This date in Blackhawks history: Campoli's gaffe gives Canucks redemption
There are few things greater in sports than a seventh and deciding game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The intensity of an overtime playoff game is taken to new heights as everyone knows that the next goal will end somebody's season.
The 2011 Stanley Cup playoff matchup between the Blackhawks and Canucks was a series of momentum swings. Vancouver took the first three, putting the Hawks in a near impossible situation, but like champions do, they persevered and forced a seventh and deciding game.
And on the 36th anniversary of the Islanders 1-0 win over Pittsburgh, one only three teams to overcome a 3-0 deficit, the Hawks set out to do the same. Unfortunately for them, Alex Burrows scored in the game's opening three minutes to give Vancouver the early advantage.
Roberto Luongo who was pulled from games 4 and 5 and benched to start game 6 after being lit up and knocked out by Chicago two straight seasons, stepped up in a big way, keeping the Hawks off the scoreboard for 58 minutes. Not to be outdone, rookie goaltender Corey Crawford made big save after big save, keeping his team in the game. He stopped Burrows' penalty shot early in the 3rd and made three more stops with five minutes left.
Vancouver went on the power play with 3:30 left, looking to put the game away, but the Captain had other ideas. Jonathan Toews split four defenders and set up Marian Hossa. Luongo made the stop, but Toews put in the rebound sending the game to overtime.
Burrows was involved in the action again early in overtime as he was called for holding 24 seconds in. Patrick Sharp had a golden opportunity to win the series, but Luongo made a great sliding save and a few minutes later in their own zone. Hawk defenseman Chris Campoli lost control of the puck and Burrows capitalized firing a rolling puck over the shoulder of Crawford. A true gut-wrenching loss. The rookie was the best player on the ice for Chicago and recorded a .927 save percentage in the series.
Vancouver, the President's trophy winners, advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup Final where they fell to the Boston Bruins in seven games.
| POLL | ||
What do you remember most about the Hawks-Canucks rivalry? | ||
| Dirty play | 40 | 19.3 % |
| Luongo | 46 | 22.2 % |
| Sedin twins | 82 | 39.6 % |
| Bodysuit fans | 39 | 18.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
