Blackhawks Lead Finals (3-2)

The Chicago Blackhawks are one win away from their fifth Stanley Cup victory in this their 86th NHL season. Patrick Kane had the game’s first two goals in Chicago’s (3-1) win in game five vs the Boston Bruins.

After their fourth straight game five of finals win, the Blackhawks, with a (3-2) series lead, can win the Cup tonight in Boston.

All four of Chicago’s previous Cup wins occurred one game before the series limit. In both 1934 and 1938, the Blackhawks won best of 5 finals series, three games to one. The other two Chicago titles were won in six games in best of seven series, 49 years apart in 1961 and 2010.

15 of the 22 times that a best of seven NHL final was tied two games apiece, the game five winner won the series. Two of the seven “exceptions” involve the current teams.

40 years apart in 1971 and 2011, first the Blackhawks lost to the Montreal Canadiens despite taking a (3-2) series lead with a game five win.

In 2011 with obviously many of their current players, the Bruins won the Cup despite losing game 5 of a (2-2) series to the Vancouver Canucks.