Happy Hawks players congratulate goaltender Antti Niemi after their Game 5 victory. (Scott Strazzante/Tribune)
By Brian Hamilton
Stanley Cup finals photos
Dustin Byfuglien and the Blackhawks got their vengeance. And that got them one win away from their first Stanley Cup title in a half-century.
Byfuglien, flummoxed all series by the Flyers and especially defenseman Chris Pronger, scored twice and racked up two assists Sunday to lead the Hawks to a 7-4 victory in a crucial Game 5 at the United Center.
The Hawks will take a 3-2 series lead into the Wachovia Center on Wednesday, where a win in Game 6 cinches their first Cup since 1961.
"We just wanted it tonight," Hawks defenseman Brian Campbell. "You really have to have that attitude, that you want it more than them. ... I think we learned a lot in Philly. We didn't make mistakes, didn't take dumb penalties."
Brent Seabrook, Dave Bolland, Kris Versteeg, Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp also scored for the Hawks, who juggled their lines and received the spark across all the combinations that they were seeking. Meanwhile Pronger -- the Hawks' arch-nemesis to date -- was a horrific minus-5 on the night after being a plus-7 in the series entering Sunday.
Byfuglien capped the scoring poetically in a way: An empty-netter at the 17:55 mark scored as he skated right around Pronger at mid-ice.
Now the Hawks are on the brink of a championship.
"We've got a great opportunity here, but we can't think about the result," defenseman Duncan Keith said. "It's all about that first shift at the start of the game and going from there, just like we did tonight."
Before Byfuglien's clincher, there was some nervousness to deal with after a Simon Gagne goal made it a 6-4 game at the 17:24 mark of the third period, moments after Sharp ripped a shot top-shelf from the slot to give the Hawks a 6-2 lead.
Sharp's goal came on a 3-on-2 rush at the 16:08 mark, off a feed from Kane. Before that, the Flyers had their chances, drawing to 5-3 on a James van Riemsdyk goal and then having a power play minutes before Sharp's score that didn't produce a score.
Van Riemsdyk whipped a rebound past Antti Niemi and temporarily put the celebration on hold after a raucous first two periods for the Hawks, with Flyers' defenseman Lukas Krajicek blasting a shot to the net that was deflected van Riemsdyk's way, and he sent it in for his third playoff goal and the two-score deficit at the 6:36 mark of the third.
But that was as close as it got before Byfuglien's clincher.
"We were rolling, we were having fun and we were playing the way we wanted to," Kris Versteeg said. "We just have to keep carrying those positives into next game. It was another one of those roller-coaster rides when they kind of kept coming back. Both teams are resilient, both teams have played hard all season and I think that's why there's a lot of fun hockey out there"
Said center John Madden: "We came out with a lot of energy and put it into the right areas. Rather than maybe screaming at a ref and getting frustrated and taking a bad (penalty), we brought the frustration to the bench and tried to explode on the next shift using our legs and speed and playing a good, solid hockey game."
Through two periods, the United Center crowd relentlessly booed Pronger at every opportunity, when maybe they should've showered him with thanks. The malevolent Flyers defenseman was on the ice for four Hawks goals and was in the penalty box for the last, a Byfuglien layup on the power-play that made it a 5-2 lead after two periods.
Indeed, that maybe was the key for Byfuglien getting off his goal-free streak in the finals: having Pronger off the ice. The Flyers blue-liner went off for hooking at the 15:18 mark, and it didn't take long for the Hawks to take advantage. They tic-tac-toed passes from Keith to Jonathan Toews to Byfuglien, who flipped in a one-timer for his ninth goal of the postseason and the three-score lead.
There were three scores in the first five minutes of the second period alone, the last a blast from the Flyers' Kimmo Timonen that has cut the Hawks' lead to 4-2.
A rebound off a shot on Antti Niemi kicked well out to the faceoff circle, where Timmonen collected the puck and blasted in score top-shelf, his first goal of the playoffs killing the momentum gained barely a minute earlier by a Patrick Kane score.
Indeed, just as the Flyers figured they'd rebounded to make life difficult for the Blackhawks in Game 5, Kane produced a resounding answer.
With a little help from Pronger. Again.
Kane took a pass from Andrew Ladd and one-timed in his ninth goal of the playoffs to give the Hawks a 4-1 lead early in the second period, a critical answer after the Flyers had scored in the first minute to change the complexion of the game.
Ladd skated up-ice and banged a shot off Pronger's skate. The puck then careened right back to Ladd, who found a streaking Kane for the one-timer that reinstituted a three-goal lead and meant that Pronger -- a plus-7 in the finals -- was on the ice for all four Hawks scores to that point.
