May 26--Jonathan Toews almost single-handedly rescued the Blackhawks in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals Monday night, scoring twice in the final minutes of the third period to send the game into an improbable overtime, where the Ducks prevailed 5-4.
With the Blackhawks trailing 4-2 and their net empty to provide an extra attacker, Toews scored his first goal with 1:50 remaining, clanging a shot off the crossbar and into the net to make it 4-3.
On the game-tying goal, Toews shot from an impossible angle near the boards along the goal line. The puck deflected off Ducks goaltender Frederik Andersen and trickled into the net with 37.2 seconds remaining to forge a 4-4 tie and send the game into overtime.
But Toews' heroics were in vain, as the Ducks' Matt Beleseky scored 45 seconds into the extra period.
"We were feeling that we were going to get that next bounce, and we just didn't buy ourselves enough time," Toews said.
The Blackhawks now stand on the brink of elimination, trailing 3-2 in the series. Game 6 is Wednesday night at the United Center.
