Blackhawks Admit Toughest Opponent in the Playoffs was the Ducks

The Chicago Blackhawks needed 24 goals, 7 games, 6 Overtimes and a nail biting win on the road to eliminate the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference Finals. Chicago's Andrew Desjardins said:

It was the hardest hockey I think I've ever been part of.

Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said:

Anaheim had so many components of the games. The physicality, the speed, the skill of top end players such as [Ryan] Getzlaf and [Corey] Perry, we ran up against they were such a tough team in goaltending and all the other aspects.

Chicago trailed Anaheim 3-2 in the best of 7 series, with one win in triple overtime and the other in double overtime. The Blackhawks won Game 6 at home before taking Game 7 on the road. Overall, they outscored the Ducks 24-22. Toews told a crowd of fans:

That's the series that stands out to me in the last number of years as far as the challenges.

The first five games against the Lightning were decided by one goal before the Blackhawks won the championship 2-0 in Game 6. Toews said:

No disrespect to Tampa [Bay] because I think they far exceeded our expectations for what they were able to do and how difficult they made things on us.