After getting run off the ice in the first period, the Flyers changed goalies and then changed the momentum, with winger Scott Hartnell banging home a rebound to cut the Hawks' lead to 3-1 in the first minute of the second.
First, Brian Boucher replaced the embattled Michael Leighton in goal for the second time in three games at the United Center this series. And just 32 seconds after that, Hartnell struck. A Ville Leino shot got through Antti Niemi, and Hartnell whacked home a puck loose in the crease for his sixth score of the postseason.
Though lamenting the lack of breaks they'd been getting all series, the Hawks conceded they had to work for their bounces. And the work initially paid off in droves.
Versteeg blasted home a shot from the slot at the 1815 mark of the first period to provide a 3-0 lead after the first 20 minutes.
Versteeg skated in virtually unimpeded from the defensive zone, then slid across the slot and ripped his sixth goal of the playoffs by a flummoxed Leighton for a three-score lead.
This came less than three minutes after Dave Bolland banged home a puck that bounced off a skate and then the wall for his eighth goal of the playoffs, providing a 2-0 lead at the 15:26 mark.
On a delayed penalty call, Brent Sopel collected the puck near the blue line and sent it towards the net. It bounded off a skate in the slot and then careened off the wall, with Bolland catching the rebound and immediately slamming it past Leighton for the score.
As they got on the board first, the Hawks could actually thank Pronger for his help.
Brent Seabrook scored on a power-play goal that careened off the skate of the Flyers' malevolent defenseman, providing a 1-0 lead.
The Hawks lamented the imbalance in trips to the penalty box this series leading into the game, but they've already had two power plays in the first period - making good on the second. With the Flyers' Hartnell in the box for high-sticking, the Hawks' second power play unit went to work, with Versteeg collecting the puck behind the net and finding Seabrook in the faceoff circle to the right of the goal.
Seabrook wound up and blasted one toward the net, and the shot redirected off Pronger's skate and through Leighton for the score and Seabrook's fourth goal of the playoffs.
The Flyers know they once again have no margin for error.
"We've been good when our backs are against the wall," winger Ian Laperriere said. "That says a lot about the character in this room."
The Joy of Six!
Go road warriors and beat the home worriers!
Cold Steel On Ice on June 7, 2010 9:27 AM
Only Flyer fans would know of a place called the Manhole! LOL
..............................
You clearly know it too.
I'll be dancing and watching at the Manhole if anyone wants to watch the game in an all male environment.
Great job Hawks!!! Hopefully we will not see these refs from game 4 in the next two games. Referees for Friday night’s game were Kelly Sunderland and Stephem Walkom (who obviously did not know one thing about the game). Steve Miller and Jean Morin were the linesemen. About time a ref called out Pronger tonight.
Would have been hilarious if someone picked it up and skated over to Pronger and offered it to him...
Hawksfan on June 6, 2010 11:33 PM
Japan on June 6, 2010 11:20 PM
Anyone see who got the puck after the last goal or at the end of the game? Curious if Pronger wanted anything to do with it after going -5.
Yeah Eager(Blackhawks) stood there and pick up the puck and it will be deliver into the garbage can at Pronger house first class mail paid by Hawks fans!!!!
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Japan on June 6, 2010 11:20 PM
Anyone see who got the puck after the last goal or at the end of the game? Curious if Pronger wanted anything to do with it after going -5.
Yeah Eager(Blackhawks) stood there and pick up the puck and it will be deliver into the garbage can at Pronger house first class mail paid by Hawks fans!!!!
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By the way thanks Pronger, you were on the ice when the Hawks goals four times. Its a karma!!!
Kaner was great tonight he was all over the ice, creating the pucks and even shot on goal. I used to live in Buffalo for years go Kaner.....
GO BIG BUFF, STEEGER, SHARPIE, HOSSA AND GO HAWKSSSSS THE CUP IS YOURSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!
Wait a minutes perhaps we might have to go to game 7, because NBC need $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Anyone see who got the puck after the last goal or at the end of the game? Curious if Pronger wanted anything to do with it after going -5.
So exciting! I'm still up in the clouds after watching that game. Brilliant work! I knew they could do it.
Thanks, Hawks - I can sleep tonight!
First game the refs did not work for the Flyers. This should have been a Blackhawks sweep, the Flyers are no where near the level of the Blackhawks w/out the refs helping them.
Hey "g", lol! I hear ya'. I have to watch the Finals away from my wife. She leaves me alone during the games, but my daughter hangs with me as she is a big hockey fan too. Like I said, it's all in fun!
Take care! (at least it isn't Detroit and Pittsburgh this year - I was gettin' tired of that!)
MARC...
I'll be polite moving fwd or at least with you! It's the only time I lose my cool and why my wife leaves me alone...sad really on my part.
