Stanley Cup Final, here we come.
Game 7: Los Angeles vs. Chicago.
And it's Chicago who finishes in third place. Or tied for third. Whichever.
Either way, it's a disappointing result for a team that fought back from being down 3-1 against a team that probably should have won this series in five games.
Of course, what compounds the disappointment is the fact that the Blackhawks ran out to a 3-2 lead and then led 4-3 after two periods. Had they been able to hold that lead, everything would have been fine.
Either that, or find a way to score a fifth goal in regulation.
Since neither of those things happened, Kings D Alex Martinez put his stamp on the series by ending it.
It's not all bad for the Blackhawks. Patrick Sharp found his form after scuffling for a series or two. Brandon Saad, Patrick Kane, and Jonathan Toews are obviously great and should continue on that route.
But let's face it, this team was undone by Corey Crawford. Or the defense who allowed shots to get past them and to Crawford. I honestly don't know which is the more guilty party at this point.
I'm tempted to just stick it all on Crawford, 2013 performance be damned. Because you know what? There wasn't an empty-netter in this game and the Blackhawks were ahead for pretty much all of it.
I guess I'm disappointed, mostly. My hope was to see a rematch of Chicago and Boston in the Stanley Cup Final. Neither team will be there. Instead we get the fifth-best team in the East and the sixth-best team in the West.
I'm sure it isn't a coincidence that these teams are from the two biggest media markets in the entire country.
Nah, that couldn't have anything to do with it.
My enthusiasm for the Final dimmed, I shall continue on.
Los Angeles wins the series 4-3. They move on to the Stanley Cup Final.
Later today...you're kidding, right? The Stanley Cup Final starts on Wednesday. Thankfully, only two days off before continuing. But those dog days of summer are just getting closer.
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