Live updates from Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals

Live updates from Game 5

Make it 5 for 5 for the home teams.

The Chicago Blackhawks raised their sticks in the air at center ice to salute the fans after beating the Philadelphia Flyers 7-4 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals.

The Blackhawks lead the series 3-2 and can win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1961 in Game 6 Wednesday night in Philadelphia.

Well, the game is in Philadelphia, so that automatically favors the Flyers. The Flyers are 9-1 at home this postseason.

But the Flyers might have a goalie controversy after Michael Leighton was pulled for the second time this series in favor of Brian Boucher.

That’s Philadelphia’s problem.

All the Blackhawks have to worry about is transferring some of that high-octane offense from Chicago to the road. The Blackhawks scored 15 goals in their three home games. Stunning.

A Flyers win would send the series back to Chicago for a decisive Game 7 on Friday night.

It’s lucky 7 for Chicago.

Make it seven goals for Chicago — the first time in 10 years a team has scored that many in a Stanley Cup finals game. Dustin Byfuglien scored his second goal of the game, knocking a rolling puck into the empty net to make it 7-4.

The net was empty because the Flyers pulled Brian Boucher and went with an extra attacker after Simon Gagne scored.

And that about wraps up Game 5.

Patrick Sharp scored off the odd-man rush to make it 6-3 with 6:52 left in the period.

The Blackhawks won’t blow this one. Not even the Flyers, who mastered the art of the comeback this postseason, can rally now.

Ouch! Flyers forward Danny Briere left Game 5 busted open and bleeding from under his right eye.

Briere took a high stick to the face by defenseman Duncan Keith, instantly grabbed his face, and dropped to his knees. He skated over to the bench with his head down and was greeted by trainer Jim McCrossin.

Briere has been one of Philadelphia’s top players this postseason with 11 goals.

He had a nasty cut under his eye which was quickly swollen as he sat on the bench.

James van Riemsdyk has given the Flyers some life.

JVR — as he’s known in Philly — knocked a rebound past sprawling goalie Antti Niemi to cut Chicago’s lead to 5-3 at 6:36 of the third period. JVR was a healthy scratch for Games 2 and 3 before returning to the lineup on Friday.

He was the odd man out for the Flyers after they went to Dan Carcillo to provide some punch in the lineup.

Van Riemsdyk has a little bit of redemption now — and now a big goal that gives the Flyers a glimmer of hope with 13 minutes left.

Time is running out for the Flyers.

If they’re going to make a run in Game 5, they have to score — and fast. The Blackhawks lead 5-2 with 15 minutes left in regulation and haven’t gone soft trying to defend the lead.

The Blackhawks have dominated this one after getting outplayed in both games in Philadelphia. Does home ice really matter that much? Apparently it does, one reason why Chicago should be glad they’ll be home for Game 7.

If necessary, of course.

Surprise, another goal.

This one just might be enough for the Blackhawks. Dustin Byfuglien scored Chicago’s second power-play goal for a 5-2 lead over the Flyers late in the second period.

Byfuglien was standing right in front of goalie Brian Boucher and knocked a shot past him. Boucher was knocked on his back — and the Flyers might be flattened, too.

Talk about teamwork. Every Blackhawks player except for goalie Antti Niemi touched the puck leading to Byfuglien’s goal. The Flyers’ defense had another lapse when it failed to put a body on the big Byfuglien.

Game 6 is Wednesday night in Philadelphia. The Blackhawks are 20 minutes away from playing for the Stanley Cup.

Like Harry Carry would say in Chicago, “Holy Cow!”

The third goal of the second was scored not even 5 minutes into the period.

Philadelphia’s Kimmo Timonen fired a wrister past Antti Niemi to make it 4-2 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals.

Don’t adjust your dial. This is not a replay of Game 1’s shootout.

Are we sure the wind isn’t blowing out tonight? Oh, that’s Wrigley Field?

Chicago got the crowd back into it by playing Tom Petty’s “Learning to Fly” to a shot of the Michael Jordan statue outside the United Center, then a live of shot of Jordan inside cheering the Blackhawks.

So much for momentum.

Patrick Kane answered the Flyers’ quick goal with one of his own to make it 4-1 Blackhawks early in the second period.

Andrew Ladd had his initial shot denied by Chris Pronger. Ladd stuck with the play and fed the puck to the streaking Kane for the easy goal. backup goalie Brian Boucher wasn’t helped by Danny Briere drifting out of position.

And just like that, the Flyers have changed the complexion of Game 5.

First, goalie Michael Leighton was predictably yanked after a miserable first period. Brian Boucher, who began the postseason as the Flyers starting goalie, was in. He also replaced Leighton in Game 1.

Next, Scott Harnell scored for the Flyers only 32 seconds into the period to make it 3-1. It’s not over yet. After all, the Flyers were down 3-0 in Game 7 to the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference semifinals and went on to win.

The line of Hartnell-Danny Briere-Ville Leino has been Philadelphia’s best this postseason.

Home ice is working its magic again for the Blackhawks.

A shot sailed past Michael Leighton’s stick side, but Dave Bolland was there to shovel it in off the goalie’s skate for a 2-0 Chicago lead late in the first period. The Blackhawks are flat-out dominating the Flyers in Game 5 and Leighton has been shaky.

Bolland has eight goals in the postseason.

Kris Versteeg made it 3-0 less than 3 minutes later when he got to the middle on a 3-on-2 rush and zipped a shot past Leighton. Versteeg scored his sixth goal of the playoffs.

The United Center crowd was rocking and started taunting Leighton with chants of “Leigh-ton! Leigh-ton!”

He might not make it out for the start of the second period.

The Blackhawks finally put some power in their power play.

Brent Seabrook shot the puck off Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger’s skate and past goalie Michael Leighton for a 1-0 lead with 7:42 left in the first period. It was his fourth goal of the playoffs.

The Blackhawks are 8-1 when scoring first this postseason. It was their second power-play goal of the Stanley Cup finals.

Leighton has been playing well since he was yanked in Philadelphia’s Game 1 loss. It’s up to the Flyers to rally again — something they surely know how to do by now.

It’s gotta be the skates.

Michael Jordan was back in uniform in Chicago in the United Center, but this time he kept to watching instead of dunking. Jordan attended Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals to cheer on the Blackhawks.

Jordan, a six-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls, was wearing a Jonathan Toews No. 19 jersey.

Jordan’s statue outside the United Center has undergone a makeover for the series — donning a helmet, skates and red jersey.

The Blackhawks have shuffled their lines. They sent Jonathan Toews out with Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky.

Patrick Sharp, Patrick Kane and Andrew Ladd; and Dustin Byfuglien, Troy Brouwer and Kris Versteeg are the other two lines.

Chicago needed to do something to get its offense going.

Let’s see if this is the solution. The Blackhawks have already come up empty on their first power-play chance in Game 5.

Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals is about to start.

The Philadelphia Flyers are the hotter team, with two straight wins. But the Chicago Blackhawks might have a bigger edge, with home-ice advantage. The home team has won the first four games in the series.

When the Flyers win Game 5 to break a 2-2 tie, their series record is 12-0.

When the Flyers lose Game 5 to fall behind 3-2, their series record is 1-6.

So yeah, it’s a big game.

One way for the Blackhawks to take control is to get their power play going. The Flyers have five goals in 16 power-play chances through the first four games. The Blackhawks are only 1 for 9. Chicago’s lone PP goal came with a two-man edge late in Game 4.