Chicago, IL – Milan Lucic registered the first two goals of the contest, and the Boston Bruins are holding a 2-1 lead over the Chicago Blackhawks after 40 minutes of play in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Marian Hossa got a shot on net from the slot off a rush play 30 seconds into the second period that saw Tuukka Rask make a left pad save, and the play went down the other end.
Lucic won a battle in the neutral zone along the left boards and got the puck to David Krejci, who took the disc in down the left wing. From the top of the circle, Krejci fed it to the slot and Lucic one-timed it in off 'Hawks goaltender Corey Crawford for his second of the game 51 seconds in.
Chicago got on the board just over two minutes later. Hossa stole the puck behind the net and skated to the left boards, before sending it to the circle where Brandon Saad one-timed it high into the net for his first career playoff goal.
The goal energized Chicago as the team took the play to Boston over the next several minutes, generating pressure in the Boston end and sending several shots on Rask.
Jonathan Toews had an excellent chance with just over 13 minutes to play when he sent a shot on net from the slot, but Rask came up with the stop.
The first power play of the game went to Chicago when Nathan Horton was called for interference on Michal Handzus in front of the Chicago net at 12:23.
Just 43 seconds later, Boston was called for too many men on the ice to give Chicago 1:17 worth of a 5-on-3, but the Bruins penalty killers did their job and limited the Blackhawks to just one shot, a one-timer from Patrick Sharp at the left circle that Rask easily stopped.
Chicago was awarded another power play when Bruins captain Zdeno Chara was called for high sticking with 7:07 to play, but again limited to the hosts to just one shot to maintain a one-goal lead.
Rask finished the second period with 15 saves in the frame while Crawford turned away five
Boston broke through at the 13:11 mark of the opening period. Krejci went for the puck behind the net and shrugged off a hit from Niklas Hjalmarsson before dishing he disc to the left circle where Horton one-touched it to the slot, and Lucic one-timed the puck home for his fourth of the playoffs.
The first good opportunity of the game went to Chicago as Andrew Shaw sent a short pass from the slot to the left circle where Saad tried to get it in on the short side, but Rask sealed off the post to make the stop 5 1/2 minutes in.
The Bruins had a few shots on Crawford early, but saw its first good chance come with 9 1/2 minutes left as Krejci tried a quick shot from the low right circle, but Crawford swallowed up the puck.
Just over a minute later, Brad Marchand got the disc at the left circle and tried to beat Crawford with a wrister, but the goalie snagged the puck out of the air with a dramatic, sweeping glove stop to keep the game scoreless.
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