On the road for a pivotal Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Blackhawks were looking to take the lead in the series going back to Chicago for a closeout Game 6. After a fortunate bounce for Patrick Sharp gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead, the Lightning tied it midway through the second. Tied 1-1 early in the third, Kris Versteeg skated in on a breakaway and whiffed on the puck. Versteeg stayed with the play and was able to push the puck on net where Ben Bishop gave up a rebound that bounced right to a streaking Antoine Vermette who didn’t miss.

Vermette’s big goal gave the Hawks a 2-1 lead in the third period. For the next 18 minutes the Blackhawks defense and Corey Crawford stood tall to hold on for their third 2-1 win of the series. With the win the Blackhawks took a 3-2 series lead back to Chicago where they would clinch their third Stanley Cup championship in six seasons. This was Vermette’s second game-winning goal of the series. He also scored the GWG back in Game 1 of the series, another 2-1 win.

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Antoine Vermette was a trade deadline acquisition for a struggling Blackhawks team that had just lost superstar Patrick Kane. In dire need of a spark, the Blackhawks made a move with Phoenix to acquire the veteran center. With three game-winning goals in the postseason, I’d say the move paid off for the Blackhawks. Vermette scored the double OT winner in Game 4 vs. Anaheim to tie the series, the Game 1 winner in the Final, and the game-winner in Game 5 of the Final to send the Hawks back to the UC to close out the series. His Game 5 winner on the road gave the Hawks a chance to win the Cup at home for the first time since 1938. Over the offseason the Hawks were unable to resign Vermette for next season. But in the brief time that he was with us, Antoine Vermette scored arguably the three biggest goals of the 2015 playoffs. More from him coming later…

#20 coming tomorrow…