From winning back-to-back titles to denting and cracking the trophy, the Florida Panthers banged up the Stanley Cup while celebrating their latest championship.

The bowl of the famous trophy is cracked and the bottom is dented. Not for the first time and likely not the last time.

The Panthers won their second consecutive championship on home ice Tuesday night, beating Edmonton in six games. The team, following decades of tradition, partied with the Cup into the wee hours and kept the revelry going in Fort Lauderdale well into Wednesday afternoon.

A spokesperson for the Hockey Hall of Fame said the keepers of the Cup are taking the appropriate steps and plan to have it repaired by the celebration parade on Sunday. Made of silver and a nickel alloy, the 37-pound Cup is relatively malleable.

Damage is nothing new for the 131-year-old Cup that has been submerged in pools and the Atlantic Ocean and mishandled by players, coaches and staff for more than a century.

The Montreal Canadiens left the trophy on the side of the road after winning it in 1924. The story goes that a car carrying some of the team had stalled going up a hill, meaning players had to get out to push. It wasn’t until they reached the top that they realized they had left one of the most famous trophies in the world behind.

Following the Detroit Red Wings’ success in 2008, Kris Draper celebrated by putting his baby daughter in the Cup for a photo. Only she left behind a little surprise … by using the legendary trophy as a toilet.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Josh Archibald got creative with his celebrations, using his time with the Cup to baptize his son. Three-week-old Brecken was photographed receiving his blessing while sitting in the bowl at the top of the trophy.

Just this decade alone, the Tampa Bay Lightning dropped the Cup during their boat parade in 2021 and the Colorado Avalanche dented it on the ice the night they won the following year.

Thanks to the historic four-goal performance from Sam Reinhart, the Florida Panthers dominated the Edmonton Oilers and grabbed a 5-1 win in Game 6 on Tuesday night at Amerant Bank Arena in South Florida to become Stanley Cup champions once again. With the Panthers’ Game 6 win, it closed out the series 4-2 and gave the Panthers back-to-back titles and their second championship in franchise history.

The Panthers also beat the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final last season in seven games. They are now the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Tampa Bay Lightning did so in 2020 and 2021. The Oilers’ loss also ensured that Canada’s 32-year dry spell – the country hasn’t had a team win a Stanley Cup since 1993 – continues.

The Panthers entered Tuesday’s game in Sunrise, Florida, coming off a commanding 5-2 Game 5 win in Alberta – which put them on the brink of the championship after just barely slipping in overtime in Game 4 last week.

The Panthers didn’t waste any time on Tuesday, either. Reinhart came up with a turnover and put in a wild off-balance goal not even five minutes into the game to put Florida on the board right now.

Matthew Tkachuk made it 2-0 by the end of the first, after he slipped into the center of the ice and found himself open. His goal, which came with about 45 seconds left in the period, marked the sixth straight game this series in which the Panthers have scored multiple goals in the first.

Then, late in the second period, after things started getting a bit chippy out on the ice, Reinhart got credit for another goal after Aleksander Barkov banked it in off his skate.

Reinhart then added one more goal in the third period for good measure when he threw in a deep goal on an empty net. That gave him the first-ever postseason hat trick in Panthers history, and the first one in a Game 6 of a Stanley Cup Final since 1973.

Reinhart scored his fourth goal just minutes later. He’s just the sixth player in NHL history to have four goals in a single game in the Stanley Cup Final, and the first since 1957. Vasily Podkolzin finally broke the shutout for the Oilers shortly after that goal with a quick one of his own, but it came too late.

Sam Bennett won the Conn Smythe Trophy even though he didn’t score on Tuesday night. He had 15 goals throughout the postseason, including five in the Stanley Cup Final.

The 2024 Stanley Cup Final was a classic, as the Florida Panthers were able to fight off a near-historic comeback from the Edmonton Oilers to win their first title in seven games.

Well, this instant classic of a finals is coming back as the Oilers beat the Dallas Stars 6-3 on Thursday to win the Western Conference title, which would set up the first rematch in the Stanley Cup finals since 2009.

In 2009, the Pittsburgh Penguins topped the Detroit Red Wings after losing the year before.

Leading the Oilers to their second straight Clarence Campbell Bowl were center Leon Draisaitl, center Connor McDavid, and defenseman Jake Walman, all of whom contributed two points.

