Patrick Kane ending the Blackhawks’ 49-year Stanley Cup drought in overtime against the Flyers in Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final was named the best Cup Final game since 2000 by NHL.com on Monday.
Kane scored 4:06 into overtime when he skated around Kimmo Timonen in the left circle then fired a shot at the net that went between Michael Leighton’s pads and into the padding on the far side of the net. Kane’s goal, which was selected selected as the Goal of the Decade in the 2010s by NHL.com and NHL.com International staff members, was the first Cup-winning goal in overtime since Jason Arnott scored for the Devils against the Stars in the second overtime of Game 6 of the 2000 Final.
The 15-writer panel nominated 44 games for consideration before each member voted for his or her favorite 20 from that list. Each favorite game was awarded 20 points, with the selections that followed receiving one fewer point each and so on, down to one point for each 20th-favorite game. The Blackhawks’ clincher was the only game to appear on each of the 15 ballots, receiving one first-place vote and 250 points.
Dustin Byfuglien gave Chicago a 1-0 lead with 3:11 left in the first period, but Scott Hartnell tied it 1-1 with 27 seconds left in the period. Daniel Briere scored eight minutes into the second for a 2-1 Philadelphia lead. Patrick Sharp (9:58) and Andrew Laad (17:43) regained the lead for Chicago, 3-2, until Hartnell scored with 3:59 remaining in the third to force overtime in a wild back-and-forth game in Philadelphia.