Look fwd to the jabs and hopefully the whistle's are put away for the next two games ;)
cheers
Would love to see the Hawks win it all on home ice but lets go to Philly and finish it. Go Hawks!!
hawksfan
before you get in philly's face
it was in all the pre-game commentary that the hawks management complained to the league at every turn about the Flyers and obviously Pronger.
i personally think there are a tonne of non-calls for both teams.
in the end it appears we won that battle with the league, which i'm happy about.
go hawks!
"g" as you say man, fair enough! All I really wanted is a great series and we have one! The Hawks underestimated the Flyers, but I didn't. This is the finals for jeez sake! The Flyers got here because they deserve to be here. Yeah I want to see the Hawks win, been waiting since '61. But whatever the outcome, this series has been a classic. My kids, who love hockey too, have been thrilled by it! You can believe it or not, but I pulled for the Flyers once they got past round one! Maybe jab at each other on Wednesday, :-)
HAWKSICE
really looks like you post with class??? kok is laughable too!
did you even read my posts? i was talking about tonight as was EVERYONE in the news mr. brilliant!
the 'g' guy on here who has been a troll, comments on how you guys NEVER address Chicago's non calls and he's right!
Briere is dripping from the eye and not one zebra see's it...AT THE FACEOFF for that matter????????
I think hockey is hockey and my complaint was that it's tragic when all eye's are on one guy...you disagree, so be it.
you're biased so i'm done with you...post away i don't care.
g on June 6, 2010 7:15 PM
Hawks and their management should be sponsored by KLEENEX for all their whining about Pronger!!!
If they believe they can't win because of one man, you deserve the Lady Byng and that's about it
WRONG G, We are not whining TAKE A GOOD LOOK WHEN YOU WATCH THE GAME G.. Flyers coach is the one that crying along with his team. Hawks believe they can WIN when they decided to hit that PRONGER>............haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
GO HAWKS!!!!!
MARC
Fair enough. I appreciate your lack of arrogance, as Philly will hopefully win game 6...of course they could lose, but I think we'll both be having a heart attack in game 7 and my call is that Philly scores first in game to boot!!! Not saying they'll win, but that's my call.
PhillySteve, You know, I have been going to the flyers website, posting with class and being told that by the other posters over there. You know why?? I am not delusional and i dont go over there to rip their city or team just to talk real hockey. You HONESTLY think the Flyers are getting the short end of the penalty calls??? Not even a 3 year old Tennis player that has NEVER seen a Hockey Game can believe or think that. IF you take Prongers "Stick Work" and Cross checks alone, the Hawks have gotten the short end of the calls. Put the other Penalty NO calls in there and the Hawks have been ripped off bad ever since they went up 2-0. Tonights game they got Pronger for ONE out of 4 obvious penalties. Atleast it was a close called Game this time.
Sorry Philly your cinderella story ends Wednesday. It was a matter of time before this team broke out 7 goals..ouch!!
Pronger got thrown around like a ragdoll and it was freaking hilarious. This series the Flyers have played the absolute best they can (with help from the zebras) and they're best will not be good enough. Talent will eventually prevail Wednesday night. I'm sure the Flyers now have realized that this is a different beast other than boston or Montreal. No storybook comebacks!
Excellent effort by everyone on the Hawks. Such an effort will be required if the Hawks want to close this out in 6.
Shoot, I forgot the game was on tonight.
Go Hawks.
"g" I played quite a bit of hockey in my life. Last time I checked deflected goals were still added to the score. Hey dude, it's all in fun anyway. I didn't lose sleep after game 4 and won't go overboard celebrating tonight. It's been a helluva fun series to watch!
Take care Philly Phans
Pronger's stock has certainly dropped. Weasel
MARC1961
haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...
that's how you win down there, we get it!
check the stat on how many Chicago goals have been deflected?
see you in game 6 pal!
Well, you got us tonight. See y'all again Wednesday night.
Have a feeling (hopefully) it will be a different story in game 6.
Pronger on the ice for another hawks goal . . . again?? please don't bench him!
what did they just show? another uncalled crosscheck on Pronger . . . gee "(g) go figure
kok
I'm sorry, you're right! Only Philly deserves to get penalties.
"g" stopped posting - guess it was past his bedtime
Leighton gets more time off than Santa Claus but he is every bit as generous
MARC1961
As much as 'g' is a little harsh, I do agree that Philly/Pronger have had a lot more calls on them vs some blatant non calls on Chicago. It was stated in every sports media outlet that the Hawks complained at every turn to get more calls and now it appears a little obvious.
Every game has been close and now the desparity is again, obvious! I'm sure as Jeff K stated, you all feel that we've all been waiting for the far superior Hawks team, but I have to disagree.
