Of course it’s heading to Game 7. The Chicago Blackhawks will get the chance to advance to the next round of the playoffs after beating the St. Louis Blues, 6-3, in Game 6 on Saturday night. Dale Weise scored the game-winner and Andrew Shaw added insurance late in the third period as Chicago tied the first-round series, 3-3.
Game 7 will be Monday night at 7:30 p.m. CT.
This game was nothing if not stressful for Hawks fans. The team went up 1-0 early in the first period on a goal from Andrew Ladd, then proceeded to blow the lead by allowing three goals in less than five minutes. The temporary meltdown was unnerving to watch as St. Louis went up 3-1 and seemed to be gearing up to put away the series.
Instead, the Hawks responded the way they always seem to when their backs are against the wall and kept a steady flow of shots heading towards Brian Elliott throughout the remainder of the period. Eventually, St. Louis gave Chicago an opportunity on the power play early in the second period and Artem Anisimov capitalized to cut the deficit to 3-2.
The Hawks kept pushing from there in the second period, which was arguably the team’s best in months. Trevor van Riemsdyk tied the game with just under eight minutes left in the period, then Dale Weise — naturally — scored the eventually game-winner with a gorgeous shot from an odd angle. After everything Weise has gone through during his brief stint in Chicago, this pretty much makes it all worth it.
Late in the third period, Andrew Shaw put the game away on the power play with his third goal of the series with assists from Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Marian Hossa completed the scoring with an empty netter that gave the team six goals.
There’s going to be a lot more to say about this effort, which forces a big Game 7 on Monday, but now it’s time to celebrate and get ready for the kind of experience every hockey fan loves. No matter what, you have to give the Blackhawks an incredible amount of credit for forcing this series back to St. Louis. Putting away this team has been one of the hardest things to do in the NHL over the past few years, and that’s proving to be no different in 2016. Bring on Game 7.