The Panthers were able to get to the Stanley Cup Final after beating the Carolina Hurricanes with a 5-3 win in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final. The Panthers will be entering their third straight Stanley Cup Finals appearance.

The Oilers and Panthers will be just the fifth Stanley Cup Final rematch in consecutive years in the NHL expansion era, which began in 1967.

The Oilers will now seek their sixth Stanley Cup and first since 1990. In 1984, after losing to the New York Islanders in 1983, they won a rematch to claim their first trophy.

The Panthers are looking to win back-to-back Stanley Cups as they look to break the pattern of the winners of last year’s cup losing the next year when rematches occur.

The Panthers beat the Oilers twice this season. Both games were decided by one goal.

The Oilers’ Connor McDavid is the favorite to win the Conn Smythe Award at -110, followed by Panthers’ goalie Sergei Bobrovsky at +250 at ESPN BET.

The Tampa Bay Lightning’s run has ended. The reigning back-to-back champions gave up the Stanley Cup on their ice on Sunday night. The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Lighting 2-1 for a 4-2 series-clinching win in the Stanley Cup Final.

The Avalanche have not claimed the Stanley Cup since 2001 when they defeated the New Jersey Devils. Colorado ended a seemingly unbeatable Tampa Bay dynasty. Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said the last few moments of the game were nerve-wracking. “I was nervous as I could be,” he recalled. “I didn’t even know what the time was when it was ending. I saw guys starting to celebrate on the bench and I was like, ‘there’s still seven seconds left; what are they celebrating for?’ That’s the kind of intensity we had back there.”

Bednar also achieved a spectacular fear of winning a championship in every single league. He led the South Carolina Stingrays to the ECHL title in 2009 and the Monsters to an AHL title in 2016.

The Avalanche’s final win on the road is fitting as the team has been amazing on the road during the playoffs. They’ve gone 9-1 on away ice with their only loss being to the Lightning during Game 3 of this series. Those nine road wins are a franchise record for most in a playoff year and the second-highest in NHL history. The only other team to have more is the St. Louis Blues in 2019 with ten.

Defenseman Cale Makar was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup’s Most Valuable Player after scoring 29 points during the playoffs. Makar, who also won the 2021-22 Norris Trophy said that he was thrilled to celebrate in the final moments of the game. “I was trying not to look at the clock too much. Just trying to stay in the moment. Pure joy being able to throw the gloves off and experience that again. As I said, it’s so amazing to experience it with such a great group of guys,” he said.

The Lighting are still amongst the favorites for the 2023 Stanley Cup.

The Colorado Avalanche took a 3-1 lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup on Wednesday night, with a 3-2 victory in overtime, capping off a comeback on Tampa’s home ice. Nazem Kadri delivered a clutch – and miraculous – goal that gave the Avalanche a two-game cushion on the Lightning in the series.

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper thinks that goal was undeserved, however. In his post-game presser, Cooper implied that the winning goal should have never happened. “It’s going to be hard for me to speak. I’m going to have to speak,” he said. “I’ll speak with you tomorrow. You’re going to see what I mean when you see the winning goal. And my heart breaks for the players. Because we probably still should be playing.”

Cooper said that the Avalanche had too many men on the ice as Kadri scored the game-winning goal, and the video shows that they did indeed have six players on the ice as Kadri took his game-winning shot. An infraction caused by too many men on the ice is not reviewable following the goal, and it is up to one of the four in-game officials to make a decision on whether or not the penalty has occurred.

The confusion in this instance lies in whether or not Nathan MacKinnon was close enough to the bench to be considered “off the ice.” League rules state that skaters have to be within five feet of the bench and out of play before substitutions can be made. The post-game scoresheet also listed six players on the ice when the Avalanche scored the goal, however, it was edited later to show only five skaters, as defenseman Erik Johnson was listed in error due to the emptying of the bench during the celebration.

The league released a statement following Cooper’s comments saying, “A too many men on the ice penalty is a judgment call that any can make of the four on-ice officials. Following the game, Hockey Operations met with the four officials as is their normal protocol. In discussing the winning goal, each of the four officials advised that they did not see too many men on the ice situation on the play.”

The Lighting are now one loss away from relinquishing the Stanley Cup trophy and failing to accomplish a three-peat as champions.

Last night, the Edmonton Oilers were without star left wing Evander Kane, who was suspended after a hit during Saturday’s Game 3 of the Wearer Conference Finals.

