It was a truly strange moment in hockey history.
For a span of two seconds, Patrick Kane was the only person in the world who knew the outcome of the Stanley Cup.
It seemed a harmless play. Kane took the puck from Brian Campbell, shook a defender and let go a delicate, bad angle shot that simply got caught up in Michael Leighton’s paraphernalia, deflecting to the top right corner of the net.
And Kane was the only one that knew it.
Not to be petty, but if you weren’t a Blackhawks or Flyers fan, and simply watching the game for the love of hockey, you felt a little cheated by the overtime winner. I don’t mean to take anything away from Chicago, but the ending was not befitting of the game itself. It was a hard-fought, well-played game the whole way through. And as you were getting prepped for overtime, you knew that something dramatic would await you, no matter who won the game.
And then Patrick Kane provided perhaps the most awkward Stanley Cup game-winning goal in history. There was no goal light, no referee signal, no high-pitched call from announcer Doc Emrick. For that moment, there was only confusion. No eruption from the fans or the benches. Just a puck that had cozied up in the embrace of a net, tucked comfortably away from view.
No matter how bizarre the final moments were, the end result is the same. A well-deserved team and city took home the most hallowed trophy in sports. Jonathan Toews will fly home with the Conn Smythe trophy in his lap (He should be sure to hand it off to Patrick Sharp and Nicklas Hjalmersson, both who were outstanding the past two months). The Hawks await what is sure to be a raucous return home, and a truly unforgettable summer.
Hossa Watch: 2009-10 Stanley Cup Champion. Don’t act like you didn’t crack a bit of a smile watching Hossa lift that cup.
Congratulations to the 2009-10 Chicago Blackhawks. Your defense begins now.
Oh, and before I go, be sure to thank Jeremy Roenick for providing a truly uncomfortable television moment:
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