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What a relief! Kruger scores triple-OT winner for Hawks

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Relief.

That's what Corey Crawford and Johnny Oduya said they felt when Marcus Kruger ended the Blackhawks' longest game in franchise history with a goal at 16:12 of triple overtime to beat Anaheim 3-2 and knot the Western Conference finals at 1-1.

"After a long game like that, it's relief," Crawford said, "and then whatever you've got left to be excited."

Relief - what else can you feel after being on the ice for nearly 50 minutes like Duncan Keith was or almost 48 like Niklas Hjalmarsson and Brent Seabrook were?

"You've played so many periods," said Oduya, who "only" played 46:06 in a game that ended at 1:08 a.m. Chicago time after 116 minutes and 12 seconds of hockey. "Usually it's a lucky bounce and that decides it. That's exactly what happened. … (Kruger) was in a good spot and we got lucky."

Relief - the Hawks also felt it knowing they didn't have to endure another hit by the bruising Ducks, who racked up an astounding 71 in the game.

And relief - that this series is in fact tied and not 2-0 in favor of Anaheim, which would not have been the case if it weren't for Crawford, who turned away 60 shots, many right in front of him and many of them in the three overtimes.

"He was outstanding," Quenneville said. "He was quick, alert, handled the puck, rebound control. Made a couple gigantic saves."

The previous record for longest game in team history came on April 9, 1931, when the Hawks beat Montreal 3-2 in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.

"It's pretty neat to be a part of," Andrew Shaw said. "Let's just hope we don't have too many more like that."

Said Quenneville, who along with his assistants showed plenty of excitement on the bench as his exhausted warriors lumbered onto the ice to celebrate with Kruger: "As intense a game I've ever been a part of. Unbelievable game. Both teams left it out on the rink and both teams had some excellent chances to win the game. …

"We love to battle and stuck with it and Krugs gets a big goal. He's one of those guys that's a warrior. But across the board, commend everybody."

Shaw thought he won the game at 8:47 in the second overtime, but he head-butted the puck into the net and officials overturned the goal.

Kruger's game-winner came after the Hawks quickly worked the puck around their zone and the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Seabrook took a pass from Oduya, then rifled a shot at goalie Frederik Andersen. Kruger was there to bang it in, but Patrick Sharp heaped a ton of credit on Seabrook, who ended a triple-OT marathon vs. Nashville on April 21 and also has one of the biggest goals in franchise history with the OT series-ender in Game 7 vs. Detroit in 2013.

"I had a feeling it was going in - you know Seabs is dangerous in overtime," Sharp said. "I say it all the time. It's laughable almost. He just kicks it up another level every time he touches the puck and you think something's going to happen.

"Kruger drove the net and got credit for the goal, but Seabs had a few chances there and he's done it in the past."

The Hawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first 6:19 of the game thanks to power-play goals by Shaw and Marian Hossa. It was just Hossa's second of the playoffs, with the other being an empty-netter vs. Minnesota near the end of Game 4.

Anaheim fought back, though, getting goals from Andrew Cogliano and Corey Perry.

The Ducks, who drew iron on 2 of their shots in overtime and also had many other opportunities to win the game, were hurting in the postgame locker room.

"This is a tough loss," said goalie Frederik Andersen, who made 53 saves. "We had some good chances, and it's a tough pill to swallow. We have to get on it on Thursday."

Perry had numerous chances to end it, including a one-timer in double OT that he fired just wide.

"We should have won the game," Cogliano said. "We hit some crossbars and Perry had a great chance. They had some pretty good chances themselves, but we competed with them as good as you possibly can. It's a bounce and we didn't get it. It's over now."

As for Kruger, the fifth-round pick in the 2009 draft, he's a quiet veteran who goes about his job without much fanfare. The Swede had just 5 playoff goals in 64 games coming into Tuesday night.

Afterward, Kruger was asked what the goal meant to his career.

"It's a great feeling," he said. "We almost played two games out there and to put (the puck) in and leave California 1-1, we're really satisfied. Going back to Chicago it's going to be a great feeling stepping out on the United Center (ice)."

• Follow John's reports on Twitter@johndietzdh.

Game 2 win puts pressure on Ducks

Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford, right, blocks a shot by Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf during overtime in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals. Associated Press
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