Kane received a boarding penalty after his hit on Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri during Saturday’s game. Kane received a five-minute penalty however Kadri did not return to the game. It was later learned that Kadri suffered a broken right thumb during the hit and will be out for “at least” the remainder of the series against Edmonton. Kane explained his intent on the play, saying that he was trying to “get up” on Kadri when the penalty occurred. “Unfortunately he went into the boards awkwardly and hurt his hand,” he said.

The league’s department of player safety held a hearing with Kane the next day and assigned him the verdict on the same day. The NHL said that Kane’s history of misconduct was crucial in their quick decision. “It is important to note that this is not a scenario in which Kadri puts himself in a vulnerable position immediately prior to the hit in a way that turns a legal check into an illegal one,” the NHL explained with its decision. “While we acknowledge that Kadri positions himself in front of Kane to shield the puck, this action is not a sudden or sharp movement that changes the nature of Kane’s hit in a way that he cannot control. And while we acknowledge Kane’s argument that Kadri loses his footing as he approaches the boards, we believe that this is a direct result of the shove and is not an unavoidable occurrence that causes an unfortunate accident. The shove is delivered at a dangerous distance from the boards while the two players are traveling at speed and cause an injury.” This is Kane’s fourth suspension in his career.

The left-wing was acquired from the San Jose Sharks in a midseason trade. In 43 games with the Oilers, Kane has scored 22 goals and registered 17 assists. Kane has been instrumental in the Oilers’ postseason run, scoring 13 goals and putting up 4 assists in 15 postseason games.

The Tampa Bay Lightning‘s celebrations after their second consecutive Stanley Cup victory resulted in a damaged trophy. The incident occurred during Tampa Bay’s boat parade, resulting in the trophy being sent north to Montreal for repair.

The 128 year-old trophy has been damaged before such as in 2018 when the Washington Capitals did “cup stands” while celebrating their first-ever Stanley Cup in franchise history. The cup is believed to be ready for the players’ summer of Stanley, a summer full of celebration with the cup that they were unable to enjoy after their last championship win due to the pandemic.

The Lightning’s second boat parade in 10 months showcased the city’s desire to celebrate. Unlike the first parade, the global pandemic’s burden was nonexistent, allowing thousands of fans to gather.

This years parade took place five days after the Lightning’s series victory versus the Montreal Canadiens, which took just five games. The scene was the opposite of last year’s celebration as the team no longer had to play in front of an empty arena due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Fans enjoyed the parade on their own boats/watercrafts and received an up-close view of the boats carrying Lightning players and coaches. Celebrations downtown were delayed for over an hour as a massive thunderstorm traveled through the area. Lightning owner, Jeff Vinik, as well as the players, took the podium eventually to address the fans, even in the poor weather conditions.

The excitement within the team was on full display despite the conditions, as Yanni Gourde slid across the stage and coach Jon Cooper joined players in interacting with the fans.

Playoff MVP Andrei Vasilevskiy got a rise out of the drenched crowd when he thrust the Conn Smythe Trophy onto his head.

The parade marked the third time in 10 months that Tampa Bay was able to celebrate a professional sports championship, utilizing a special parade system designed to allow the Lightning and Tampa Bay Buccaneers a method to celebrate their accomplishments with fans during the pandemic.

The Buccaneers celebrated with thousands of fans downtown five months ago after winning their first Super Bowl in 18 years. The celebration taking place in February was a dream come true after the team’s phenomenal performance led by Tom Brady.

The Buccaneers’ parade also involved excitement with the trophy as Brady shocked the fans by throwing the Lombardi Trophy from one boat to another.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are champions of the NHL for a second straight year, defeating the Canadiens in five games. The momentous feat was recognized by analysts and personalities across Twitter, who acknowledged the incredible nature of this 2021 Stanley Cup victory.

Tampa Bay had won a staggering 62 games in 2018-19 before being swept by the Blue Jackets in the first round. Since then, the Lightning have effectively been untouchable in the playoffs. Pierre LeBrun, a staff member of The Athletic, highlighted this: “The 62-win Lightning of 2018-19 got swept by Columbus in the first round. Since then, Tampa Bay has won eight straight playoff series, never trailed in a series, never lost back-to-back playoff games en route to winning back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. That’s something.”

The Stanley Cup win could not have been accomplished without the stalwart effort in the cage by Andrei Vasilevskiy. Vasilevskiy won the Conn Smyth Trophy, only allowing eight goals through the five games against Montreal.

