There’s plenty to love in this season finale
CHICAGO — Two franchises, rich in history, talent and star power. Two winning teams that know what it takes to bring home the Stanley Cup. Intrigue, in the form of a schedule that kept them away from each other for an entire season.
Oh, there’s plenty to love about this series.
The Stanley Cup final kicks off Wednesday night when the Chicago Blackhawks host the Boston Bruins in the first finals matchup of Original Six franchises since the Montreal Canadiens beat the New York Rangers in five games way back in 1979.
The mighty Blackhawks, winners of seven of the last eight games, have a deep roster that really found its identity when pushed to the limit by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round. Then there are the playofftested Bruins, who rolled over favoured Pittsburgh during an impressive sweep that gave them a chance for a second NHL title in three seasons.
It’s gift-wrapped in a bow for a league still trying to recover from a bitter lockout that wiped out 510 games and pushed the start of the season back to Jan. 19.
“It’s special in a couple of places. The tradition of the Bruins and the Hawks is special,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. “I’m, you know, sure the rivalry could return instantly come Game 1. I think it’s good for the league. It’s good for hockey. Two great hockey markets. We’re very excited to be a part of it.”
Chicago advanced with a 4-3 double-overtime victory over Los Angeles on Saturday night, using a hat trick from Patrick Kane to eliminate the defending champion Kings in five games in the Western Conference finals. Back in the Stanley Cup series for the first time since 2010, the Blackhawks are in search of another title to pair with their six-game victory over the Philadelphia Flyers three years ago.
“Everyone has that drive to win the cup,” Chicago forward Andrew Shaw said. “It’s going to be a long road ahead here. It’s surreal. I’ve wanted this since I was a kid. I’m excited to get started.”
Boston is rolling again after losing its spot atop the Northeast Division in the final days of the regular season. The Bruins have won five in a row and nine of 10, boosted by a familiar group of stars who led the way when they won it all in 2011. David Krejci scored four times in the Pittsburgh sweep and leads Boston with nine goals and 12 assists in the playoffs.
“The excitement is there,” Bruins coach Claude Julien said Sunday. “You’ve heard people say, ‘Once you’ve been there, you want to go back.’ It’s true — we really want to go back. We made it happen. We’re excited about it and we also know what kind of challenge lies ahead for us. It’s about acknowledging that and being ready for it.”
While Boston and Chicago have kept an eye on each other for awhile now, there’s no way for either team to grab a real hold on what to expect at the very beginning of the series. That’s because the abbreviated 48-game schedule due to the lockout included no games against teams from the other conference.
The Bruins and Blackhawks haven’t played since Oct. 15, 2011, when Boston won 3-2 in a shootout in Chicago. There are no mutual opponents this year, not even an all-star game to compare the players from each conference.
“I think all the information is out there for both teams to understand how we both play,” Julien said. “It’s about having confidence in what you plan on doing and going out there and executing it. That’s all you can do.”