2012–13 Chicago Blackhawks season facts for kids
The 2012–13 Chicago Blackhawks season was a super exciting time for the team! It was their 87th season playing in the National Hockey League (NHL). This season was a bit different because it was shorter than usual. Instead of 82 games, they played only 48 games. This happened because of something called the 2012–13 NHL lockout, which meant players and team owners had some disagreements that stopped games for a while. Even with a shorter season, the Blackhawks played amazingly well. They won the championship for the Western Conference. Then, they went on to beat the Boston Bruins in the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals, winning 4 games to 2. This was their 5th time winning the Stanley Cup in the team's history! A player named Patrick Kane was a superstar during the playoffs. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy for being the Most Valuable Player.
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A Shorter Season and Big Wins
The 2012-13 NHL season was special because it was shorter. Usually, teams play 82 games, but this year they only played 48. This was due to a "lockout," which is when players and team owners can't agree on things like contracts. Even with fewer games, the Blackhawks showed everyone how good they were. They worked hard and finished at the very top of their division. This meant they were ready for the playoffs!
How the Blackhawks Finished
The Blackhawks were part of the Central Division. They ended the regular season with the best record in the entire league. This earned them the Presidents' Trophy, which is given to the team with the most points. It was a great start to what would become a championship season!
| GP | W | L | OTL | ROW | GF | GA | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | p – Chicago Blackhawks | 48 | 36 | 7 | 5 | 30 | 155 | 102 | 77 |
| 2 | St. Louis Blues | 48 | 29 | 17 | 2 | 24 | 129 | 115 | 60 |
| 3 | Detroit Red Wings | 48 | 24 | 16 | 8 | 22 | 124 | 115 | 56 |
| 4 | Columbus Blue Jackets | 48 | 24 | 17 | 7 | 19 | 120 | 119 | 55 |
| 5 | Nashville Predators | 48 | 16 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 111 | 139 | 41 |
GP – Games Played W – Wins L – Losses OTL – OT/Shootout Losses GF – Goals For GA – Goals Against PTS – Points
* – Division Leader x – Clinched Playoff spot y – Clinched Division z – Clinched Conference p – Clinched Presidents' Trophy e – Eliminated from Playoff Contention
The Road to the Stanley Cup
The playoffs are like a big tournament where the best teams compete to win the Stanley Cup. The Blackhawks had to win several rounds against other strong teams. They faced some tough challenges, but they kept fighting!
First Round: Blackhawks vs. Wild
The Blackhawks started their playoff journey against the Minnesota Wild. They played five games in this series. The Blackhawks won the first two games, showing their strength. The Wild fought back, winning a game. But the Blackhawks closed out the series in Game 5, winning 4 games to 1. They moved on to the next round!
| Game # | Date | Visitor | Home | Score | OT | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April 30 | Wild | Blackhawks | 2 - 1 | OT | Chicago leads series 1 - 0 |
| 2 | May 3 | Wild | Blackhawks | 5 - 2 | Chicago leads series 2 - 0 | |
| 3 | May 5 | Blackhawks | Wild | 2 - 3 | Chicago leads series 2 - 1 | |
| 4 | May 7 | Blackhawks | Wild | 3 - 0 | Chicago leads series 3 - 1 | |
| 5 | May 9 | Wild | Blackhawks | 5 - 1 | OT | Chicago win series 4 - 3 |
Second Round: Blackhawks vs. Red Wings
Next, the Blackhawks faced their old rivals, the Detroit Red Wings. This series was very exciting and went all the way to seven games! The Red Wings took a big lead, winning three games to one. It looked tough for the Blackhawks. But they didn't give up! They won the next three games in a row, including a thrilling Game 7 in overtime. This amazing comeback meant they won the series 4 games to 3.
| Game # | Date | Visitor | Home | Score | OT | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 15 | Red Wings | Blackhawks | 4 - 1 | Chicago leads series 1 - 0 | |
| 2 | May 18 | Red Wings | Blackhawks | 1 - 4 | Series tied 1 - 1 | |
| 3 | May 20 | Blackhawks | Red Wings | 1 - 3 | Detroit leads series 2 - 1 | |
| 4 | May 23 | Blackhawks | Red Wings | 1 - 3 | Detroit leads series 3 - 1 | |
| 5 | May 25 | Red Wings | Blackhawks | 4 - 1 | Detroit leads series 3 - 2 | |
| 6 | May 27 | Blackhawks | Red Wings | 4 - 3 | Series tied 3 - 3 | |
| 7 | May 29 | Red Wings | Blackhawks | 2 - 1 | OT | Chicago wins series 4 - 3 |
Western Conference Finals: Blackhawks vs. Kings
After their big comeback, the Blackhawks faced the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference Finals. This series decided who would represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Blackhawks played very well, winning the series 4 games to 1. They showed everyone they were ready for the final challenge!
| Game # | Date | Visitor | Home | Score | OT | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 1 | Kings | Blackhawks | 2 - 1 | Chicago leads series 1 - 0 | |
| 2 | June 2 | Kings | Blackhawks | 4 - 2 | Chicago leads series 2 - 0 | |
| 3 | June 4 | Blackhawks | Kings | 1 - 3 | Chicago leads series 2 - 1 | |
| 4 | June 6 | Blackhawks | Kings | 3 - 2 | Chicago leads series 3 - 1 | |
| 5 | June 8 | Kings | Blackhawks | 4 - 3 | OT | Chicago wins series 4 - 1 |
The Stanley Cup Finals!
The biggest challenge was still ahead: the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals! The Blackhawks faced the Boston Bruins. This was a battle between two very strong teams. The series was back and forth, with both teams winning important games.
Winning the Cup
The Blackhawks and Bruins played six intense games. Game 1 was an epic triple-overtime thriller that the Blackhawks won! The series was tied 2-2 after four games. The Blackhawks then won Game 5, putting them one win away from the championship. In Game 6, the Blackhawks scored two goals in the last 76 seconds of the game! This incredible comeback gave them a 3-2 victory and the Stanley Cup! It was an amazing way to win their 5th Stanley Cup.
| Game # | Date | Visitor | Home | Score | OT | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 12 | Bruins | Blackhawks | 4 - 3 | 3OT | Chicago leads series 1 - 0 |
| 2 | June 15 | Bruins | Blackhawks | 1 - 2 | OT | Series tied 1 - 1 |
| 3 | June 17 | Blackhawks | Bruins | 0 - 2 | Boston leads series 2 - 1 | |
| 4 | June 19 | Blackhawks | Bruins | 6 - 5 | OT | Series tied 2 - 2 |
| 5 | June 22 | Bruins | Blackhawks | 3 - 1 | Chicago leads series 3 - 2 | |
| 6 | June 24 | Blackhawks | Bruins | 3 - 2 | Chicago wins series 4 - 2 |
Playoff MVP: Patrick Kane
After the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, Patrick Kane was named the Most Valuable Player of the playoffs. He scored many important goals and helped his team win the championship. This award is called the Conn Smythe Trophy.
| Preceded by 2011–12 Chicago Blackhawks season |
Chicago Blackhawks 2012–13 season |
Succeeded by 2013–14 Chicago Blackhawks season |
Images for kids
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The 2013 Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks meet U.S. President Barack Obama.
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Just before Game 2 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals at the United Center.
