Top 5 Blackhawks' Overtime Goals Of Kane-Toews Era
(CBS) Michal Handzus' backhand winner in double overtime last night against the Kings kept the Blackhawks' season alive. The goal and the game itself were both instant classics.
"Overtime, I've seen a lot of games, been involved in a lot of games," said Chicago coach Joel Quenneville, a former NHL defenseman. "That might have been the greatest overtime I've seen."
That's open to debate, like so much is. After Handzus scored, it also got us to thinking about another debate.
Where's his winner rank among the team's greatest overtime goals since the franchise was reborn with the selections of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane in 2006 and 2007, respectively?
For some teams, there may only be a few goals to choose from, but the Blackhawks have had plenty.
So let's take a look with a list we compiled at CBSChicago.com.
1. Patrick Kane -- 2010 Stanley Cup Final Game 6 vs. Flyers
This is the simply the greatest overtime goal in Blackhawks history, as it brought the Cup home to Chicago when Kane's forehand shot from an impossible angle found the net just more than four minutes into the overtime session.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy4UZbtxxkY]
2. Michal Handzus -- 2014 Western Conference Final Game 5 vs. Kings
With the defending champions on the verge of elimination, Handzus took a beautiful pass from Brandon Saad early in double overtime, then finished off the nifty sequence with a backhand into the upper 90 and above Kings goalie Jonathan Quick. This goal earns bonus ranking points because it concluded a pair of breakneck-paced overtime sessions that featured some of the most thrilling hockey anyone had seen in a long, long time.
3. Brent Seabrook -- 2013 Western Conference semifinals Game 7 vs. Red Wings
After sweeping Detroit in the regular season, favored Chicago found itself facing a 3-1 series deficit. The Blackhawks fought back to win Games 5 and 6 and appeared to have sealed a win late regulation of Game 7 before a curious call by the referees negated the potential game-winner. No matter -- Seabrook's quick wrister beat Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard 3:35 into the extra session, sending everyone at the United Center home happy and paving the way for a championship.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1cVmhPlmBM]
4. Andrew Shaw -- 2013 Stanley Cup Final Game 1 vs. Bruins
In the right spot at the right time, Shaw ended the fifth-longest game in Stanley Cup Final history when an already redirected puck deflected off his right leg for the winner 12:08 into the third overtime of Game 1. Chicago would win the series 4-2, its second title in four years.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk7eU0wSpew]
5. Martin Havlat -- 2009 Western Conference quarterfinals Game 1 vs. Flames
Every champion must pay its dues and learn how to win. This is how the Blackhawks' playoff success found its roots. After waiting seven years to get back to the playoffs, Chicago was locked in a 2-2 tie with Calgary heading into overtime, upon where Havlat scored a game-winner just 12 seconds in. While fourth-seeded Chicago would eventually fall in the conference finals to rival Detroit, this Game 1 win and the success that followed set the stage for bigger accomplishments in the years that followed.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Een0Ap1JiFc]