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BOSTON -- When Patrick Kane scored twice to help the Chicago Blackhawks move within one victory of another Stanley Cup, he did so on the sixth anniversary of being drafted first overall. Players dont get selected there without skill, but the bulk of Kanes nine goals in the playoffs have been more a result of hard work and smart positioning by a player whose game has developed substantially in recent years. "Hes really good, especially around the net," Boston Bruins right-winger Brad Marchand said. "If you give him any kind of room down there and he can find the puck, then hes going to make something happen." Kane showed three years ago during the Blackhawks Cup run that he has a knack for making things happen and scoring big goals. But this time around it has been his ability to put back rebounds and loose pucks that earned him some late buzz for the Conn Smythe Trophy. Six of Kanes nine goals through 22 games have come on the doorstep -- either in the crease or just outside it. As his coach with the London Knights, Dale Hunter, watched his Game 5 performance, he remarked that Kane was having success because he was playing in traffic close to the net. "He has no fear to his game. Hes not the biggest guy in the world but hell score goals and hell go anywhere to score them," Hunter said in a phone interview Monday. "He has good vision. Thats why he can go in them bad areas where you can take big hits, and he doesnt get hit often." Its one thing to have good vision and yet another to make a concerted effort to be around the crease. "I think one of the things on this team, you want to crash the net, whether its bringing it back out and getting pucks there and then crashing it again," Kane said. The 24-year-old brings a combination of skill and that willingness to play in tight spaces that makes him difficult to defend. "I think hes not afraid, whether its not afraid to get hit or not afraid to make mistakes," Boston defenceman Torrey Krug said. "Hes not afraid to go to those high-traffic areas. Thats important for a player, especially players that like to play with the puck, to not have the fear like that." Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville knows all about Kanes "high-end skill," but its his ability to control the play with little room to manoeuvre that helps him stand out. "Hes just an unbelievable puck-handler, and I dont know if thats just natural talent or hes worked on it," Chicago defenceman Duncan Keith said. Either way, it has caused fits for the Bruins. Coach Claude Julien and his team had to emphasize better awareness because of Kane. "You look at the goals that Kane has scored, youve got to give him credit," Julien said. "Hes done a good job of getting into those quiet areas and sliding into those pockets and the puck keeps coming to him, and thats what good players do. They find areas to go to where pucks come to them." Of course Kane can still pick a corner and score. His goal on a two-on-one rush put the Blackhawks into the Cup final, and he scored one-on-one against Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard earlier in the playoffs. Against the Bruins, Kane showed teammates that hes adept at scoring the so-called dirty goals, too. Julien likened him to Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby as far as being shifty and elusive around the net. "Hes an elite player," Bruins defenceman Andrew Ference said. "Hes obviously got tremendous skill and speed to get away from defenders and to find open spots on the ice. Hes a challenge for any team to defend against." Even more so now than several years ago when he was a budding NHL star. Bostons Aaron Johnson played with Kane in 2008-09, and though he hasnt had a chance to study the right-wingers improvement, he pointed out that Kane has become a "solid hockey player." Thats not under-valuing Kane but rather an indication that, like other talented forwards, his career is an ongoing maturation process. "I think it takes time because their whole life they havent really needed to play that game," Johnson said. "And once you get to the NHL you have to learn that theres a time and place for certain moves and certain plays. It does take a year or two and a good coach to really embed that inside him." It didnt start with Hunter, Denis Savard or Quenneville. Hunter knew Kane could score before the Knights drafted him. But the way hes been putting the puck in the net in the playoffs has Kane on another level. "Every time theres more on the line, the more he comes up and goes in the dirty areas even more than he should because he wants to score the big goals," Hunter said. "He wants to make the difference in the game, and he has the ability to do it and he pushes himself in big games to do it." Austin Hedges Jersey .4 seconds left and dribbled up court, weaving through Pitts defence. Tony Gwynn Padres Jersey . "Im proud of him," Jones said in an interview from Sacramento, site of