The Chicago Blackhawks and the St. Louis Blues have met once again in the running for the Stanley Cup. With only 300 miles separating these two cities, fans from both areas travel and pack the stadiums to watch their beloved teams play. That being said, the die hard Blackhawks and Blues fans frequently fight and talk smack to argue which team is the best team in the NHL Central Division. While fans fight on the streets and on the internet, the Blues and Blackhawks battle it out on the ice, constantly trying to prove they are the best, game after game.
Six time national champions, the Blackhawks, are one of the original six NHL teams from when the league started. Despite the St. Louis Blue’s lack of championship hardware, the Blues are a force to be reckoned with. When these two teams meet, you are guaranteed to witness a fight-to-the-death match like no other. The Blues and Blackhawks rivalry leads the league in fight and penalty time. As the deeply rooted rivalry seeps into play, it is common for a brawl to break out during their games. The most notable game is the “St. Patrick’s Day Massacre”. During this game on March 17, 1991, twelve players were ejected, tallying a total of 278 penalty minutes.Two St. Louis Blues players were suspended as well as one Blackhawks player. This clash was easily the tipping point of a rivalry so intense, there is no turning back. Now whenever these two teams square up, each player is out for blood.
The Chicago Blackhawks finished third in the Central Division this year, while the St. Louis Blues finished second behind the Dallas Stars. Overall, the Blackhawks have won the division 15 times compared to the Blues nine wins. Despite the Blues winning the division in the 2011-2012 and the 2014-2015 seasons, they have not advanced to round two of the playoffs in the past four years.The Blackhawks, however, have won the Stanley Cup three times in the past six years, easily establishing themselves as one of the best teams in the NHL.
Every hockey fan knows that the Stanley Cup is another monster, it turns the level of play up a notch. The Stanley Cup is structured so the team that wins the best of seven games advances to the next round. If a tie remains after regulation, both teams continue to play in overtime until a golden goal decides the match. With the St. Louis Blues 3-2 victory in game seven, they have eliminated the returning champions. Now that the Blues have ended the dreaded round two drought, they remain in the running for the Stanley Cup. As the Blues advance in the Stanley Cup, it is sure that the Blackhawks are already preparing to settle the score next year.
Whenever the Chicago Blackhawks or the St. Louis Blues meet, it is bound to be a fast paced, hard hitting, and a game fought tooth and nail. The Chicago vs St. Louis rivalry has long been a competition that drives each cities fans insane. Whether it’s competing for the divisional title in the regular season or fighting to stay alive in the playoffs, these two teams produce beautiful hockey intermingled between fights and board hits. No matter which team you prefer, every hockey fan can appreciate the skill level of these two teams.