Many mused that Tampa purposely lost their fourth game in Montreal, so they could seal the Stanley Cup victory in Tampa Bay in the fifth matchup. Once this came true, Tampa Bay Mayor Jane Castor claimed she was the one who spurred this happening. “Now didn’t I tell you all that winning at home would feel great?!” she tweeted.

With the win, the Lightning are looking to become the first team since the 1980-1983 Islanders to win the Stanley Cup at least three straight times.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are off to a very strong start in their title defense, and it’s thanks to Nikita Kucherov. The Lightning star continued his spectacular postseason, recording two goals and an assist in a 5-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday night. All of Kucherov’s points came in the third period, breaking the game open for Tampa Bay.

“That’s one of the best players in the world,” said Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, who was set up by Kucherov on the power play for Tampa Bay’s final goal. “He’s playing like a beast right now. He’s so, so good.”

While there were concerns over Kucherov’s health just last week, the star downplayed them the entire time,  going as far as saying, “There was no injury. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Head coach John Cooper even implied Kucherov might miss Game 7 against the Islanders last round, but thankfully he was able to suit up for the series finale against the Islanders, before dominating the Canadiens in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup. Cooper’s tone was different this week. “Guys are battling through injuries; it’s kind of an inspiration to others, and so it’s uplifting, watching what guys fight through, especially at this time of year,” he said. “And [Kucherov is] doing that and clearly he was rewarded for it tonight and in how he played and some of the results. It’s Finals time, and everybody’s playing banged up and fortunately for this group, why we probably had some success because everybody’s fighting through it.”

Kucherov has already reached 30 points in only 19 playoff games. The only player to reach that mark faster over the past 25 years was Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin in 2009. Kucherov is also running away with the playoff scoring race. The next closest player is teammate Brayden Point, who has 23 points. It has been all the more impressive since Kucherov spent the entire regular season sidelined as he rehabbed from a hip surgery in late December.

“It was tough mentally not being able to play, but that’s all in the past,” Kucherov said Monday. “I’m just really enjoying the moment and happy to be with the boys and just excited to play in the Final.”

Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final is slated to be played in Tampa Bay on Wednesday night before the series shifts north of the border to Montreal.

For the first time since 1993, the Montreal Canadiens have a chance to hoist Lord Stanley’s cup. With an overtime victory over the Knights in Game 6, the Canadiens clinched a spot in the NHL Stanley Cup. An Atturi Lehkonen one-timer off a cross-ice feed sealed the victory for Montreal.

The Canadiens are the last Canadian team to claim victory in the Stanley Cup final; since then, every team north of the border that has reached the final plateau over the past 28 years has failed to defeat their opponent. Ironically, the Canadiens had the worst regular-season record of any playoff team, and yet they are the first team to clinch a spot in the final round.

Interim head coach Luke Richardson noted the excitement of his players at this opportunity. “It’s hard to put into words how proud we are of them, but they deserve it and they’re not done yet,” he said. “Like, they still have fire in their eyes, they’re already talking about it.”

The victory held even greater significance as it was on the same day as Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, one of Quebec’s most significant holidays.

The road to the Stanley Cup has been unique for the Canadiens. They overcame a 3-1 series deficit against the Canucks in the first round, then swept a strong Winnipeg team. Montreal lost one of its top defensemen in the first game of the semifinals against the Knights, had limited fans due to COVID-19, and was without their head coach due to a positive COVID-19 test.

Captain Shea Weber, a longtime veteran of the league, will finally play in his first Stanley Cup Final. He will play in front of goaltender Carey Price, a shining star on the Canadiens during this playoff run. He has turned in a .934 save percentage, alongside a 12-5 record. Offensively, the Canadiens have a fantastic, young core of goalscorers, with 14 goals being scored by players on the team younger than 21.

The Canadiens await the winner of Game 7 in the series between the Lightning and the Islanders.

One of the NHL’s grittiest defenseman is calling it quits after 15 seasons.

