Rozner: Blackhawks bring championship effort in Game 5

Since the spring of 2010, Blackhawks fans have been begging for this.

They have pleaded and hoped and crossed their fingers, and now it's finally a reality.

Unlike 2010 and 2013, when the Hawks had no chance to clinch in Game 5 at home and won in Game 6 on the road, the Hawks are headed home with a 3-2 series lead and a chance to celebrate on home ice.

The Stanley Cup will be in the building Monday night and with a victory at the UC, the Hawks can share their victory dance with the Chicago faithful for the first time since 1938.

Two years ago, the Hawks trailed 2-1 to Boston and won the next three games. They have a chance to repeat that feat Monday in Chicago.

But Tampa has been a dynamite road team in the postseason and Saturday's 2-1 loss at the Amalie Arena will not signal the end for a Lightning team that has displayed a knack for overcoming huge obstacles this entire playoff season.

"We're gonna try not to get ahead of ourselves," said goaltender Corey Crawford. "We're really excited to go back home, but there's a lot of hockey to play still and a lot of work to do."

The Hawks had been clearly outplayed the first four games and to a man they said they needed to put forth a better effort in Game 5.

"That was our best start for sure," said Niklas Hjalmarsson. "We're going back to Chicago and we all know what we're playing for there. We want to do it in front of our home crowd. They deserve it."

The Hawks were flying at the start Saturday night, getting out of the blocks quick and outplaying Tampa at the outset.

The Hawks got a gift from the hobbled Ben Bishop when the 6-foot-7 goaltender crashed into 6-foot-6 defenseman Victor Hedman, and those 13-feet of Lightning collision led to an open net for Patrick Sharp and a 1-0 Hawks lead at 6:11 of the opening period.

It was the first goal for Sharp in 14 games, but also his third point in 4 games, and a deserving reward for the work Sharp - who also saved 2 goals with great back checks Saturday - has put in over the last month while playing in mostly a third-line role.

"Playing on the top line with great players you get some better opportunities," Sharp said. "But I don't care what my role is. Whatever it is, I just try to do my best to help the team and do the best I can."

Tampa came with a hard push in the second after an early and ineffective Hawks power play gave the momentum back to the home team, and Crawford came up big several times as the Bolts played keep away in the Hawks' end.

But a Duncan Keith giveaway led to a fire drill and Crawford had no chance as Valtteri Filppula tied the game at 1-1 just past the midway point of the middle period.

After the Hawks dominated the first, it was all Lightning in the second and only Crawford kept the score tied going to the third, and it was early in the final period when Crawford made a huge save on Brenden Morrow before the puck went the other way.

Kris Versteeg - who played his best game in two years - carried in deep and whiffed on the shot, but he threw it out front and Bishop kicked it right out to Antoine Vermette in the slot and he buried it for a 2-1 Hawks lead only 2 minutes into the third period.

From there, it was mostly the Hawks hanging on against a ferocious push by the Lightning, and it was Crawford again playing brilliant hockey and keeping the Hawks in front.

"Our guys battled hard in the third period and we played great defensively," Crawford said. "We just stick with our game. Our guys are relentless and never give up."

What was different in Game 5 was the Hawks' effort, severely lacking through the first four games but much more appropriate Saturday for the final series of the year.

If the Hawks can bring that one more time Monday night, they will be Stanley Cup champs again.

And this time in front of their fans.

brozner@dailyherald.com

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