The Chicago Blackhawks are in familiar territory as they play for their third Stanley Cup in six seasons, and they inched one win closer on Saturday night. Antoine Vermette scored the game-winning goal to lead Chicago past the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Saturday night for a 3-2 series lead.
Corey Crawford made 31 saves, including 16 in the third period, while Patrick Sharp scored the only other goal for the Blackhawks in a clutch road victory. The first five games of the series have all been decided by just one goal for the second time in Stanley Cup Finals history, with the other occurring in 1951.
Ben Bishop returned for the Lightning after missing game 4 with an undisclosed injury. He made 27 saves, but stepped too far out of the crease on Sharp's goal. Valtteri Filppula scored the lone goal for Tampa Bay, who has scored two goals in back-to-back losses for the first time in 25 games this postseason.
The Lightning also took a tough blow when their second-leading scorer Nikita Kucherov went down with an injury after crashing into the net in the first period. Now Tampa Bay looks to win two straight games, possibly without Kucherov, to win their second Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Neither team has held a two-goal lead this series, staying tied or within a goal for all 300 minutes. The two teams entered the third period in a tie for the third straight game.
Vermette netted his second game-winner of the series, as he also won the game for the Blackhawks in the series opener on the road 10 days ago. Sharp's goal ended a personal 13-game goalless drought.
The Blackhawks will look to raise the Cup on their home ice in game 6 on Monday night, where six current players will look to win it all with the team for a third time.
Corey Crawford made 31 saves, including 16 in the third period, while Patrick Sharp scored the only other goal for the Blackhawks in a clutch road victory. The first five games of the series have all been decided by just one goal for the second time in Stanley Cup Finals history, with the other occurring in 1951.
Ben Bishop returned for the Lightning after missing game 4 with an undisclosed injury. He made 27 saves, but stepped too far out of the crease on Sharp's goal. Valtteri Filppula scored the lone goal for Tampa Bay, who has scored two goals in back-to-back losses for the first time in 25 games this postseason.
The Lightning also took a tough blow when their second-leading scorer Nikita Kucherov went down with an injury after crashing into the net in the first period. Now Tampa Bay looks to win two straight games, possibly without Kucherov, to win their second Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Neither team has held a two-goal lead this series, staying tied or within a goal for all 300 minutes. The two teams entered the third period in a tie for the third straight game.
Vermette netted his second game-winner of the series, as he also won the game for the Blackhawks in the series opener on the road 10 days ago. Sharp's goal ended a personal 13-game goalless drought.
The Blackhawks will look to raise the Cup on their home ice in game 6 on Monday night, where six current players will look to win it all with the team for a third time.
