25 IN 25: Hossa's OT Heroics

Patrick Kane's winner in overtime of Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final that gave the Blackhawks their first championship in 49 years is perhaps the most iconic goal in franchise history.

But if not for some heroics by Marian Hossa some seven weeks earlier, Kane and the Blackhawks wouldn't have been in position to hoist the Cup in 2010.
25 IN 25
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In the first round of the postseason, the Blackhawks locked horns with the Predators and the teams entered Game 5 at the United Center deadlocked at two wins apiece in the best-of-seven series. With Game 6 scheduled to be played in Nashville, the pivotal fifth game would go a long way toward determining who would advance.
When the Predators rallied to take a 4-3 lead midway through the third period, the Blackhawks were in danger of being in a hole in which they might not have escaped.
To make matters worse, Hossa took an ill-advised penalty with just over a minute remaining in the third period when he shoved Predators defenseman Dan Hamhuis into the end boards and was assessed a five-minute boarding penalty.
"We were trying to tie up the game and I got over-excited, I guess, and I made contact with the defenseman and hit him from behind," Hossa said. "I think it looked worse than it actually was but being one goal down and in the penalty box for five minutes wasn't a good feeling at the time.
"I was like, 'Wow, I put my teammates in a tough spot' and I was hoping for a miracle," Hossa added. "Then the miracle came with Patrick Kane scoring the tying goal."

Moments after the Predators' Martin Erat made an errant pass from behind his own goal that Jonathan Toews scooped up and took the other way, Kane shoveled in a rebound of a Toews shot to score shorthanded with just 13.6 seconds remaining.
That sent the crowd of 22,115 into bedlam, but the Blackhawks had more work to do. With Hossa still in the box to start the overtime, the Blackhawks' penalty killers did their job until the veteran forward was released.
Hossa skated right toward the net and then some magic happened.
"Coming from the penalty box I saw Brent Sopel with the puck and I jumped on the ice and basically just went to the net," Hossa said. "Then all of sudden the puck came to my tape and I just had to put it in."
After scooping in the rebound of Sopel's shot from the point, Hossa slid across the ice while pumping his fists before he was mobbed by teammates and the crowd going wild.
The Blackhawks went on to win Game 6 and then dispatched the Canucks and Sharks before prevailing over the Flyers in the Cup Final. Had it not been for Hossa's heroics against the Predators, the title might not have come to fruition.
"It was a huge relief and one of the best moments for me in a Blackhawks uniform," Hossa said.