On a stacked team of Chicago Blackhawks stars that include Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Corey Crawford, it’s defenseman Duncan Keith’s name that’s suddenly entering the Conn Smythe conversation.
Keith has been a stalwart for the Blackhawks all season, but it’s his tireless post-season play that has the MVP chants started. And all of it was on display Wednesday night during Game 6 of the Western Conference Final, where Keith had three assists on the Blackhawks first three goals (scored in a span of 3 minutes and 45 seconds) and played 28:35 in the team’s crucial 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
While Keith didn’t notch a goal, he was still the best player on the ice, using speed, skill, patience and toughness to help the Blackhawks to a win.
Keith got the scoring started with a long pass to Patrick Kane, who handed off to Brandon Sadd to put the Blackhawks on the board. For the second goal of the night, Keith did an incredible double pump fake on the Anaheim D before he passed to Marian Hossa for goal number two.
As a defensemen, Keith isn’t flashy but his ability to keep the puck in the Blackhawks zone a few minutes later lead to this incredible goal by Kane. And Keith still wasn’t finished. With 16:40 left in the third period and the Blackhawks clinging to a one goal lead, Keith also made the save of the night on Corey Perry.
There’s not much else Keith could have done to help the Blackhawks win. And while Kane, Toews and Crawford have all come through when needed for the team, it’s Keith’s quiet consistency that sets him apart.
How he keeps doing it is something of a mystery. Keith is 31 years old, and by the laws of sports, should be slowing down, not playing an average of 31:49 a night, which is the most of any NHL player in the league. Keith also leads the NHL in total time on ice this postseason, with a whopping 509:13.
Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville thinks Keith is just a freak of a nature.
“He’s kind of a freak as far as his metabolism and conditioning level. I think the more he plays, the more efficient, the more he gets going. Just certain guys genetically, aerobically, Anaerobically, they can sustain it. He keeps doing it.”
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