the UFCs weekend televised card. "I think hes listening to his body and hes doing what makes him happy and thats what life is about ultimately. http://www.padressale.com/padres-craig-stammen-jersey/. That was OK with him. He was just happy his team came away with two points. Letestu redirected Jack Johnsons shot from the point with 2:38 left, lifting the Blue Jackets past the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Monday night. Franmil Reyes Jersey . Yoenis Cespedes proved he can play through a hurting right heel, giving Scott Kazmir and the As a spark with a pair of RBIs that helped spoil the Minnesota Twins home opener with an 8-3 victory on Monday. Rollie Fingers Padres Jersey . Setting United on its way to a 2-0 victory, Rooney sent the ball high from inside the halfway line over goalkeeper Adrian after just seven minutes. "Its just instinct, Ive turned and had a quick look and seen the goalkeeper off his line," Rooney said.CHICAGO - The hard-hit grounder went right to shortstop Starlin Castro, and he made a strong throw to first. It was just too late to get Gregory Polanco. The play proved costly when Josh Harrison followed with a two-run homer, sending Castro and the Chicago Cubs to a rain-delayed 5-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night. "It was a bad bounce," Castro said. "I had to turn around. It was really hard, too, and the guy run pretty hard from home plate, thats why I didnt get him." Jordy Mercer went deep for the second straight day and Andrew McCutchen had a tiebreaking RBI single for Pittsburgh, which had lost four of five. Vance Worley (1-0) pitched into the seventh inning for his first win with the Pirates. Harrisons fifth homer with two out in the seventh made it 5-2 and came after Polanco was the beneficiary of baseballs replay system. He was originally called out by umpire James Hoye in a close play at first after he hustled down the line on his sharp grounder. "The play was a hard-hit ball to Starlin, who came up slower than he probably should have," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "Polanco is busting his rear end down the line." The review also extended Polancos hit streak to 11 games, making him the first NL player to begin his major league career with such a streak since Juan Pierre hit in 16 straight games for Colorado in 2000. "He looked safe, so you go out and you have your people run the replay," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "As sure as you are, you dont know until you know. It turned out to play very big for us." Anthony Rizzo hit a two-run homer for Chicago, which had won four of five. Eli Whiteside doubled home Darwin Barney in the seventh. "The guys keep battling, they keep playing," Renteria said. The start of the game was delayed for 2 hours, 1 minute while a storm passed through the area. Rizzos 15th homer, a drive to the bleachers in right in the fourth, gave the Cubs a 2-1 lead. The big first baseman, making a case for a spot on tthe NL All-Star team, is batting .dddddddddddd318 (27 for 85) with seven homers and 19 RBIs in his last 23 games. Pittsburgh responded in the fifth. With two outs and runners on first and second, Harrison and McCutchen each singled back up the middle to put the Pirates back in front. Brian Schlitter then replaced Travis Wood with runners on the corners and retired Russell Martin on a bouncer to third for the final out. Wood (7-6) allowed four hits, walked three and struck out four. The left-hander had won each of his last two starts, including a season-high eight innings of three-hit ball in a 3-0 victory at Philadelphia in his previous outing. "We got a little wild for a little bit, brought the ball up a little bit where they could find some holes and put some runs on the board," Wood said. Worley gave up three runs and five hits in 6 2-3 innings. The righty, who was acquired in a March 25 trade with Minnesota, pitched seven shutout innings in his first start of the season last Sunday at Miami. "Used all his pitches, pounded the strike zone, gave us a real good effort," Hurdle said. Jared Hughes got the final out of the seventh, Tony Watson tossed a perfect eighth and Mark Melancon struck out the side for his 11th save in 14 chances. It was Melancons first opportunity since Hurdle announced on Friday he was removing struggling righty Jason Grilli from the closer role. The Pirates played without speedy outfielder Starling Marte, who left the team to attend to a personal matter in his native Dominican Republic. Jose Tabata got the start in left and went 0 for 3 with a walk. Hurdle said he thinks Marte will be back in time for Monday nights game at Tampa Bay. NOTES: Cubs C Welington Castillo (rib injury) went 1 for 5 and drove in a run in his first rehab game with Triple-A Iowa on Friday. "Felt good, and he continues to progress," Renteria said before Saturdays game. ... Cubs RHP Jason Hammel (6-4, 3.02 ERA) faces RHP Brandon Cumpton (2-2, 5.82 ERA) in the series finale on Sunday. ' ' '