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Blackhawks Wed Apr 27 2011
Hawks' Season Ends With Epic Game 7 Loss
On the brink of playoff elimination for four games, the Blackhawks gave their fans one last thrill Tuesday night, raising heart rates all over Chicagoland when Jonathan Toews tied Game 7 with a short-handed goal with less than two minutes remaining.
But the excitement was short-lived: Vancouver's Alexander Burrows scored at 5:22 of overtime after a Chris Campoli turnover, lifting the top-seeded Canucks into the second round with a 2-1 win.
The fat lady has sung; the Stanley Cup run is officially over. But after losing the series' first three games, the Hawks went out with a bang, winning decisively twice before the series turned on a pair of overtime games.
Tuesday's finale was no less exciting.
A physical Vancouver team came to play, with goalie Roberto Luongo showcasing the confidence and skill (and little bit of luck) that got him through the first three games with ease. He was matched by an equally impressive Corey Crawford, who ended the night with 36 saves.
Burrows gave the Canucks a 1-0 lead just 2:43 into the game, but overall, Crawford was all you could ask for. The same could not be said for the Hawks attack.
Despite 32 shots on goal, Chicago didn't seem to have the aggression and fire of the previous games. Coach Joel Quenneville must have taken notice, as he switched up the lines multiple times during the final two periods, most noticeably replacing Patrick Kane with Marian Hossa in the third.
In the end, Hawks fans have nothing to be ashamed of. The team fought hard, but finished their season with the same theme they kept throughout: coming up short.