Detroit Red Wings
This was a close series, for both teams. This series ended up going to all seven games. Tampa won four of these games, and and went on to the next round.
New York Rangers vs Pittsburgh Penguins
This was a series I really enjoyed watching. But I did really want the Penguins to win, but it turns out that the Rangers took them out in five games, with the Penguins only winning game two which was a close game with the Rangers trying to tie it up and take the game into overtime. The New York Rangers also came into the play offs as the Presidents' Trophy winners for the 2014-2015 NHL season, then now finding themselves moving on to round two in the playoffs.
Washington Capitals vs New York Islanders
This was a series that was a tight one with the full seven games and what they all had to offer. Each game on it's own was pretty tight on it's own. The Washington Capitals took the series and ended up moving to round two in the playoffs. What also is special about this series is that it is the last playoff series the Nassau Coliseum was going to see. The New York Islanders are going to be moving to a new arena next season. The Washington Capitals' captain, Alex Ovechkin was joking around before game six with Chuck Gormley from CSN about stealing one of those famous blue chairs from Nassau. But that prediction that Ovechkin had did not go as planned, the New York Islanders won their last and final game at Nassau Coliseum, what a way to close a place down!
St. Louis Blues vs Minnesota Wild
This was a close six game series. It was a rough one, due to ups and downs of both sides winning about every other game, it was looking like it was going to be a seven game series. But not so much when it came down to the last two games. Which the Minnesota Wild dominated. Which leads to the Wild traveling to round two in the play offs.
Nashville Predators vs Chicago Blackhawks
Another tight six games series. Why you say that? You would ask. Well, it was a series full of overtimes. Overtimes? Well unlike regular season NHL where each team gets five minutes of overtime hockey then goes to a shoot out if the score is still tied after five minutes, they do sudden death overtime, that is twenty minutes periods of hockey until someone scores a goal. This can lead to a game or two after the regulation time of sixty minutes of hockey. So the Predators and the Blackhawks found themselves playing two periods of overtime hockey in game one, then also found themselves playing THREE periods (this equals to two hockey games back to back in a row) in game four. The Blackhawks won each of these overtime games. Also the Chicago Blackhawks found themselves winning the series and moving on to round two of the playoffs on the road to the cup.
Anaheim Ducks vs Winnipeg Jets
This was the first time the Winnipeg Jets found themselves in the playoffs in a long time, nineteen years to be exact. The Jets fought hard. But it was sad seeing them swept by the Anaheim Ducks who moved on to round two. But I am giving a BIG shoutout to the amazing Jets fans who supported their team through it. You guys are the true heros of the playoffs. Seeing your team for the first year in nineteen years enter the playoffs.
Vancouver Canucks vs Calgary Flames
Well we got Vancouver Caunacks and the Calgary Flames, this series will not be a clean one. Trust me this is Canadian rival hockey right here, at it's best, in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The last time these two faced each other in the playoffs was in 2004 Western Quarter Finals. This was a six game series, the Flames defeated the Canucks and moved on to round two. Well, this wasn't a clean series to begin with, in game one: emotions started to boil and a fight broke out. Also in another home game for Calgary head coach Bob Hartly got fined $50,000 for letting the fighting get out of hand. It was one heated series.
Round Two (April 30 - May 13, 2015)
We are now down to eight teams who are remaining in the playoffs.
Montreal Canadians vs Tampa Bay Lightning
If you are thinking Montreal will pull there way through to the next round, think again. Tampa Bay defeated them in a six game series only winning four of those games and moving on to round three of the playoffs.
New York Rangers vs Washington Capitals
This was a TIGHT seven game series! No joke games two through seven where just a one point ahead scores along with exciting games that followed. The only time there was a two point lead was during game one when Washington defeated New York in a two to one scoring game. Not much as overtime games for these both teams but they did go to a short lived overtime period in games five and seven. The Rangers defeated the Capitals in this series and are headed to round three.
Minnesota Wild vs Chicago Blackhawks
It was a heartbreaking series to be a Minnesota Wild fan. The Chicago Blackhawks swept the Wild, badly. The Wild club was not playing their greatest. Something was off about them, they all where performing not like themselves. Not until the last three or four minutes of game four. Actually during ALL of game four. After defensemen, Matt Dumba for the Minnesota Wild scored the first goal in the second period. The Wild got fired up, and played like their fans and I knew they could. But as in the last three minutes or so while the Wild where going for a tie and trying to bring on a game five and get themselves back to life. But that sadly did not work out so well, leaving the Wild swept badly, and making the Chicago Blackhawks move on to round three in the playoffs.
Anaheim Ducks vs Calgary Flames
A five game series for these two teams. Anaheim won three games out of five leaving Calgary in the dust, and advancing to round three in the playoffs.
