Patrick Kane Ends Chicago's 49-Year Stanley Cup Drought

Today, 16 years ago, the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 in OT of Game 6 to win their first Stanley Cup since 1961, ending a 49-year championship drought. Patrick Kane scored the Cup-winning goal just 4:06 into overtime, giving Chicago its fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history. The championship capped a remarkable season for a young Blackhawks core that would go on to define an era. Chicago finished the regular season with a 52-22-8 record, won the Central Division, and entered the playoffs as one of the NHL's top teams. Led by the "Core Seven" of Toews, Kane, Keith, Hossa, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, and Sharp, the Blackhawks rolled through the postseason. They defeated Nashville and Vancouver before sweeping the Presidents' Trophy-winning San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference Final. The Stanley Cup Final itself was a back-and-forth battle. After Chicago won the first two games, Philadelphia responded with two straight victories to even the series before the Blackhawks regained control with a 7-4 win in Game 5. The series ended with one of the strangest goals in hockey history. Kane's sharp-angle shot slipped through Flyers goaltender Michael Leighton and became lodged in the back of the net. Kane celebrated immediately, but most players, officials, broadcasters, and fans had no idea the puck had crossed the goal line until moments later. "I don't know, it didn't seem like there was much reaction from anyone, so I think that's why I celebrated the way I did," Kane said. "I went kind of crazy, threw the gloves off, skated down the ice. I don't know, you dream of scoring an overtime goal to win the Stanley Cup as a kid... It was a pretty special moment.” (NHL) A decade later, in 2020, the NHL classed it as the Goal of the Decade, joining the Blackhawks Franchise, Joel Quenville, and the 2014 SCF as the Franchise, Coach, and Series of the Decade. Jonathan Toews won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, but it was Kane's unforgettable overtime winner that became the defining image of Chicago's return to the top. The victory also marked the beginning of the so-called “only modern dynasty”, as the Blackhawks would add two more Stanley Cups over the next five seasons.

 Quote Source: https://www.nhl.com/news/patrick-kane-stanley-cup-winner-named-nhl-goal-of-the-decade-314182708