The Blackhawks had issued a challenge, announcing that they had figured out how to handle Zdeno Chara, the outsized Bruins defenseman who had handled everyone else through the early rounds of the playoffs.
And, ultimately, they did, a combination of injuries and strategy humbling the Bruins captain in nearly unthinkable fashion.
He looked all of his 36 years out on the ice in the Stanley Cup Final. He looked like a man who had played too many minutes in too many games. He looked, too, like there might be something physically wrong, a fact confirmed by coach Claude Julien after the Bruins lost Game 6 in stunning fashion, 3-2, finally ending their Cup run. Full story for BostonGlobe.com subscribers.
Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @amaliebenjamin.