Brooks Orpik, the 18th overall pick of the 2000 NHL Draft, played 1,035 career regular season games between the Pittsburgh Penguins and most recently the Washington Capitals. Orpik finishes his career after 194 career points consisting of 18 goals and 176 assists. Orpik also ends his career as a two-time Stanley Cup winner, in 2009 with the Penguins and 2018 with the Capitals.

https://twitter.com/collegehockey/status/1143509176682987521

“I’ve been extremely lucky to have the best job in the world for many years, but my body is telling me it is time to move on to something new,” said Orpik in an interview with the Capitals. “I’m excited for more family time and to experience a lot of the things that being a professional athlete forces you to miss out on. Thank you to the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins for giving me the opportunity to play against the best athletes in the world. I’ll be forever grateful for the memories and relationships that hockey has given me.”

SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019- TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

https://twitter.com/Capitals/status/1143504415887962112

Orpik spent the first ten seasons of his career with the Penguins from 2004-2014. Orpik’s leadership became quickly evident as he became an alternate captain in 2008, just four years after making the NHL. Orpik’s leadership is one of the main reasons why the Capitals offered him a five-year, $27.5 million contract during the 2014 offseason.

Orpik’s veteran presence and leadership helped the Capitals capture their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. Orpik’s veteran presence was on full display during Game 2 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights when Orpik scored the game-winning goal to tie the series up at 1-1. It was Orpik’s first goal in over two years.

When asked about Orpik’s retirement, Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin said, “Batya was a great leader in our locker room and was so important for us to win our first Stanley Cup. We will miss his presence in the room and on the ice. Not only was he a great leader and a player, but he was a better person. I’m so happy I had a chance to play with him and for our young guys to have had the chance to learn from him. I want to wish him, Erin and his kids the best. We will miss him and the Batya protein shakes!”

For the first time since 2011, the Stanley Cup Finals will be going to a Game 7. The Boston Bruins will be hosting the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday at the TD Garden, with the Bruins hoping to lift their seventh Stanley Cup, while the Blues are seeking their first  trophy in franchise history.

Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara is set to break the record Wednesday for most game sevens played in career with 14, thus passing Patrick Roy and Scott Stevens. The Bruins are riding off the back of goalie Tuukka Rask, who will most likely win MVP if the Bruins were to pull off the Game 7 win. Rask has played as many games as any goalie in a playoff year with 23, with the best save percentage, with .938 besides former Bruins goalie Tim Thomas, who played 25 games in the 2011 postseason when the Bruins won their last Stanley Cup, posting a .940 save percentage. The Bruins hold a deadly starting front line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak, who will all give this Blues defense a run for their money.

Oddly enough, The Blues may favor playing on the road as they are 9-3 on the road this postseason. They’ve won twice at TD Garden as they seem to favor the challenge away from home. The key for the Blues has to be rookie goalie Jordan Binnington. After taking the starting role in January, he has shown that he can be that colossal force that holds the Blues together. Like the Bruins with Rask, the Blues will need to ride off of Binnington’s performance in Game 7 in order to win. Up front, Ryan O’Reilly extends his scoring streak, with four goals in his last three games. Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is also a major key for the Blues, as he has tallied 15 assists this postseason.

SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019 – IN MEMORIAM SLIDESHOW

Oddsmakers believe home ice still remains a major factor, as the Bruins are -165 favorites, but it remains a toss-up as the Blues favor being on the road. The under will be favorited as well, as both goalies will surely be in lock-down mode ahead of the biggest games of their career.

Game 7 will be hosted in Boston and broadcasted on NBC at 8:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday night.

The Stanley Cup Finals is going to a Game 7 after the Boston Bruins leveled the series 3-3 against the St. Louis Blues. The final game will be played Wednesday at TD Garden in Boston after the Bruins beat the Blues 5-1 in Game 6 at Enterprise Stadium.

The Blues had an opportunity to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history on their home ice, but the Bruins denied that, forcing the Blues to come to Boston in order to win it. Goalie Tuukka Rask wouldn’t let the Bruins fold, making 28 total saves including a save he caught behind his back. It felt as though the entire city of St. Louis was there to see their team lift their first cup, with over 30,000 fans pushing their team to a hot start, until Rask denied them of that.

“We killed that penalty in the first period. That’s huge,” Rask said, according to ESPN. “Last time we were here, they scored 30 seconds in. Obviously you don’t want that to happen again. We weathered the storm pretty good and then got the lead. It was a great start.”

The Blues went 0-4 in power play this game, making them 1-18 this finals series in their power play. The Bruins rode off Rask’s performance in net.

