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Blackhawks visit Canucks for improbable Game 7

Apr 26, 2011 - 3:17 PM (Sports Network) - The Chicago Blackhawks have won three straight tests to force tonight's decisive Game 7 in Vancouver. The defending Stanley Cup champions will try to complete the amazing comeback when they visit the top- seeded Canucks at Rogers Arena for the finale of Western Conference quarterfinals.

When the eighth-seeded Blackhawks lost the first three games of this series it appeared that the club's title defense was going to be short-lived. However, Chicago posted blowout victories in Games 4 and 5 and then made this evening's showdown a necessity by recording an overtime win Sunday in the Windy City.

Of course, only three teams in NHL history have ever come back from a three- games-to-none deficit to win a series, but it happened last spring when the Philadelphia Flyers rallied to defeat Boston in seven games during the Eastern Conference semifinals. The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders are the only other clubs to win a series after trailing 3-0.

The Canucks have never lost a series that they have led three-games-to-none. Vancouver's only series defeat with a 3-1 lead came in the 2003 conference semifinals against Minnesota.

Vancouver has been eliminated from the postseason by the Blackhawks in each of the last two springs. Both times Chicago ousted the Canucks in six games during the conference semifinals. The Blackhawks and Canucks both have 5-4 records all-time in Game 7 situations.

The Canucks are also trying to avoid becoming the third straight Presidents' Trophy winner to lose in the first round. Washington was bounced out by Montreal in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals after having the league's best record last spring and San Jose was ousted two years ago by eighth-seeded Anaheim.

The Blackhawks earned their latest victory in 4-3 fashion thanks to Ben Smith's game-winner at 15:30 of overtime. With time winding down in the first OT, Niklas Hjalmarsson fired a shot on net from the point. Smith, who played in just six regular season games, used his backhand to jam home the rebound for the thrilling victory at the 15:30 mark.

"I really just wanted to get to the front of the net," Smith said. "Hjalmarsson made a great hard shot and the rebound was right there for me."

However, the story of the game was Vancouver's decision to start Cory Schneider over Roberto Luongo, who was pulled from the previous two contests.

Making his first career playoff start, Schneider stopped 17-of-20 shots before leaving early in the third period with an injury. Luongo, who started 60 games during the regular season and was named as one of three finalists for this year's Vezina Trophy, played the rest of the game and turned aside 12-of-13 shots.

"All year long we've used both goaltenders and I'll tell you the truth, I went with a gut, I thought Cory could give us a good game tonight," Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault said.

Of course, Vigneault's decision to start Schneider over his supposed franchise goaltender has been criticized extensively, and it's no surprise he is going back to Luongo as the starter tonight. However, Schneider's injury was apparently just a cramping issue so he will be available for tonight's test, if needed.

Vancouver took a 3-2 lead Sunday on Kevin Bieksa's goal just 58 seconds into the third period, but Bieksa made a big mistake at the 2:31 mark, tripping Chicago's Michael Frolik on a breakaway to give the Blackhawks a penalty shot.

Frolik scored on Schneider to tie things up and that was the last play of the game for Vancouver's starting goaltender. Schneider did a split trying to stop Frolik's attempt, and after favoring his right leg, he was replaced by Luongo.

It was the first successful penalty shot in Chicago playoff history.

Dave Bolland had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks and Bryan Bickell also scored. Rookie goaltender Corey Crawford made 32 saves to post the win for Chicago.

The Canucks played most of Game 6 without defenseman Sami Salo and he is questionable for tonight's game with an undisclosed injury.

Chicago, meanwhile, is expected to be without forward Tomas Kopecky again. Kopecky hasn't played since suffering an upper body injury in Game 1.

Vancouver is 2-1 on home ice in this series, taking the opener by a 2-0 score and notching a 4-3 win in Game 2 before getting slammed, 5-0, in Game 5.

The Canucks had a 27-9-5 record as the host during the regular season, while Chicago struggled to a 20-12-9 mark as the guest.

Chicago and Vancouver have met two other times in the postseason in addition to their 2009 and 2010 semifinal bouts, and the Blackhawks own a 3-1 edge all- time against the Canucks in the playoffs.