Game 7 fitting for these two Original 6 teams

All rivalries should end like this, overtime in a seventh and deciding game in the playoffs.

The Blackhawks advanced to the Western Conference finals with a 2-1 win on Brent Seabrook’s goal at 3:35 of overtime.

With the Red Wings moving to the Eastern Conference next season along with Columbus as part of the NHL’s realignment, this is the last time the Blackhawks and Detroit can meet in the playoffs other than in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The two teams have been playing each other regularly since the 1920s as either division or conference rivals.

This was the 16th all-time playoff meeting between Detroit and the Hawks.

“I think everybody remembers a Game 7,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. “You look at the tradition and history between the two teams, regular-season games and playoff series, battles, wars, Norris Division series — and you come down to a Game 7 to end it, so it’s fitting for an amazing history.”

Red Wings coach Mike Babcock also appreciated the rivalry.

“Obviously, the next time we face them in the Stanley Cup playoffs it’ll be a lot of fun and we’ll both know we got someplace,” Babcock said.

“For me, what I like is they have high-end players. I like the way they play because they play fast. I like coming in the building. Their captain (Jonathan Toews), to me, is what a captain should be. He’s respectful of the game and does things right. So to me there are a lot of great things about (the rivalry).

“It remind me of our franchise in a lot of ways, the guys you bump into when you’re around the building. I like that part of hockey. When you’ve been in it a long time and you’ve had a lot of respect for the game, Original 6 means something to you.”

The Hawks will be the only Original 6 team not playing in the Eastern Conference next season. They will be in a still-to-be-named division with St. Louis, Minnesota, Nashville, Dallas, Winnipeg and Colorado.