OK, time to review some more Game 7 memories, this time on the ice. The Blackhawks have no shortage of those games; there may be some pain in here, but our 3 recent Cups should trump that.
The Blackhawks played in a Game 7 five times during the recent glory years. You had the Canucks ending our dream of back-to-back Cups in 2011 in the first round. If you recall, Hawks were down 3-0 in the series, and pushed the Canucks to OT in Game 7 before finally conceding. The 2013 Game 7 against the Red Wings in the 2nd round has to be among the best games ever. The Hammer goal that was disallowed late in the 3rd after Saad was tangled up at center ice followed by the Seabrook OT winner… after being down 3-1 in the series… after starting the season on their record breaking run… what, a, game!!! Then we go to the following year 2014, and probably the worst Blackhawks loss in my lifetime, as the Kings ended our repeat dreams, and essentially three-peat dreams, in the conference finals; B, R, U, T, A, L. We went back up the rollercoaster in 2015, beating the Ducks in 7 on our way to our 3rd Cup, and then there was 2016 against the Blues, where ex-Hawk Troy Brouwer ended our repeat chances there. Damn, I didn’t even realize that. In each year after our Cup, we went out in 7 games. Sick.
There was Blackhawks hockey before this latest glory run, although Dollar Bill didn’t want many to watch. We beat the Leafs in the first round back in 1995. The Hawks won two Game 7s in the 1990 Stanley Cup Playoffs, beating the North Stars and Blues in the first two rounds, before falling to the Oilers in the Conference Finals (in 6 games). Have to go back to 1971 for the next pair of Game 7s. A seven game triumph over the Rangers to head to the Cup, then a seven game tragedy to the Canadiens with the Cup on the line; that one had to hurt a lot. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the only time things played out this way. In 1965, the Hawks beat the Wings in 7 games to make the Stanley Cup Finals, and again, fell to the Canadiens in 7 with the Cup in the building. I imagine if I was alive at the time, the Montreal Canadiens would have a Hate File all to themselves. The year before in 1964, the Wings took us out in 7 games. The Canadiens did it to us another time, back in 1953, in the semifinals, while the Blackhawks won the first two Game 7s in franchise history back in 1931 over the Maple Leafs and in 1934 over the Canadiens; at least we got them once. Yet, losing two Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Finals…it doesn’t get much worse than that.
OK, let’s tally it up. 9-7 all time in Game 7s; a winning record, nice! With five Game 7s already in this year’s postseason, the NHL is bringing the excitement; how long will we have to wait to see the Hawks in another winner take all game? Good question. A Leafs fan I was talking to, didn’t even watch their Game 7… he couldn’t handle the stress. I hear him, believe me, but… I’d much rather feel that, regardless of the outcome, then to feel nothing, like this year. See you in a few years??? Go Hawks!!!
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