Tuesday 16 June 2015 06:37, UK
Chicago Blackhawks won their third NHL Stanley Cup in six years by beating Tampa Bay 2-0 to take the series by four games to two.
The Blackhawks' Duncan Keith directed a dominant defence that shut down Tampa Bay's high-scoring attack and also gave Chicago a 1-0 lead when he knocked in his own rebound with 2:47 left in the second period.
Patrick Kane made it 2-0 in the third period when he scored on a one-time shot on a three-on-two rush with 5:13 left in the game, his first goal of the series. It was the first time in the final that either team had a two-goal lead.
Goaltender Corey Crawford, who was pulled from the first-round playoff series against Nashville before re-establishing himself as first-choice between the pipes, had 25 saves in his fifth career playoff shutout.
Keith was a unanimous selection for the Conn Smythe Trophy for the Most Valuable Player of the play-off series after he finished with 21 points while playing over 700 minutes in a gruelling postseason.
"You don't win a championship without everybody," Keith said.
"I know that might sound cliche, but it really is true with hockey. It is an unbelievable team game. We had everyone going from top to bottom and that's what you need."
In addition to the Conn Smythe Trophy, Keith has now won three Stanley Cups with Chicago, two Olympic gold medals with Canada and two Norris Trophies as the NHL's top defenceman.
"There are a lot of guys I'm proud to be with in this group," Keith said.
"It's basically been the same team and winning these championships with this group is special."
Ben Bishop had kept the Lightning in the game with 30 saves but it wasn't enough against the unflappable Blackhawks.
It was the first Stanley Cup for Kimmo Timonen, who has said he plans to retire. The 40-year-old defenseman was acquired in a trade with Philadelphia in February after he missed the start of the season while recovering from blood clots in his leg and lungs.
After captain Jonathan Toews got the trophy from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, he handed it right to Timonen, who proudly hoisted it into the air.
