Kane hat trick sends Blackhawks to Stanley Cup finals
Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane (88) scores a goal during the first period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs Western Conference finals against the Los Angeles Kings, Saturday, June 8, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks advanced to the Stanley Cup finals with a stunning double-overtime 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, with Patrick Kane scoring the winner to complete a hat trick.
The Blackhawks won the Western Conference Finals series 4-1, setting up a Stanley Cup showdown against the Boston Bruins in what will be the first clash of two Original Six teams in the NHL title decider since 1979.
Chicago won the Stanley Cup in 2010 and Boston the following year.
Corey Crawford made 33 saves and Duncan Keith scored in his return from a suspension for the top-seeded Blackhawks.
Chicago led 2-0 after the first period after goals to Keith and Kane but the defending champion Kings fought their way back and were level early in the third after Dwight King and Anze Kopitar found the net.
The Blackhawks went back ahead when Kane scored his second with less than four minutes to play and the game looked over until Kopitar came up with a dramatic tying goal with 9.4 seconds left on the clock.
Crawford made a couple of big saves in the first overtime, and then Jonathan Toews carried the puck up the left side during a 2-on-1 rush in the second extra session. He then made a cross-ice pass to Kane, who one-timed a shot past King goalie Jonathon Quick and into the right side.
The rollicking sellout crowd of 22,237 erupted in joy as Kane skated back toward the middle of the ice and slid on his knees as hats rained down. A distraught Quick laid down as his teammates emptied from the bench for the post-series handshakes.