Round Three (May 16 - 30, 2015)
We are in the conference finals, where four teams compete for the western and eastern conference titles and also to move on to the Stanley Cup final.
New York Rangers vs Tampa Bay Lightning (Eastern Conference)
In these playoffs this was the first meeting between these two teams. In the past three out of four years that the New York Rangers had made it to the conference finals, the Rangers have won and moved on to the Stanley Cup final. But not this year! The Lightning beat the Rangers in a seven game series, which in the first time since 2004 the Lightning found themselves in the finals again.
Anaheim Ducks vs Chicago Blackhawks (Western Conference)
This was ALSO the first meeting for the teams in the playoffs as well. Another similarity it has to the eastern conference series is it was a seven games series too. Which lead the Blackhawks winning and taking out the Ducks, on their way to the Stanley Cup finals. But there where a lot of Mighty Ducks Movie references also made during this series. Which couldn't made this girl anymore happier!
Round Four (June 3 - 15, 2015)
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Chicago Blackhawks
This was an exciting six game series, with each game expect game six where the team ahead was just leading by one point. During game six and the final game of the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs the Blackhawks only lead by two points. This is the first game the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup at home, the last time that happened was 1938! So again doing what the Blackhawks did and especially for it to be at home, is just icing on the cake!
Congratulations Chicago Blackhawks you done well, and good luck on your 2015-16 season!
Your 2015 Stanley Cup winners, the Chicago Blackhawks
Captain Jonathan Toews also finds himself is working his way to a hockey triple crown of awards. What every individual NHL professional hockey player dreams of, winning three Stanley Cups (check!), winning three gold medals in the Olympics (work in progress, he has two (2010 and 2014)) and winning three IIFH Worlds championships (another work in progress, he only had one (2007)). Toews is also known for being a captain that has good sportsmanship and also one of the notable captains to ever play in the NHL.
With a stunning look at Jonathan Toews and the rest of his teammates on his Chicago Blackhawks team. I am going breakdown the whole NHL Stanley Playoffs for you from day one to the Stanley Cup being raised over Toews's head.
Round One (April 15 - 29, 2015)
We started out with sixteen teams, for the first time ever in a long time there where five Canadian NHL teams in the play offs.
Montreal Canadians vs Ottawa Senators
Was a six game series with the Canadians winning four games which makes them head to round two.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Detroit Red Wings
This was a close series, for both teams. This series ended up going to all seven games. Tampa won four of these games, and and went on to the next round.
New York Rangers vs Pittsburgh Penguins
This was a series I really enjoyed watching. But I did really want the Penguins to win, but it turns out that the Rangers took them out in five games, with the Penguins only winning game two which was a close game with the Rangers trying to tie it up and take the game into overtime. The New York Rangers also came into the play offs as the Presidents' Trophy winners for the 2014-2015 NHL season, then now finding themselves moving on to round two in the playoffs.
Washington Capitals vs New York Islanders
This was a series that was a tight one with the full seven games and what they all had to offer. Each game on it's own was pretty tight on it's own. The Washington Capitals took the series and ended up moving to round two in the playoffs. What also is special about this series is that it is the last playoff series the Nassau Coliseum was going to see. The New York Islanders are going to be moving to a new arena next season. The Washington Capitals' captain, Alex Ovechkin was joking around before game six with Chuck Gormley from CSN about stealing one of those famous blue chairs from Nassau. But that prediction that Ovechkin had did not go as planned, the New York Islanders won their last and final game at Nassau Coliseum, what a way to close a place down!
A photoshopped photo of Alex Ovechkin with hopefully
two souvenirs from Nassau Coliseum
St. Louis Blues vs Minnesota Wild
This was a close six game series. It was a rough one, due to ups and downs of both sides winning about every other game, it was looking like it was going to be a seven game series. But not so much when it came down to the last two games. Which the Minnesota Wild dominated. Which leads to the Wild traveling to round two in the play offs.
Nashville Predators vs Chicago Blackhawks
Another tight six games series. Why you say that? You would ask. Well, it was a series full of overtimes. Overtimes? Well unlike regular season NHL where each team gets five minutes of overtime hockey then goes to a shoot out if the score is still tied after five minutes, they do sudden death overtime, that is twenty minutes periods of hockey until someone scores a goal. This can lead to a game or two after the regulation time of sixty minutes of hockey. So the Predators and the Blackhawks found themselves playing two periods of overtime hockey in game one, then also found themselves playing THREE periods (this equals to two hockey games back to back in a row) in game four. The Blackhawks won each of these overtime games. Also the Chicago Blackhawks found themselves winning the series and moving on to round two of the playoffs on the road to the cup.