“He just steps up when it matters, and we have all the faith in the world in him, and to see him play the way that he did, it’s really not a surprise to us,” defender Charlie McAvoy said about Rask, according to ESPN. “We just believe in him so much, and we know the kind of person and player he is. He’s our rock.”

Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak led the Bruins from the front, each tallying a goal and an assist. Brandon Carlo, Zdeno Chara and Karson Kuhlman scored for the Bruins as well. Ryan O’Reilly scored a constellation goal for the Blues after the Bruins scored four in the 3rd period.

This series is the first time since 2011 that a Stanley Cup series is going to seven games, with the Bruins beating Vancouver in a seven game series. The Bruins will have a chance to repeat history, while the Blues will be looking to lift their first cup in their franchise.

The St. Louis Blues took a crucial Game 5 win away from home at the TD Garden to take a 3-2 lead over the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final. The Blues are now one win away from lifting the franchises’ first ever Stanley Cup in its 52-year-old history. Game 5 was the most tense of the series so far, as the final score was just 2-1, the lowest scoring game of the finals. No goal was scored during the first period, but Center Ryan O’Reilly broke the deadlock in the second period.

The Bruins had a dramatic lift in motivation as their veteran defenseman Zdeno Chara started the game despite reportedly breaking his jaw in Game 4. The Blues seemed to have an even bigger lift of confidence, as throughout the game rookie Goalie Jordan Binnington refused to be scored on.

Bruins fans will feel hard done by in this one from the referees, as the Blues took the go-ahead second goal following a controversial no-call after Bruins’ Noel Acciari was tripped. The Bruins were understandably enraged with the no-call, as even the Blues’ forward was anticipating a penalty call.

The Bruins will feel unlucky with some of the decisions, but regardless, they lacked an offensive threat this game. Binnington showed up to play as he had 38 total saves. Even for a veteran that’s impressive, but for a rookie, well his teammates summed up his performance perfectly.

“It wasn’t our best game of the series, but sometimes your goalie needs to make some big saves to change the momentum and he did that,” said Alex Pietrangelo, according to USA Today. “On this stage. Rookie goalie. That’s pretty impressive.”

Binnington did give up a goal in the third, scored by Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk. They had time to comeback, with around 10 minutes still left in the third. The Blues’ defense buckled down, as they have time and time before during this playoff run of theirs.

The momentum is with the Blues as they are going back home, where they have a chance to lift the cup in six games. Game 6 is Sunday at 8:00 EST at the Enterprise Stadium.

The Boston Bruins ran a clinic in Missouri for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Saturday against the St. Louis Blues, winning 7-2. The Bruins now have a 2-1 series advantage going into Monday’s Game 4 at the Enterprise Stadium.

The Blues’ lack of experience in this Stanley Cup Finals shows, as they are letting their emotions get the best of them. Before the finals, during the postseason, the Blues were the least penalized team in the tournament. In Game 3, the Blues committed 14 penalties, allowing the Bruins to go a man up four times throughout the entirety of the game. The Bruins capitalized as well, successfully scoring each time the Blues were down a man.

“I think that we could definitely be more composed after the whistle. I think we’ve let some frustration get in there where we maybe do too much after the whistle, so we’ll clean that up for sure,” Blues’ head coach Craig Berube said, according to the NHL’s official website. “But like I said, we were the least-penalized team in the League coming into this series. I don’t agree with all of the calls.”

The Bruins continue their unbeaten run in the postseason at St. Louis. After Game 3, The Bruins are now 5-0 in all-time games agains the Blues in the postseason at Enterprise Stadium.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

The Blues will have their center Oskar Sundqvist back in Game 4 after being suspended in Game 2 following a hit on the Bruins’ Matt Grzelcyk on the glass. Having Sundqvist back will be helpful for the Blues, but their top concern will be keeping all five guys on the ice at once. The Blues seem to only be hurting themselves as when they have a full team out there, they’ve outscored the Bruins 6-5 at 5-on-5 in the first three games of the series.

The Blues’ depth remains a helpful contributing factor, as 19 different players have scored for them this season. The Bruins will attempt to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series before coming back home to the TD Garden on Thursday.

After the St. Louis Blues won their first Stanley Cup finals game in franchise history, they travel back home to St. Louis for Game 3 at the Enterprise Stadium. With the series tied 1-1, the Blues could take a series advantage at home against the Boston Bruins.

