Flyers Hang On To Beat Blackhawks 5-3 In Game 4 To Even Stanley Cup Final 2-2

In a series that has felt like a swap meet with the way the Flyers and Blackhawks have traded goals, Philadelphia found itself with some extra room to work with in the third period of Game 4.

Then Chicago roared back, reminding the Flyers and their nervous fans how tight and fast-paced these Stanley Cup finals have been.

Mike Richards, Matt Carle and Claude Giroux all scored first-period goals and Philadelphia withstood a late surge by Chicago to beat the Blackhawks 5-3 on Friday night.

With two straight home victories by a total of three goals, goalie Michael Leighton and the Flyers have bounced back to tie the series at two.

Game 5 is Sunday night in Chicago and there’s no reason to think it won’t be just as intense as the first four.

“We were able to stay calm, but it’s a hard way to win it in the end,” Flyers forward Simon Gagne said.

Jeff Carter scored an empty-netter in the final seconds to help the Flyers become the first team this series to win a game by more than one goal. The Flyers, trying to win their first title since 1975, blew the lead late in the third.

Leading 4-1 early in the period, Chicago’s Dave Bolland and Brian Campbell scored late goals to slice the deficit to one.

The home team has won all four games this series. Game 6 will be back in Philadelphia.

Home ice might not matter much if Chicago stars Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane can’t get untracked and return to form. Kane had one assist as Chicago’s top line continued to flounder.

“It’s still 2-2. It sounds like the series is over,” Blackhawks defenceman Niklas Hjalmarsson said. “It’s still 2-2, we still have home advantage, we’re still in a great spot. We’re just looking forward to the next game.”

Ville Leino also scored for the Flyers, who have not lost beyond Game 3 in any round this post-season.

Chicago nearly snapped that skid — it just ran out of time.

After the Blackhawks won a key faceoff, Bolland sent one past kLeighton for Chicago’s first power-play goal of the game. They entered 0 for 6 and went 1 for 3 in Game 4.

The goal energized the Blackhawks. They didn’t look beat down from having to rally and fight the Flyers for most of the first 60 minutes.

Campbell made it 4-3 when his shot appeared to deflect off Flyers defenceman Kimmo Timonen’s stick, and silenced the Flyers crowd. His first goal of the series was upheld after a brief review and gave the Blackhawks a glimmer of hope for a monster upset.

It was just too late.

Chicago pulled Antti Niemi for the man-advantage but Carter slid in the empty-netter and tense crowd exhaled and celebrated.

Now it’s off to Chicago.

Philadelphia hadn’t held a two-goal lead in the final all series until the first period.

Richards, the Flyers captain, had been as quiet on the ice in the final as he can be with the press.

His first goal of the final was a memorable one. Richards chased Blackhawks defenceman Niklas Hjalmarsson from behind the net and struck with a quick steal. His backhanded flip toward the net stunned Niemi for his seventh goal of the playoffs and a 1-0 lead only 4:35 into the game.

“He hung on to the puck a little bit too long,” Richards said. “I just grabbed it from him and threw it at the net and it went in.”

Carle scored his first goal of the post-season, when he buried a rebound from inside the right circle to make it 2-2.

Flyers fans started their derisive “An-tti! An-tti!” chants toward the beleaguered goalie.

Sharp had his goal deflected by Flyers defenceman Braydon Coburn to make it 2-1.

Giroux, who scored the Game 3 overtime winner, swung the momentum back toward Philly when he scored with 36.3 seconds left. He was all alone near the net and punched into a wide open net. He shook his head like he couldn’t believe how easy it was.

“When the team plays well your confidence goes up. The whole team is playing well right now,” he said. “Any time the team’s playing well, your chances of playing well are a lot higher.”

Leighton knows the feeling.