Boston to Meet Chicago in a Fight for the Cup

Photo: WCVB TV

In the first Original-Six match up since 1979 in the Stanley Cup Finals, the Boston Bruins will meet the Chicago Blackhawks. Boston has proven to be the best in the east, after completing a sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. Chicago found themselves fighting in the west, in a double OT 4-3 win against the reigning champion LA Kings on Saturday night.

Both teams will fight until the end for a chance to hoist Lord Stanley – Boston most recently earned the right in 2011 when they proved better than Vancouver. While Chicago had a taste of victory just one season prior to Boston when they won the cup in 2010 in a Game 6 victory against Philadelphia. It’s been less than 4 years for both teams to have seen the Finals and won – pretty exciting statistics for a hockey fan.

With the lockout schedule having teams play only within their division, it could be an interesting dynamic come game time on Wednesday. Why? Neither team has played each other during the regular season this year. Sure, Bruins Tyler Seguin partnered up with Blackhawks Kane playing for EC Biel in Switerzerland, but that doesn’t compare to two teams going blindly into a Finals with no regular season competition to compare to.

“The last thing you want to do, is feel your way through a Final,” said Bruins Head Coach Claude Julien on Sunday.

Both teams will have a small reprieve before heading into the gauntlet on their quest for the Cup come Wednesday. All games will be carried on NBC with 8 pm starts, Finals schedule:

Wednesday June 12th, Game 1, Chicago, 8 pm.
Saturday June 15th, Game 2, Chicago, 8 pm.
Monday June 17th, Game 3, Boston, 8 pm.
Wednesday June 19th, Game 4, Boston, 8 pm.
Saturday June 22nd, Game 5, Chicago, 8 pm*
Monday June 24th, Game 6, Boston, 8 pm*
Wednesday June 26th, Game 7, Boston, 8 pm*

*If necessary