The Bruins have never lost a postseason game in St. Louis (4-0), but the Blues look solid as ever with an incredible amount of depth, as last game at the TD Garden, the Blues had their 19th different player score for them this postseason. Defenseman Carl Gunnarsson scored his first career playoff goal to help the Blues win in Overtime in Game 2.

“Our depth is tremendous on the back end and up front, Blues’ head coach Craig Berube said, according to FOX St. Louis.”We use everybody. It’s been very important.”

Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist had a hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player’s Safety after his hit on Bruins’ Matt Grzelcyk that took him out of the remainder of the game and was sent to the hospital. Sundqvist has been suspended for Game 3. Grzelcyk is in concussion protocol and didn’t travel with the team to St. Louis.

“It’s from behind, elevated, into his head, into the glass,” former Blues captain David Backes said, according to FOX St. Louis. “If that’s a two-minute penalty, I think there’s going to be a shortage of defensemen in this series by the end of it. That’s in somebody else’s hands. That’s something I think if I’m making that hit, I’m probably watching from the bleachers for a few.”

Boston remains has favorites as they have the personnel and the experience. The Bruins franchise is looking for their seventh Stanley Cup trophy, and leaders Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak each have over 15 points this postseason.

Game 3 is Saturday at the Enterprise Stadium at 8:00 EST. Game 4 is also hosted in St. Louis before both teams travel back to Boston for Game 5.

The St. Louis Blues won their first Stanley Cup Finals game in franchise history on Wednesday night at the TD Garden against the Boston Bruins. The last time the Blues were in the finals, 49 years ago, they were swept by the Bruins, leaving them winless. The Blues defeated the Bruins 3-2 in an overtime golden goal in Wednesday’s Game 2 that saw Craig Berube and his Blues achieve their first ever finals win while tying up the series 1-1.

Game 2 was a blood-boiling, physically aggressive matchup, as Oskar Sundqvist of the Blues rammed Bruins’ Matt Grzelcyk into the glass, taking him out the rest of the game. Bruins’ Connor Clifton high-sticked Tyler Bozak, leaving his face bloodied, but returned after being patched up during the intermission period. Grzelcyk, who was knocked by Sundqvist, was taken to the hospital during the game, and his evaluation has yet to be announced. Sundqvist will have a hearing with the NHL board of Player’s Safety Department on Thursday regarding the hit. The Blues racked up 50 hits on the Bruins, compared to Boston’s 31.

“They’re aggressive, they’re big, they hit well and we’re a big team and we hit, so there’s going to be a lot of chirping, a lot of hitting going, a lot of scrums,” Blues forward Patrick Maroon said, according to USA Today. “We’ve just got to continue hitting, that’s our team.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

The Bruins didn’t look like themselves at times, especially their top line, as Brad Marchand had a significant mistake on his side of the ice that the Blues’ Vladimir Tarasenko capitalized on to make it 2-2, sending it to overtime. Defender Carl Gunnarsson sealed the game for the Blues after dominating the Bruins in OT, as the Bruins played with five defenseman after losing Grzelcyk earlier in the first period of the game.

For the first time in three seasons, there was an overtime game in the Stanley Cup Finals. In 2016, the San Jose Sharks beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in OT of the Stanley Cup Finals Game 3. The Penguins went on to beat the Sharks in Game 6.

With the Blues stealing a game away from home, the Bruins could be at a disadvantage traveling to St. Louis for games three and four. Game 3 will be played Saturday at 8:00 p.m. EST at Enterprise Stadium.

With the Stanley Cup Final due to begin Monday, May 27, 2019 both the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues hope to give this NHL season the finale it deserves. Nearly all teams’ stories leading up to the Stanley Cup Final often stand as ones saturated with ingredients exclusive to that specific team. Conference champions Boston and St. Louis stand as no outlier to this concept. With intriguing elements tied to each team, each club’s path contains inspiring and unique factors, both increasingly vital to their organization’s success.

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During this year’s run the Blues truly showed their respective franchises what heart and resiliency are all about. Nobody other than those within the St. Louis organization expected their Blues to one day take the ice in the Stanley Cup Final during the season’s early days, as the Blues owned the league’s worst record during January. After firing former head coach Mike Yeo and the emergence of Jordan Binnington, St. Louis experienced a sensational turnaround, eventually climbing into a third place spot in the the Central Division. Although St. Louis’s actions to improve the team appeared somewhat straight–forward, those within the organization’s ability to continue to play tough hockey amidst the season’s darkest days speaks to this team’s character and overall toughness. If St. Louis can continue their gritty run come Monday, they may indeed hear “Gloria” blast through their earphones, radios, and Amazon echoes four more times and hoist the Stanley Cup.

