Stanley Cup Finals Preview – Who Do I Think is Winning it All?

(ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 26, 2019)

Well, folks, it is that time of year again. We have made it through three, um, interesting rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to make it to the Finals. Upsets galore. Games that will be remembered forever. Goals that came in the most memorable moments. Now, only two remain. One team that some picked to be in this position when the playoffs started and another that certainly, most did not. Which team is behind Door #1?

Boston Bruins – 2019 Eastern Conference Champions:

107 Points – 2nd in the Atlantic Division

GM – Don Sweeney

Head Coach – Bruce Cassidy

Captain: Zdeno Chara

The Road to the Finals:

• Defeated the Maple Leafs in 7
• Defeated the Blue Jackets in 6
• Defeated the Hurricanes in 4

Do not kid yourselves, guys. The Boston Bruins deserved to win the Eastern Conference. I was seeing some people online think that Carolina earned the right to go to the Cup Finals, but this is definitely not the case. Boston was the second best team in the East and third best in the league. With the best top line in hockey in David Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron, and Brad Marchand, the B’s are back and look stronger than their last Cup championship team in 2011. Let me just say this: the nickname of that line has certainly earned it. Marchand had 100 points this season, the first time he has ever hit that mark. Pastrnak 81. Bergeron 79. All career highs for the 3. Not only that, but it has been their depth that has helped them get to where they are. Players like Marcus Johansson, Charlie Coyle, David Krejci, and Jake DeBrusk helped Boston to get to this point.

Their defense? Not the best in the league, but it is serviceable enough to help the Bruins when needed. Torey Krug and Charlie McAvoy have made a great defensive pair, and have been a lethal top two for Boston. Brandon Carlo has also been a great partner for Zdeno Chara, even if Chara now is a shell of his once great self.

However, Boston’s real strength has been in goaltending. Yes, I know Tuukka Rask has his fair share of haters, but this playoffs he has performed like nothing short of a god. Rask has a 12-5 record with a 1.82 GAA and a .942 save percentage. Those numbers aren’t just good or great. They are absolutely insane. Those are stats that compare to the goaltending greats. Tuukka is the current Conn Smythe favorite and it looks like he is playing the best hockey of his career.

In round 1, the Bruins played a familiar foe in the Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite the Leafs taking a 3 game to 2 lead, Boston took the next two to win the series in 7. Toronto still has  not beaten Boston in their past SIX postseason meetings. Next round, the Bruins faced a new foe in the Blue Jackets, who were fresh coming off a historic upset of the Presidents Trophy winning Lightning. Once again, Columbus took a lead in that series, but Boston was able to win three straight games this time to win the series in 6 games. The Conference Finals featured the Bruins taking on the Carolina Hurricanes. The Canes, however, could not solve Hammurabi’s, I’m sorry, Tuukka Rask’s code, and the Bruins handled them easily in a 4 game sweep. The Bruins outscored the Hurricanes 17-5 in those four games. The biggest plus of that series was the depth that scored for Boston, as multiple players who are not big names were on the scoresheet for that series. Now the Boston Bruins await their biggest challenge of the playoffs yet, and they definitely have a past with the B’s. Show me who is behind door #2!

St Louis Blues – 2019 Western Conference Champions

99 Points – 3rd in the Central Division

GM – Doug Armstrong

Interim Head Coach – Craig Berube

Captain: Alex Pietrangelo

The Road to the Finals:

• Defeated the Jets in 6
• Defeated the Stars in 7
• Defeated the Sharks in 6

Ah yes, the Blues. What is there to say about the Blues? While I think of words to say, Alexa, play Gloria.

The St. Louis Blues were in last place in the league on January 3rd. Every media outlet has covered that. They are easily the most likable team in the league this year. St. Louis has waited 49 years to be in the position that they are currently in. The year was 1970. Bobby Orr took flight for the Bruins to complete a four game sweep of the Blues. In 2019, we have our long awaited rematch.

The thing about the Blues is this: apart from Tarasenko, there’s no real superstar. Lots of good, solid, offensive pieces, but no one player to shine the light on. Despite 68 points from Tarasenko, my pre season Hart pick, it has been Ryan O’Reilly that burst out onto the scene. O’Reilly recorded 77 points, the most on the team, and a personal high. The return of David Perron to St. Louis also benefited, scoring 23 goals and 23 assists on the year. Perron left money on the table from the Golden Knights in order to come back home. In the playoffs, however, the offensive name to hear about is Jaden Schwartz. Schwartz has 12 goals, easily the most of anyone left in the playoffs. To go along with that, some younger names have been stepping up for the Blues, such as Oskar Sundqvist and Robert Thomas.

All the voices in your head, calling Gloria!

Sorry, that song is really catchy. Ignore that bit.

On defense, the Blues definitely have some names. Alex Pietrangelo netted 41 points in the regular season to go with 13 points in the playoffs. Colton Parayko looks like he finally regained his form in the playoffs, scoring 11 points after recording only 28 the whole season. Further down on the chart, the duo of Vince Dunn and Joel Edmundson may not put up points, but they can check really hard. Sometimes, it’s not points that gets you into the starting lineup

In net, the great story that is Jordan Binnington. Binnington, a 3rd round pick in 2011, was called up to the Blues in early January.  He recorded a shutout against the then red hot Philadelphia Flyers, and he stayed with the big league club ever since. With a record of 24-5-1, a 1.89 GAA, and a .927 save percentage, it’s easy to see why Binnington is a Calder nominee.

I think they’ve got your alias, that you’ve been living under!

Man I just can’t get that song out of my head, can I?

The Blues road to the finals was just like the team itself was: fun. A hard fought six game series against the Jets came first, in which the Blues looked like the better team for a majority of that series. Next up came a familiar foe in Dallas. St. Louis beat their longtime rivals in 7 games on a double overtime goal by Pat Maroon (Maroon, like Perron, also left money on the table, this time from New Jersey, in order to come home to be with his son). Another adversary came in the Conference Finals, when they faced off against the Sharks. However, unlike the Conference Finals from 3 years ago, it was the Blues who came out on top, winning in 6. Now, they play Boston, who St. Louis has waited nearly have a century to exact revenge on.

Conclusion

This series is going to be physical, folks. Two teams known for their physicality are meeting head to head for the hardest trophy to win in sports. However, they are trying to win for two completely different reasons. Boston is playing to prove something to the hockey world, that it can go for one more ride with this group. St. Louis is playing with a chip on their shoulder, to be a legacy of failure no more, to prove that they belong with the elite hockey clubs in history with a Cup win. It will be a fun series no doubt, but I think one team going in has a clear cut advantage. Experience is key in times like this, and that is why I am sticking with my pick. I’m not confident in the games, but I’m confident in the winner.

Offensive Advantage: Boston

Defensive Advantage: St. Louis

Goaltending Advantage: Boston

Coaching Advantage: St. Louis

Atmosphere Advantage: Boston

Prediction: Bruins in 5

I should say that after this prediction I would like to congratulate the St. Louis Blues on their first ever Stanley Cup as I am known to be a jinx. Now watch me be right and Boston celebrates their 3rd title since October. Let the puck drop begin!