Chicago, IL – As in Game 1, Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks will be decided in overtime as the two squads finished regulation in a 1-1 tie.
With the score tied entering the third period, the two teams locked down on defense, combining for just 13 shots, eight of which came from Boston skaters.
Corey Crawford was called upon to keep the game tied 3 1/2 minutes into the third period as Jaromir Jagr flew in down the right side and made a nifty move before sending the puck over to the left wing. Brad Marchand snapped a wrist shot on net, but Crawford stopped the puck to keep the game deadlocked.
David Krejci then had a chance a few minutes later when he was clear in the slot, but Crawford stopped that shot as well.
Chicago saw limited time in the Boston end and had no serious threats during the frame as it headed to overtime with Tuukka Rask totaling 27 saves and Crawford making 19 stops in regulation.
It is the second straight season that Games 1 and 2 will be decided in an extra session, with the Kings taking two at New Jersey en route to last year's Cup title.
The Blackhawks had the only goal of the first period on Patrick Sharp's ninth of the playoffs.
Patrick Kane got the sequence started when he flew in on net from the right side and got a backhander on net then put his own rebound on Rask again. That started a mad flurry that saw Rask make two more saves, but Sharp chased down the puck at the right circle and his turnaround shot found its way through a maze and past a fallen Rask for a 1-0 lead with 8:38 left in the frame.
A wraparound from Jonathan Toews just over a minute later was reviewed to see if the puck crossed the line. It did apparently make its way across, but it was after the whistle had blown and the on-ice call of no-goal stood.
Boston continued to have trouble sustaining and offensive pressure in the second period until Chris Kelly got the team on the board.
Daniel Paille made a nice move behind the Chicago net to get around a defender and tried a wraparound that was stopped by Crawford, but the rebound came out front and Kelly buried it with 5:02 to play.
Dennis Seidenberg was called for a trip on Brandon Saad with 2:49 to play in the second and Rask stopped a Dave Bolland shot then covered up the puck as Kane threw it back out front.
Chicago caught a break as Paille picked off the puck and got it to Marchand, who skated in on net with a defender on him and was able to get a shot off, but it caught the right post and stayed out.
A Johnny Oduya tripping call with 46 seconds to play gave the Bruins their second power play of the game, but Crawford made a couple of stops on Jagr before time expired in the frame.
Game 1 went to triple-overtime before Andrew Shaw scored with 7:52 left in the deciding frame to give Chicago a 4-3 lead and a 1-0 lead in the series.
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