Lacing up their skates opposite the Blues stands the Bruins. Accepting somewhat of a villain role, as most Boston teams have amidst the city’s recent success across all major sports, Boston will look to silence the Blues and stop them from earning their first ever Stanley Cup. David Backes fills a revenge roll for Boston, as the former Blues captain will square off against a team he devoted ten years of his career to. Also with something to prove Boston’s goalie Tuukka Rash will look to defend well during the final, as the Boston goalie has fallen victim to scrutiny regarding his performance during clutch moments despite his excellence thus far during the post season. With no bigger stage than the Stanley Cup Final, look for Rash to change his perception amongst Boston writers.

As each team brings rare yet exciting segments to the ice, the teams continue to build an entertaining prologue to what should be an entertaining series.  Game one will introduce the two parties in the TD Garden Monday night at 8 p.m. EST.

Tuesday night at Enterprise Stadium, a game seven, was decided in double overtime. Nerves were at an all-time high in St. Louis. The Blues eliminated the Dallas Stars. The Stars fought back to bring it to overtime, and continued to grind through to a double overtime.

Earlier in the series, the Star’s defenders Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Alex Radulov performed to their best as they carried their team throughout this series. In game seven though, the defense wasn’t exactly up to their usual standards. The only goal for the Stars was scored by Mats Zuccarello.

In game six, Alex Pietrangelo scored the third-quickest goal in an elimination game at just 1:03.

The Stars were pinned deep into their half for the majority of the match, buckling down defensively, preventing all they could to hold the Blues. The Stars needed grit and strength to finish strongly the way they were playing. They were against the ropes for a majority of the match. The shot differential was one of the main stat lines of the night, with the Stars getting outshout 31-4 in regular time. In total, the Blues shot the puck 52 times, compared to the Stars 22 shots.

“That’s kinda been the story of the season. When our backs are against the wall we play our best and find a way to fight through it,” Blues winger Robert Thomas told ESPN.

There are now two teams in the conference finals (Blues) entering the Stanley Cup playoffs with 300-1 odds, and the Carolina Hurricanes, with 100-1 odds, proving that the Stanley Cup continues to be one of the most unpredictable tournaments in American sports.

The Washington Capitals are still over the moon after winning their first-ever Stanley Cup last Thursday and, led by their 32-year-old Russian captain Alex Ovechkin, they celebrated with a parade on Tuesday.

Capitals Celebrate Stanley Cup Title

Tens of thousands of fans attended the celebration, according to several reports, as the Caps’ victory over the expansion franchise Vegas Golden Knights marked Washington’s first major professional sports championship in 26 years (since the Redskins last won the Super Bowl).

According to The Washington Post, dozens of profanity-laced screams filled the streets, gallons of beer were consumed and many fans even sung Queen’s “We Are The Champions.”

“We had a dream,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz said, quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “And we did it.”

Ovechkin, meanwhile, encouraged the fans to stay rowdy.

“You thought it was gonna be crazy but it’s basically nuts,” Ovechkin told the team’s fans. “You guys are killing it.”

Ovechkin announced just last week that he is expecting his first child with his wife Anastasia. On Tuesday, he encouraged the crowd to join the Capitals in singing “We Are The Champions,” a song that has become a favorite of the team’s.

Ovechkin has played with the Capitals since one year after he entered the NHL as the first overall draft pick in 2004. The winger reportedly has carried the Stanley Cup trophy with him everywhere since winning it. He even posted photos of himself sleeping next to it and holding it while taking a picture with White House advisers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.

“We’re absolutely nothing without you guys,” center and alternate captain Nicklas Backstrom told the crowd. “Finally, we started playing hockey like we can party.”

Some cars were seen carrying banners that read: “Ovechkin for President.”

Ovechkin and Capitals goalie Braden Holtby also made an appearance on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring jimmy Fallon to discuss the celebrations and — along with Belmont Stakes/Triple Crown-winning jockey Mike Smith — drank out of the Stanley Cup on the show. Holtby and Ovechkin even helped Fallon do a keg stand to drink out of the cup.

The D.C. Fire Department Emerald Society Pipes and Drums played “God Bless America” at the parade.