Dietz: 7 reasons the Blackhawks won in 7

Before we focus too much on Tampa Bay — the Blackhawks' opponent in the upcoming Stanley Cup Final — let's take a look back.

A look back on a series that left fans on the edge of their seats. A series in which one team talked and played a good game, while the other stayed the course and played a magnificent game. And a series in which these two teams — the Blackhawks and Ducks — went toe to toe for seven games that many fans and pundits will talk about for years to come.

Yes, the 2015 Western Conference finals were memorable in many ways. So how did the Blackhawks vanquish the Ducks? Let us count the ways.

1. Toews and Kane

As soon as coach Joel Quenneville decided to put his best two players on the same line, it was all Hawks. Kind of makes you wonder if it would have been Hawks in five had Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane been together all series.

Kane and new linemate Brandon Saad scored 2 of the Hawks' 3 first-period goals in Game 6, then Toews put on his cape in leading a Game 7 rout.

Moving Kane up meant that Marian Hossa played on the second line, which only seemed to recharge the ageless veteran. Hossa scored 2 goals in the last two games, while his new center — Brad Richards — had 3 assists.

“They're (Toews and Kane) world-class players. I got to play with Marian Hossa instead, so it wasn't a disappointing move,” said a smiling Richards. “That's what's great about this team.

“If it helps and changes the balance (that's great). Hoss scored a couple big goals the last two games, and they scored big goals. We're all trying to pull in the same direction here, so whatever works.”

2. The Fab Four

All those big hits by the Ducks were supposed to add up. They were supposed to slow down Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya. Didn't happen.

The Hawks' defensive iron men never wore down, did yeoman's work for seven games and were a huge factor in slowing down the Ducks as the series wore on — exactly the opposite of what Anaheim was expecting.

3. Fragile Freddie

Anaheim goalie Frederik Andersen was 8-1 in the postseason coming into the Western finals, then allowed just 5 goals in the first three games as the Ducks won two of them.

Then a funny thing happened in Game 4: The Hawks started scoring. And Andersen never recovered. His confidence shattered, Andersen allowed a whopping 18 goals over the final four games.

“I think I've taken a step,” Andersen said after Game 7. “I'm still not satisfied. I learned a lot from last year and this year. It still (feels bad).”

4. Powerless

Remember all that talk about Anaheim having the No. 1 power play (at 31 percent) in the postseason? Didn't continue, did it?

That's what happens with small sample sizes: As I said before the series began, you can't trust numbers when they are compiled over just nine games against two teams.

The Ducks converted on just 3 of 16 PPs (18 percent) vs. the Hawks, with one of those goals coming with 42 seconds left in Game 7 and Anaheim's fate already decided.

5. Stars dimmed

Anybody see Ryan Getzlaf in the final two games? Me neither.

Anaheim's captain, who was hard on himself for not showing up in Game 6, was just as bad and invisible in Game 7.

Corey Perry was a minus-3 in Game 6, and while he did score in Game 7, that goal came in the third period with the outcome all but decided.

The Ducks are destined to fall short until their “A” players manage to ramp up their play in critical games.

6. Like a rock

The best goaltender in the postseason — since the second round began, anyway — has been Corey Crawford. To be sure, he's expensive, but well worth every penny to Hawks fans at this point.

Crawford made so many big saves in the last four games, they're hard to keep track of. If he keeps it up in the Final, there's almost no way Tampa Bay can win four games vs. the Hawks.

“Last year, you go that deep in the playoffs, your goaltending has to be doing something right,” coach Joel Quenneville said of his team falling 1 win short of the Cup Final. “This year, Darls (Scott Darling) came in … he won a couple of big games.

“But Corey stayed with it, got the net back and showed what it's like to be a good pro.”

7. The will to win

The Ducks were on record in saying that whichever team's players wanted it more was going to win Game 7.

Well, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that team was Quenneville's. Right from the opening faceoff, the Hawks were faster, more determined, better defensively and flat-out showed what it's like to have the heart of a champion.

“The team can really bear down and get back to playing the way we wanted to,” Richards said. “That's the special thing with this team. I think that's the veteran leadership – been there, done that type of thing.

“This series was no different. … There was no panic. We had an idea as it went (that) you could just feel this was going to go the distance and (we were) probably going to have to win a game on the road. And that's what it came down to.”

jdietz@dailyherald.com