2011 NHL Playoffs: Vancouver Canucks Vanquish Chicago Blackhawks in Game 7 OT

When the going gets tough in the playoffs, the cliche is that Canadian players are best.

Jonathan Toews, a Winnipeg native, certainly exemplified that with his never-say-die effort to tie the game with a late short-handed marker.

But when it goes to overtime in a Game 7 environment, you can take that cliche a step further and go with a player from Montreal.

With his team facing an epic failure if they lost the series, Alex Burrows either scored or assisted on all five goals the Canucks scored in Games 6 and 7, including both the opening goal and also the dramatic OT winner in Game 7 to clinch the series.

The two goalies who put on a show for the middle 54 minutes of the game also happen to be from Montreal. 

Roberto Luongo stopped 31 of 32 shots, once again winning a tight 2-1 winner-take-all overtime game in Vancouver, just like the Olympic Gold Medal Game. I'm not sure if Toews, Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith appreciate the comparison, but I'd bet Ryan Kesler is happy to be on the right side of the score this time. 

Cory Crawford stopped 36 of 38 shots, absolutely robbing the Canucks all night, including a series of three quick shots in a row on a late third period power play for the Canucks, as well as stoning Burrows on a penalty shot.

The Canucks came flying and once again pounded the Hawks physically, outhitting them 41 to 17.

Maybe it was coincidence, but after General Manager Mike Gillis had his well-publicized rant about the uneven officiating, the referees let the teams play, calling only two minor penalties on each team, along with a penalty shot when Keith took down Burrows on a breakaway.

For those outside of Vancouver, to put in perspective how big this win is to the Canucks, Roberto Luongo stated in the postgame interviews that winning this Game 7 against the Hawks was bigger to him than winning Olympic gold 16 months ago. Keeping his eye on the ultimate prize, Luongo then followed it up by saying it is only one series, and they have three more to go if they want to win the Stanley Cup.

Hats off to the Hawks, especially Crawford, for battling back from being down 3-0 to force overtime in Game 7, but the Canucks depth prevailed as Burrows, Kesler and Raymond were the dominant line in Game 7.

Kesler was asked after the game if the team was going to go out and celebrate after the cathartic win. Like Luongo, Kesler downplayed the idea that the Canucks had won anything yet. He pointed out they will be back at practice tomorrow morning in anticipation of the second round.

Next up is the Nashville Predators, with the series likely to start Thursday in Vancouver.