GDT: WCF Game 3: Anaheim @ Chicago (Series 1-1) | 5/21/15 | 7:00 PM CDT | NBCSN

[Any Colour You Like]

VS.

(P1) ANA vs. CHI (C3)
1-1

Western Conference Final, Game 3
May 21, 2015
7:00 PM CDT
Chicago, Illinois

Nationally Broadcast on

[fieldset="Setting the Stage"]

Anaheim Ducks ​

The Anaheim Ducks wished they hadn't allowed Game 2 of the Western Conference finals to become the longest game in Honda Center history even before Marcus Kruger won it for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Corey Perry had three good chances to end it, and Sami Vatanen hit two posts. After winning nine of their first 10 postseason games, the Ducks just couldn't connect this time -- and they expect they'll regret allowing Chicago to head home with a split.

Kruger batted home Brent Seabrook's shot 16:12 into the third overtime, and the Blackhawks skated off with a 3-2 victory Tuesday night.

Frederik Andersen made a career-high 53 saves, but Chicago ended a scoring drought of nearly 110 minutes when Kruger got in front and forced a ricochet past him.

"This is a tough loss," Andersen said. "We had some good chances, and it's a tough pill to swallow."

- Associated Press

Chicago Blackhawks ​

Marcus Kruger’s not the flashiest guy on the Blackhawks roster. But he is one of the hardest workers, whether he’s battling for pucks along the boards or trying to clean up around the net.

On Tuesday night, that hard work paid a very big dividend.

Kruger scored the game-winning goal 16:12 into triple overtime, as the Blackhawks beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final. The Blackhawks, who had an early 2-0 lead and then lost it, even the series at 1-1; they host Game 3 at the United Center on Thursday night.

Corey Crawford stopped a career-high 60 shots, including 38 consecutive stops in the final 79 minutes, 42 seconds of the game. Duncan Keith played nearly 50 minutes (49:51) and Niklas Hjalmarsson and Brent Seabrook both played about 47 1/2 minutes. Johnny Oduya logged just over 46 minutes.

Not surprisingly, given those gaudy numbers, Tuesday marked the Blackhawks’ longest game in franchise history.

“It felt like it,†Crawford said. “We played hard throughout the whole thing and we had some chances. They had some, too that went off the post. Both sides were so close. That was just a great hockey game to watch, I think.â€

- Tracey Myers, CSN Chicago
[/fieldset]

Starting Lineups

[fieldset="Anaheim Ducks"]

GP | 11 | GF | 41
W | 9 | GA | 22
L | 2 | GF/G | 3.72
HOME | 6-1 | GA/G | 2.00
AWAY | 3-1 | PP% | 25.7
STREAK | L1 | PK% | 84.6

19-15-10
Patrick Maroon - Ryan Getzlaf (C) - Corey Perry (A)
39-17-33
Matt Beleskey - Ryan Kesler - Jakob Silfverberg
7-44-21
Andrew Cogliano - Nate Thompson - Kyle Palmieri
46-67-16
Jiri Sekac - Rickard Rikell - Emerson Etem

47-23
Hampus Lindholm - Francois Beauchemin (A)
4-24
Cam Fowler - Simon Despres
3-45
Clayton Stoner - Sami Vatanen

31
Frederik Andersen
36
John Gibson

Scratches
Ryan Faragher
Mark Fistric
Tomas Fleischmann
Max Friberg
Josh Manson
Jaycob Megna
Brandon Montour
Stefan Noesen
Andrew O'Brien
Michael Sgarbossa
Shea Theodore​

[/fieldset]

[fieldset="Chicago Blackhawks"]

GP | 12 | GF | 36
W | 9 | GA | 34
L | 3 | GF/G | 3.00
HOME | 5-0 | GA/G | 2.83
AWAY | 4-3 | PP% | 21.2
STREAK | W1 | PK% | 76.9

20-19-81
Brandon Saad - Jonathan Toews (C) - Marian Hossa
29-91-88
Bryan Bickell - Brad Richards - Patrick Kane
10-65-23
Patrick Sharp (A) - Andrew Shaw - Kris Versteeg
11-16-42
Andrew Desjardins - Marcus Krüger - Joakim Nordström

2-4
Duncan Keith (A) - Niklas Hjalmarsson
44-7
Kimmo Timonen - Brent Seabrook
27-26
Johnny Oduya - Kyle Cumiskey

50
Corey Crawford
33
Scott Darling

Scratches
Daniel Carcillo
Phillip Danault
Ryan Hartman
Ville Pokka
Antti Raanta
David Rundblad
Viktor Svedberg
Teuvo Teräväinen
Antoine Vermette​

[/fieldset]

Team Leaders

[fieldset="Team Leaders"]

G | C. Perry | 8
A | R. Getzlaf | 12
P | C. Perry | 16
+/- | C. Fowler | +9
PIM | R. Kesler | 16
PPG | M. Beleskey/R. Getzlaf/C. Perry | 2
SHG | N/A | 0
GWG | M. Beleskey/C. Perry | 2
S | C. Perry | 48

G | P. Kane | 7
A | D. Keith | 9
P | P. Kane | 13
+/- | D. Keith | +6
PIM | A. Shaw | 34
PPG | J. Toews/A. Shaw | 2
SHG | J. Toews/M. Hossa | 1
GWG | P. Kane/D.Keith | 2
S | M. Hossa | 43

[/fieldset]

Injury Report

[fieldset="Injury Report"]

Player | Injury | Duration
Sheldon Souray | Wrist | Out for Season

Player | Injury | Duration
Michal Rozsíval | Fractured Ankle | Out for Season

[/fieldset]

LET'S GO HAWKS! ​

Click to read more...

