Chicago withstood a last-gasp flurry from Minnesota to win 4-3 at the Wild on Thursday and complete a 4-0 series sweep, becoming the first team through to the final four of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs.
Tampa Bay failed at its first shot at joining the Blackhawks in the final four as the Lightning was beaten 6-2 at home by Montreal, which cut that series deficit to 3-1.
Chicago fans were already celebrating when the Blackhawks scored to make it 4-1 with 3:07 left to play but goals by Jason Pominville and Nino Niederreiter suddenly made it interesting.
However the Wild's desperation shots in the final minute were either wide or turned aside by commanding Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford, who made 34 saves for the game.
"It may have looked a little hectic, but our team remained calm," left wing Patrick Sharp said, "and we did what we had to do."
Crawford stopped 124 of 131 shots over the series and the Blackhawks improved to 30-0 this season when leading after two periods.
"They want to be successful. They want to find ways to win, and in the end they want to be champions," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said, praising the resolve of his players over that final frantic sequence.
Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist, while Brent Seabrook, Andrew Shaw and Marian Hossa also scored for the Blackhawks, who were down to five defencemen after a serious injury to veteran Michal Roszival. Jonathan Toews and Bryan Bickell had two assists apiece, and Chicago eliminated Minnesota from the playoffs for the third straight year.
Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk, who made 21 saves before being pulled for an extra skater in the final four minutes, said he felt "sick" about the series result.
"To be with the group that we have, to finish it that way, it just doesn't feel right," he said.
Erik Haula scored in the second period for Minnesota; the first goal by a Wild forward in a stretch of 177 minutes and 11 seconds since the second period of Game 1.
Chicago now await the winner of the series between Anaheim and Calgary, which the Ducks lead 2-1. Montreal went to hostile territory and claimed the win it needed to stay alive against Tampa Bay.
Carey Price stopped 22 shots and Max Pacioretty had a goal and two assists for the Canadiens.
Pacioretty and Andrei Markov scored in the first period as the Canadiens beat the Lightning for the first time in nine attempts this season. Game 5 is Saturday in Montreal, where Tampa Bay won the first two games of the series.
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