Stanley Cup Finals 2013: Pushing the Limits of Intensity

As expected, the Bruins-Blackhawks series has been filled with all the intensity one would expect in the sporting world's highest-octane championship.

The icing on the cake would be a Boston victory in Game Gix to force a winner-take-all game Wednesday in Chicago.

The first five games have featured two overtime tilts, a triple-overtime classic, and two two-goal decisions (one of them with a late empty-netter). Game Six tonight has now become more intriguing because Patrice Bergeron, the Bruins' heart and soul, was injured in Game Five and may not play; he wound up being taken to the hospital in an ambulance, released, and flown to Boston on a private plane, all without ever having the injury or when it occurred explained.

Chicago's captain, Jonathan Toews, also did not finish Saturday's game after he was hit in the head on a check from defenseman Johnny Boychuk. Toews is no shrinking violet on the ice, but there is no indication Boychuk's hit had anything to do what what happened to Bergeron.

Interestingly enough, Boychuk wasn't penalized; could this have been an indication of the referees letting frontier justice prevail? Toews is also a game-time decesion tonight.

This Original Six final has had everything, starting with the Game One triple-overtime Blackhawk victory. Andrew Shaw ended that game after 112 minutes of play, but the Bruins got revenge in Game Two as Daniel Paille scored 13:48 into the first overtime to win it. Boston then took Game Three as Tukka Rask stopped 28 shots in a 2-0 shutout, but Chicago struck in overtime again in Game Four as Brent Seabrook scored 9:51 into the extra session for a 6-5 victory.

The goaltenders rebounded in Game Five after the 11 goals were scored in the previous game, and the Blackhawks won at home, 3-1. Corey Crawford stopped 24 shots in the victory while Rask had 29 saves in a tough loss, setting up a Game Six in Boston, where everyone but Chicago fans will be rooting for a Game Seven.