 

[hisgirlfriday]

Nice work as usual, NNJ!

Let's keep the win streak going.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Nice GDT!

Take the series lead, Hawks!

 

[CallMeShaft]

I'm happy for Kesler. He's gone more than a year without hearing his favorite song in his favorite building. Hopefully he hears plenty of Chelsea tonight!

 

[Bubba88]

Have a Feeling the Hawks will win and win big.

 

[hawksrule]

Good job as always, NNJ.

Go Hawks!!

 

[hawksfan50]

Well ...I guess there are 2 ways to win...you can rely on your goalie plus luck and your 4th line guys to score some goals OR you can rely on your "stars" who are expected to score lots to actually score lots...in the case of the Hawks the latter options has so far proved elusive or a big fail for the expected star forwards in that they have not contributed much offense...alas we saw how delightful it is when the expected stars go big on offense to win games as in the 6 goals pumped in by TB last night vs. NYR such that even when a low scoring team like NYR can burst out with a big offensive game your expected star forwards on TB all come through as heavy contributors o offense ....per expectation.

SO I ask Toews Kane Sharp Hossa and Saad...our expected star forwards ...where have you been in the first 2 games?Are you going to show up tonight with some expected goal scoring...OR are we gonna get more no shows from the lot of you?

 

[ndgt10]

Hossa doesn't score very often in the playoffs. Luckily he does everything else at an elite level.

 

[Bubba88]

That's the game Kane gets on the board.

 

[Your Reality Check]

I like GDT's like these that get to the point and don't have 50 photoshopped pics or a story to scroll through. Just more proof we are a superior fanbase.

 

[BobbleHeadNight*]

KEEEEEESSSSSSS-LEEEEERRRRRR

KEEEEEESSSSSSS-LEEEEERRRRRR

KEEEEEESSSSSSS-LEEEEERRRRRR

Too soon?

 

[BobbleHeadNight*]

Stop playing fantasy hockey, fiddy, and you'll enjoy the sport more. Or just play guys like Shaw and Kruger.

It's not how they win, it's how many.

If the Hawks win the series and Toews/Kane/Hossa fail to score a single goal, I'll be fine with it.

 

[ToewsForDays]

I think the Hawks will win in regulation.

Lets go Hawks!

 

[ndgt10]

Is the actual puck drop at 7 or later? I hate tuning in at 7 and seeing a bunch of experts talking about stuff.

 

[BobbyJet]

Stop playing fantasy hockey, fiddy, and you'll enjoy the sport more. Or just play guys like Shaw and Kruger.

It's not how they win, it's how many.

If the Hawks win the series and Toews/Kane/Hossa fail to score a single goal, I'll be fine with it.

This is right on. Hockey is a team game and must be played that way on offense and defense. You take what the ops give you. If Kane had scored the OT goal, some folks here would be happier. Personally I wanted Shaw to get it, but Kruger showed again that he is one tough sob. I have not been a big fan of his, but he has turned it up this playoff. A character win by Hawks in game 2!

 

[BobbleHeadNight*]

Is the actual puck drop at 7 or later? I hate tuning in at 7 and seeing a bunch of experts talking about stuff.

Puck drop is generally 15 minutes after the start time listed on NHL.com.

So, 7:15 tonight.

 

[hawksrule]

This is right on. Hockey is a team game and must be played that way on offense and defense. You take what the ops give you. If Kane had scored the OT goal, some folks here would be happier. Personally I wanted Shaw to get it, but Kruger showed again that he is one tough sob. I have not been a big fan of his, but he has turned it up this playoff. A character win by Hawks in game 2!

I'm a big Kruger fan. I really hope we don't lose him. 4th line's been invaluable.

 

[BobbleHeadNight*]

If the Hawks take tonight's game, the pressure shifts squarely to the Ducks. Then I can see Kesler and Perry shenanigans start to ramp up.

 

[Stu Grimson]

Is the actual puck drop at 7 or later? I hate tuning in at 7 and seeing a bunch of experts talking about stuff.

7:11pm, the East's three games so far started at this time.

 

[Your Reality Check]

HF50 seems to think it's still the 80's where every good team could count on multiple goals from their first line on any given night.

We are currently in the Dead Puck Era ll. No one scores anymore.

 

[Sir Loin]

Who's in the 9 minute club (bottom 2 D) tonight? I saw Svedberg was out on the ice this morning. Personally, I would give Cumisky another opportunity, he wasn't half bad.

Great job on the thread NNJ.

 

[hisgirlfriday]

I like GDT's like these that get to the point and don't have 50 photoshopped pics or a story to scroll through. Just more proof we are a superior fanbase.

Good to know my regular season GDTs haven't been missed this playoffs.

 

[Sir Loin]

I'm happy for Kesler. He's gone more than a year without hearing his favorite song in his favorite building. Hopefully he hears plenty of Chelsea tonight!

This video never gets old to me

KEEEEEESSSSSSS-LEEEEERRRRRR

KEEEEEESSSSSSS-LEEEEERRRRRR

KEEEEEESSSSSSS-LEEEEERRRRRR

Too soon?

Never to soon.....

KEEEEEESSSSSSS-LEEEEERRRRRR

KEEEEEESSSSSSS-LEEEEERRRRRR

KEEEEEESSSSSSS-LEEEEERRRRRR

KEEEEEESSSSSSS-LEEEEERRRRRR

 

[CptnSerious]

Great GDT as always. Just win, baby!

 

[Taze em]

****ing Q. Versteeg is going to play for Teuvo today, I'm 95% sure.