Chicago, IL

Patrick Kane completed a hat trick with a goal in second overtime as the Chicago Blackhawks advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals with a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final at United Center.

Rushing on a 2-on-1 breakaway, Jonathan Toews found Kane across to his right. Kane then one-timed it over Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick's glove to send the Blackhawks into the Final.

"I knew it was coming as soon as he picked up the puck," Kane said. "Bryan Bickell made a great chip, and Johnny made a great pass, I just tried to get it off as quick as I could."

Now standing in Chicago's way of its second Stanley Cup championship in four seasons are the red-hot Boston Bruins, who have to make travel arrangements to get to the Windy City in time for the start of the Stanley Cup Final Wednesday.

"It's nice to stay in Chicago and start the series here," said Kane, whose conference-championship winning goal came one day shy of the third anniversary of his overtime Cup-clinching tally in Philadelphia.

It will be the first time the Bruins and Blackhawks, two of the oldest franchises in the National Hockey League, have met for the Stanley Cup. Also, this is the first time two Original Six teams have played in a Stanley Cup Final since 1979.

Duncan Keith scored his second goal of the playoffs while Corey Crawford tallied 33 saves for the Blackhawks.

Quick recorded 31 saves for the Kings while center Mike Richards returned from a three-game absence and scored the game-tying goal with 9.4 seconds left in regulation.

Anze Kopitar and Dwight King also scored for the Kings, who failed to become the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup champion since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998.

"We got beat in the conference final by the best team in the conference," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. "We didn't accomplish everything we wanted to."

First-quarter goals from Keith and Kane put the Blackhawks ahead, 2-0, but King and Kopitar scored in the second and third, respectively, to tie the game at 2-2.

King's shorthanded goal made him Los Angeles' all-time leading scorer in the conference final with six, passing Wayne Gretzky, who had five goals in 1993 Campbell Conference final against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Kane scored his fifth goal of the playoffs at 16:08 to give the Blackhawks a 3-2 lead but Richards was there to save the Kings with a tally at 19:50.

 

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Patrick Kane Hat Trick Lifts Blackhawks to Stanley Cup Finals