The Blackhawks are now a sparkling 35-11-2-2 at United Center.
Bettors who wagered that the total would go ‘over' 5 ½ in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers were counting their money with just over one minute gone in the second period.
The Blackhawks outlasted the Flyers in the high-scoring affair as 190 home favorites, 6-5, to take a 1-0 lead in this best-of-seven Cup Final series.
Oddsmakers have adjusted the line and the total for Monday's Game 2. Most offshore sports books monitored by the Don Best odds product opened Chicago as 200 home favorites, with the ‘total' bumped up to six ‘over' (minus 115).
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The game-winning goal was scored by Tomas Kopecky at 8:25 of the third period that snapped a 5-5 tie. Kopecky, who hadn't played since Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals, replaced the injured Andrew Ladd for Game 1.
Goaltender Antti Niemi, shaky through two periods when he allowed five goals on 26 shots, was impenetrable in the final period when he stopped all six Philadelphia shots. That included a big save on a Chris Pronger blast as time wound down.
Niemi, now 13-4-0 in the current playoff campaign, raised his overall record to 39-11-2-2. The 26-year-old has a 2.32 GAA and a .913 save percentage to go with nine shutouts.
Philadelphia netminder Michael Leighton was benched after surrendering five goals on 20 shots, and was replaced by Brian Boucher. The former Chicago netminder stooped seven of eight third-period shots to take the loss and lower his playoff record to 6-4-1.
Though all the goals weren't his fault, Leighton lost leads of 1-0, 3-2 and 4-3 before finally being pulled. Nevertheless, Leighton will get the start in Monday's Game 2.
It was Boucher's sprained knee in the conference semifinals that gave Leighton this opportunity in the first place, after being held off the postseason roster while recovering from an ankle injury.
The five goals in the first period marked the first time in 28 years that five goals were scored in the opening period of Stanley Cup Final. The Islanders and Canucks turned the trick in 1982.
Both teams managed 32 shots on goal, with the Flyers notching the lone power play goal in four chances. Chicago did not get any opportunities with the man advantage, but the club did score a shorthanded goal when David Bolland lit the lamp at the 11:50 mark of the first period.
Scott Hartnell registered the Flyers power play goal at 16:37 of the first period that temporarily tied the game 2-2.
Danny Briere had a goal and two assists for the Flyers, while Ville Leino, Blair Betts and Arron Asham also scored.
Chicago's Troy Brouwer scored two goals, the second giving the Blackhawks a 5-4 second-period lead and prompting the Flyers to replace Leighton with Boucher. Patrick Sharp and Kris Versteeg also scored for Chicago.
Chicago dominated the faceoff circle 40-24 en route to improving its overall home record to 35-11-2-2. The Flyers, entering this game with a 13-2 edge in the last 15 meetings against Chicago, fell to 22-25-3-1 on the road.