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Sports
The Daily Dispatch
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Kane, Van Riemsdyk share bond as they go for Cup The Blackhawks are searching for their first title since the days of Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita in 1961. The Flyers are looking for their first championship since the Broad Street Bullies socked their way to the second of back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 1975 — long before Kane or van Riemsdyk, both 21, were born. The two played together in the world juniors and remain close. They went to dinner when the Blackhawks were in Philadelphia for their only meeting with the Flyers this season. Now comes a shot at the Cup. “You never know what could have happened. I think going into that draft, the Blackhawks were like fifth to last place or what-
ever you want to call it at that time,” Kane said. “So it was kind of a shocker they got the first overall pick. ... To be honest with you, I was kind of excited when Chicago got it.” Kane headed right to the NHL after he was selected No. 1 and quickly emerged as a star, a consistent scoring threat with his speed and puck handling skills. Van Riemsdyk took a different route, heading off to college first and then signing with the Flyers a little more than a year ago. “We were both put in different situations and we were in different stages of our hockey development and, you know, I did what I thought was best for me to be a better player,” van Riemsdyk said. “He was obviously ready to make that jump right after the
draft. He’s done a good job for himself.” And for his team. The Blackhawks were playing before a half-empty arena before Kane and 22-yearold captain Jonathan Toews arrived and became the centerpieces of the team’s rebirth on the ice and the accompanying marketing campaign. Now the Blackhawks are one of the hottest tickets in Chicago, a young team that made it to the Western Conference finals a year ago before losing to Detroit. Winning four more games will be a challenge against a Flyers team also considered a championship contender entering the season before it had to make a remarkable run to get to the finals for the first time since 1997.
Henin, two women with decidedly different ways of looking at their most recent encounter, a straight-set win by Sharapova in the 2008 Australian Open quarRoland Garros a day terfinals. later. Both Williams sisters; It turned out to be Roger Federer and Rafael Henin’s last Grand Slam Nadal; Novak Djokovic, match before her hiatus. Andy Murray, Lleyton He“It seems so far away. I witt — all played and won. mean, even seems like it The only upset of real AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau never existed, that mosignificance came when dement,” the Belgian said fending champion Svetlana Justine Henin returns the ball to Klara Zakopalova during a second-round match of the French Open in Paris Friday. after eliminating 79thKuznetsova lost 6-3, 2-6, ranked Klara Zakopalova of 6-4 to 30th-seeded Maria the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-3. Kirilenko in a third-round all.” barely eked through the “I didn’t want to be on the match that lasted nearly 2 With so many other top court anymore at that time, 1/2 hours. Even that wasn’t second round by saving four players still around, some and now I have a lot of exactly shocking, when you match points. must start facing each oth- motivation to be out there “I have to move on. I consider Kirilenko already er. Four-time French Open and to fight and try to keep have to grow and to imbeat Kuznetsova on clay champion Nadal meets prove,” said Kuznetsova, winning.” at Rome this month and past Wimbledon and U.S. who will fall out of the top Here is Sharapova’s knocked out Sharapova Open winner Hewitt on 10 in the rankings for the take: “Actually, feels like at the Australian Open in Saturday. That is scheduled we never left. Or it was just January. Plus, Kuznetsova first time in four years. “I to be followed in the main didn’t come here with my yesterday. That’s so funny. arrived in Paris with a best game, but I gave it my stadium by Sharapova vs. It was a couple of years losing record this year and
ago, and here we are. We’re back. It’s a different Slam, but it’s the same drill.” Like Henin’s secondround match, Sharapova’s was halted in the second set because of darkness Thursday night. Like Henin, Sharapova wasn’t challenged much in a 6-3, 6-3 victory, hers coming against
71st-ranked Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium. Clay never has been the 6-foot-2 Sharapova’s preferred surface; she’s only once been as far as the semifinals in seven previous trips to the French Open, while she won each of the other Grand Slam tournaments.
By RICK GANO AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO — Three years ago, a pingpong ball took a fortuitous bounce for the Chicago Blackhawks, almost like a sliding puck, and they came out winners in a lottery that has revived the franchise. With just little more than an 8 percent chance of winning the top pick in 2007, the Blackhawks were able to leapfrog the team with the worst record, the Philadelphia Flyers, and they made Patrick Kane their No. 1 choice. Kane went to Chicago and became the rookie of the year, while the Flyers took James van Riemsdyk with the second pick. Now both players are in the Stanley Cup finals, facing each other with Game 1
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Chicago’s Patrick Kane, right, controls the puck as he works with Bryan Bickell during hockey practice Friday. The Blackhawks host the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals today. set for Saturday night at the United Center. “It seems like it’s almost worked out good for both teams,” Kane said.
“They’re here three years later. I’m here three years later, our team is, and that’s the most important thing for this franchise.”
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