TAMPA, Fla. — After 53 minutes of scoreless frustration, the Chicago Blackhawks needed less than two minutes more to roar back on top in the Stanley Cup Final opener.
Teuvo Teravainen and Antoine Vermette scored 1:58 apart late in the third period, and the Blackhawks rallied to stun the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Wednesday night.
Corey Crawford made 22 saves for the Blackhawks, who opened the final series in their quest for their third NHL title in six seasons with more of the clutch offensive play on which they’ve built a championship team.
“You just learn not to panic and keep working hard,” Crawford said. “Stick to your game plan, and we’ll get our chances.”
Nothing worked for Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane — but with their two stars off the ice and the clock dwindling, the Blackhawks’ role players delivered to crush the Amalie Arena crowd celebrating Tampa Bay’s first trip to the Final since winning the 2004 title. Teravainen scored through traffic with 6:32 to play, and Vermette got the winner in the slot with 4:34 left.
Game 2 is Saturday night in Tampa.
Ben Bishop stopped 19 shots and Alex Killorn scored in the opening minutes for Tampa Bay, which appeared to be closing in on a gritty shutout victory. Until Teravainen’s goal through a two-man screen, the youthful Lightning gave a stellar defensive effort against Chicago’s high-powered offense in front of a frenzied home crowd.
The 6-foot-7 Bishop was a few minutes away from his third shutout in four games, including a tenacious 2-0 victory over the New York Rangers to win the Eastern Conference title last Friday night.
But Chicago’s steady work in Tampa Bay’s zone finally was rewarded in dramatic fashion.
The winner of Game 1 has won the Cup in 58 of the last 75 Finals since 1939, including the last three.
Thumbnail image via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