Should be an interesting 3rd! Good luck!
Cheers
I havent been crying in my beer but we'll be drinking from the Cup. I've been laughing at Michael leighton,the career back up finaklly facing some firepower and giving it up like a streetwalker
Little g, or shall I say lower-case g. The ONLY reason this series is still going on is BECAUSE of all the phantom calls on US the last 2 games. Pronger got what he deserved tonight, and that is a trip to the box and one hell of a hit from Big Buff.
"g" Not from Philly - oh I'm sorry to quote you -
"At least we don't boooo Bufy in Philly..." that would imply you were from Philly so I'm sorry. Maybe you just don't know where you're from, huh?
"g" you have such a way with words. the name calling - leave it in your head. Surprised you can type more than a four letter word - get some class like cheesesteak young man - NOW GO TO YOUR ROOM!! and take Pronger with you!
even Milbury and Roenick (ex Blackhawk should have his jersey ripped from the rafters) can't cheer for the Flyers tonight
Roenick:" Pronger got hit and he deserved it"
Roenick:" Pronger got hit and he deserved it"
Philadelphia is overmatched folks. This is what The Blackhawks are capable of and the Flyers will not be able to stay with them. As most "experts" have predicted, Hawks in 6
cheesesteak at least you have class! is "g" from the bottom feeder section of Philly? City of Brotherly Love my rear
hey g like the reporter from Chicago at when Philly said - worst behaved fans in sports - Flyers fans - so who you talking about thta cheer Big Buff? the woman who pulled a Chicago fan back into his seat by his neck the one who was a "220 pounds of ugly"
Did all you Philly fans just see that?!!! That's what SHOULD'VE been happening the last 2 games...Pronger getting thrown in the Penalty Box and BIG BUFF scoring goals!!!
Pronger on ice for first 4 goals and now in penalty box FINALLY for the 5th - About time!!!
Pronger to the box..that is satisfying. Sit and watch weasel
Put the dagger in these Weasels,Hawks..Have a check,Prongie
kANER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hoping Pronger is enjoying his stay in town.
We got 2 cheap ones and 1 real one, hopefully the Hawks don't get frustrated by their lack of real production and let Phili back in.
3-0 and Pronger on the ice for all three - minus three Pronger . . . and more to come. Go Hawks!
Don Cherry on the CBC called this one "game over"...Love the tempo. let's pour it on!
The fat lady literally and figuratively will be singing in Philadelphia Wednesday. See ya then Kate!
Great to see the intensity the Hawks showed in the last 4 minutes of game 4 carried over to tonight. Keep smashing them and make them submit.
@Go Hawks, that's what it's all about. We got you Friday night and now we're getting it back.
We better wake up though or this game will be over real soon.
Cheesesteak...Like I said the other night, you guys have just awoken the Sleeping Giant. But to be honest, I still think forces beyond our control would have allowed a 4-game sweep Cup Win on Versus...NBC needs these games. GO BLACKHAWKS!!
It is a beautiful thing. The Flyers appear stunned. Outplaying them in every phase. The momentum has not only switched,it has taken up residence with the Hawksd
cheesesteak on June 6, 2010 7:56 PM
We are getting our asses kicked tonight, my god!!!
Great stuff isn't it.
Glad the Flyers have the night off.
g are you going to be a whining little jacka$$ the whole game? If so do us all a favor and leave.
there you have it! hawks will be handed this one with penalty after penalty...pu$$ie$.
2-0 good guys OH YEAH!!! love it. Now THESE are our Hawks.
Relentless........................
Now these are the Hawks!Attack!
Yes it is my friend, yes it is!!!!
He shoots...HE SCORES!!! Finally a power play goal. Don't let up.
Isnt it time for the Hawks to cash in on a power play????
Finally some urgency! Attack...........
Are the officials going to call it fair tonight or continue to screw the Hawks over?
Kane and Toews need to step it up tonight.
Hawks and their management should be sponsored by KLEENEX for all their whining about Pronger!!!
If they believe they can't win because of one man, you deserve the Lady Byng and that's about it.
Thinking we will learn something about the Hawks in the game's first 5 minutes.
deapddish, that's a little harsh but, yeah I agree!!
Seinfeld?
To the idiot who posted under 'Chicago fan': You know less than nothing. You are a marvel of space and time. Your presence on this planet brings the mean IQ of the world's population down at least 4 points.
"needing only to hold serve at the United Center"
"hold serve?" This ain't no sissy tennis match, you dolt.
The Hawks need to kick some @$$ both games.
If there isn't any Seinfeld reruns on I'll sit through a period of the game tonight. I don't really care though, kind of like if the local soccer team was playing.
Drop the puck alreaady!!!!
Let get this show on the road!!!!!!!!!