The Stanley Cup Finals are set. The Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues will do battle starting Monday, May 27. Game one will be at the TD Garden in Boston. It has been six years since the Bruins entered the Stanley Cup Finals, falling to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013. Boston's most recent championship came in 2011 when they defeated the Vancouver Canucks in 7 games. The Blues have yet to win the Stanley Cup. 2019 is also the first time since 1970 the Blues will appear in the Stanley Cup Finals. They fell to Bobby Orr and the Bruins in 1970. This is the fourth appearance in the Finals for St Louis in their storied history.
Boston swept Carolina in the Eastern Conference Finals. They also beat the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets in the first and second rounds. The Blues beat the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars in the first two rounds of the postseason. They defeated the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference Finals in six games. Both teams have come a long way to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. Boston finished second in the division and beat three strong hockey teams in the postseason. The Blues were in the last place at the beginning of January in the standings. Now, St. Louis will compete for hockey's ultimate prize.
The Blues and Bruins have met in the postseason twice, but have not met since 1972. The Bruins triumphed both times, winning the Stanley Cup in 1970 and defeating the Blues in the 1972 NHL semifinals. In both playoff series, the Bruins swept the blues. This time around, Boston will fight for its seventh Stanley Cup banner. Boston sports teams have lived a charmed life this decade, the city has seen six championships from three different teams since 2011. Meanwhile, the Blues postseason misfortunes have defined the franchise's history. Blues fans pray all of that will change this time around.
Bruins forward David Backes spent his first 10 seasons in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues. In 2016 he signed with Boston as a free agent. Backes has played in 78 playoff games throughout his career. The former Blues captain was the faces of Blues teams of the past. Now, as a Boston Bruin, he will try to win the Stanley Cup against his former team. Heading into the finals, Backes has two goals and three assists during the 2019 postseason.
Lord Stanley is up for grabs starting Monday. Boston and St. Louis have emerged as the contestants in this year's Stanley Cup Finals. If this postseason serves as any indication, NHL fans should be in for an entertaining and lively final. Each year the Stanley Cup Finals is one of the most celebrated sports events in North America. Whether it is a four-game sweep or a seven-game nail-biter. Only one team can hoist the Stanley Cup- the Blues and Bruins hope to be crowned Stanley Cup champs. May the best team win.
