Image via Complex Original
When the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks take the ice at the United Center on Wednesday night it will be the first time since the Canadiens defeated the Rangers in five games during the 1979 Stanley Cup Final, that two Original Six teams will square off for hockey’s ultimate prize. This will also be the 120th presentation of Lord Stanley’s Cup, and for a season that was in doubt over whether it would even be played not more than a few months ago, this final has been billed to be one of the most epic in the history of the competition. This matchup will pit the speed of the top-seeded Blackhawks against the strength of the Eastern Conference’s fourth-seeded Bruins, with both ready to put everything on the line.
Both teams have young hot-shot goalies and battle-tested leaders, and both squads have had to win a game seven in the earlier rounds of the playoffs to reach this final chapter. The stage is set, and the players are in place, but if you’re still not sure if this spectacle deserves your viewership, check out, 5 Reasons to Watch the 2013 Stanley Cup Final.
Written by Adam Silvers (@silversurfer103)
Michael "Doc" Emrick Will Narrate the Tale
If you've never listened to Doc Emrick call a playoff hockey game, then you've never heard one of the truly great sporting voices of our time. Emrick will be our guide for as long as this battle rages, which we hope is seven exhilarating games. Doc will regale us with sharp play-by-play, witty remarks, and a variety of voice pitches that are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Doc was made to call hockey, and he's just another reason that the 2012-13 Stanley Cup Final is going to be one of the most epic clashes on record. Keep your eyes and ears open, because a game can change on a dime, and unlike basketball there will not be a commercial break every 20 seconds during the last two and a half minutes of each contest.
East Meets West: This is the First Inter-Conference Meeting of the 2012-13 Season
Due to the lockout-shortened season this year, there was no inter-conference play during the 2012-13 season. While some may see it as a drawback that these two teams aren't at least familiar with one another, we think it adds the element of surprise, and the added dimension of adaptation, to see who figures out their opponent better and quicker. T
his also means that this Stanley Cup Final in particular will go a long way to determine which conference can claim superiority, at least for one season. The Bruins have won the last two games these old-time Hockey foes have played, and the Blackhawks last two wins over the Bruins came during the 2009-10 season, a season that also saw Chicago crowned NHL champs. Insinuations and storylines for days.
The X-Factors: Bryan Bickell and Nathan Horton
No matter the sport, there are always the superstars that casual fans and homers alike seem to key on during the course of a series. However, any serious fan knows that it's the x-factors that can turn a series on its head, and prove the difference between a ticker-tape parade and the longest off-season ever. In this series the x-factors for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins are Bryan Bickell and Nathan Horton, respectively.
Bickell plays left wing for the Hawks, Horton plays right wing for the Bruins, both are Canadian-born and have set themselves up nicely to cash in as free agents once this series is over. Bickell has seemingly come out of nowhere to tally eight goals and 13 points this postseason, while Horton has put his name on the map by scoring seven times to go along with his 17 points. The elevated play of one of these two wingers could go a long way to seeing their team lift the cup, and guarantee a big payday.
Tuukka Rask and Corey Crawford are Playing Their Best Hockey Right Now
In this postseason Chicago's Corey Crawford boasts and NHL-low 1.74 goals-against average, which places him just ahead of Boston's Tuukka Rask who's no slouch either with 1.75 GAA. When it comes to save percentage the two flip-flop, Rask leads the league with a .943 save percentage, and Crawford is right on his heels by keeping out .935 percent of the shots opponents put on goal. In short, the 28-year-old Crawford and 26-year-old Rask are some stingy dudes, and it's going to take every bit of skill, and luck, in order to beat these two net minders. If only Toronto held onto Rask, maybe that game seven would have...
The Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks are Members of the "Original Six"
It has been 34 seasons since two members of the Original Six have squared off in a Stanley Cup Final, but that streak will come to an end Wednesday night when the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks take the ice at the United Center. The two have met each other six times in playoff matchups before, the first of which was during the 1926-27 season, and their most recent encounter was a Bruins' sweep of the Hawks in the 1978 quarterfinals. If history is any indication, then the Bruins already have an edge going into this series, they've taken five of the six postseason matchups between the two squads. The underdog Kings were a nice story last year, but this is good old fashioned hockey right here.