Poor little tired Patrick Kane (88) trying to left up big Brent Seabrook (7)
in celebration of the overtime win, in game four. The game went until
one in the morning Chicago time. Also on the bottom is captain Jonathan Toews
commenting about Kane trying to left Seabrook. Pretty much sums up that night.
When I saw that photo after the game I seriously thought Kane was lifting
up more than one person. I thought Toews was in there too. Here's to show
how tired the players where, and also the hockey fans watching the game.
how tired the players where, and also the hockey fans watching the game.
Anaheim Ducks vs Winnipeg Jets
This was the first time the Winnipeg Jets found themselves in the playoffs in a long time, nineteen years to be exact. The Jets fought hard. But it was sad seeing them swept by the Anaheim Ducks who moved on to round two. But I am giving a BIG shoutout to the amazing Jets fans who supported their team through it. You guys are the true heros of the playoffs. Seeing your team for the first year in nineteen years enter the playoffs.
Vancouver Canucks vs Calgary Flames
Well we got Vancouver Caunacks and the Calgary Flames, this series will not be a clean one. Trust me this is Canadian rival hockey right here, at it's best, in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The last time these two faced each other in the playoffs was in 2004 Western Quarter Finals. This was a six game series, the Flames defeated the Canucks and moved on to round two. Well, this wasn't a clean series to begin with, in game one: emotions started to boil and a fight broke out. Also in another home game for Calgary head coach Bob Hartly got fined $50,000 for letting the fighting get out of hand. It was one heated series.
First fight... before.
And, after.
Round Two (April 30 - May 13, 2015)
We are now down to eight teams who are remaining in the playoffs.
Montreal Canadians vs Tampa Bay Lightning
If you are thinking Montreal will pull there way through to the next round, think again. Tampa Bay defeated them in a six game series only winning four of those games and moving on to round three of the playoffs.
New York Rangers vs Washington Capitals
This was a TIGHT seven game series! No joke games two through seven where just a one point ahead scores along with exciting games that followed. The only time there was a two point lead was during game one when Washington defeated New York in a two to one scoring game. Not much as overtime games for these both teams but they did go to a short lived overtime period in games five and seven. The Rangers defeated the Capitals in this series and are headed to round three.
Minnesota Wild vs Chicago Blackhawks
It was a heartbreaking series to be a Minnesota Wild fan. The Chicago Blackhawks swept the Wild, badly. The Wild club was not playing their greatest. Something was off about them, they all where performing not like themselves. Not until the last three or four minutes of game four. Actually during ALL of game four. After defensemen, Matt Dumba for the Minnesota Wild scored the first goal in the second period. The Wild got fired up, and played like their fans and I knew they could. But as in the last three minutes or so while the Wild where going for a tie and trying to bring on a game five and get themselves back to life. But that sadly did not work out so well, leaving the Wild swept badly, and making the Chicago Blackhawks move on to round three in the playoffs.
To see the last minutes of the Minnesota Wild will to move and live in
this series watch the last two goals scored by Jared Spurgeon (46) and Nino
Niederreiter (22) skip to 19:08.
Anaheim Ducks vs Calgary Flames
A five game series for these two teams. Anaheim won three games out of five leaving Calgary in the dust, and advancing to round three in the playoffs.
Round Three (May 16 - 30, 2015)
We are in the conference finals, where four teams compete for the western and eastern conference titles and also to move on to the Stanley Cup final.
New York Rangers vs Tampa Bay Lightning (Eastern Conference)
In these playoffs this was the first meeting between these two teams. In the past three out of four years that the New York Rangers had made it to the conference finals, the Rangers have won and moved on to the Stanley Cup final. But not this year! The Lightning beat the Rangers in a seven game series, which in the first time since 2004 the Lightning found themselves in the finals again.
Anaheim Ducks vs Chicago Blackhawks (Western Conference)
This was ALSO the first meeting for the teams in the playoffs as well. Another similarity it has to the eastern conference series is it was a seven games series too. Which lead the Blackhawks winning and taking out the Ducks, on their way to the Stanley Cup finals. But there where a lot of Mighty Ducks Movie references also made during this series. Which couldn't made this girl anymore happier!
Emilio Estevez is pulling out his Coach Bombay! Rooting on the Ducks
and going nuts with the CLASSIC Mighty Ducks references!
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Chicago Blackhawks
This was an exciting six game series, with each game expect game six where the team ahead was just leading by one point. During game six and the final game of the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs the Blackhawks only lead by two points. This is the first game the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup at home, the last time that happened was 1938! So again doing what the Blackhawks did and especially for it to be at home, is just icing on the cake!
Captain Jonathan Toews with teammate Patrick Kane with Lord
Stanley!
Congratulations Chicago Blackhawks you done well, and good luck on your 2015-16 season!
