Hawks and Griffins carry the torches

There are just two Midwest hockey teams still playing as of June 1 but they have both gone deep into the postseason.

The Chicago Blackhawks, looking for its third Stanley Cup in six seasons leads the way, thanks to a huge weekend rally that saw it fight back from a 3-2 deficit against the Anaheim Ducks and rally to once again avoid touching the Clarence Campbell Bowl.

Meanwhile, the Grand Rapids Griffins find itself looking for a similar rally as a weekend split sees the quest for a second American Hockey League Calder Cup in danger of hitting a road block in the Western Conference championship.

The Hawks faced elimination midweek and responded with the most decisive win of the series 5-2 at the United Center. That set up a seventh and deciding game and the Hawks silenced the home crowd at the Honda Center in Anaheim with a pair of unanswered first period goals and a 4-0 lead by the halfway mark of the middle period.

The host Ducks finally got on the board late in the middle period, but another goal with 8:24 to go gave the home team some hope.

A powerplay goal by Brent Seabrook a little under two minute later restored a three goal cushion for the Hawks.

Matt Beleskey pulled one back for the Ducks but that came just 42 seconds from the Hawks’ Western Conference championship.

The Hawks will now move on to represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup championship series beginning on Wednesday night in Tampa Bay against the host Lightning.

Griffins need a rally

Meanwhile, the Griffins find themselves trailing for a third time in its series with the Utica Comets.

The weekend started well as Andreas Athanasiou buried the game winner of Game 4 at the 5:05 mark of overtime pulling the Griffins even in the series at the Van Andel Arena Friday night.

That sent the series back to Upstate New York where the Comets grabbed a 3-1 lead, then held on for a 3-2 win.

University of Wisconsin product Mark Zengerle had the first period goal and Dylan Larkin scored the other late in the third period.

The Griffins outshot is host 34-21 but couldn’t get anything else past Jacob Markstrom in this one.  The Comets helped out its goaltender with a more solid defensive effort in the final frame that saw both teams with just eight shots.

The Griffins face elimination Tuesday night as the series shifts back to Michigan and they hope to push it to the seven game limit the following night back in New York.

Winner of this series will be presented with the Robert W. Clarke Trophy as West Conference champions and move on to the Calder Cup against the Manchester Monarchs.