In the past 25 years we have seen very few Stanley Cup final rematches come to fruition. That could all change this time around.
With a 2-1 series lead over The Boston Bruins, The Habs have a chance to make it to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2010. A feat they haven’t reached since their 1992-1993 Stanley cup win over Wayne Gretzky and the LA Kings. A team they just might face if all goes according to plan for Michel Therrien and company.
After three gruelling games against the President trophy winners, they are on top and look to take a commanding 3-1 lead Thursday night in Montreal. With exceptional work from PK Subban, stellar goaltending in Carey Price and an all around dominant four line effort, Hab’s fans can taste the end of this bloodbath, even if they only are up by one game.
After blowing leads in all three contests, they managed to hold on in their last outing. Something Coach Therrien has strived for all spring. With a “business” mentality, the Canadiens have Boston right where they want them. With Dale Weise’s Lucic impression, Carey Price doing his best Patrick Roy impersonation and PK Subban warning people to not “poke the bear”. Montreal has managed to do something no other team has done all season, get into the Bruin’s heads. If they keep this amazing team effort up the Eastern Conference final should be a breeze, and they will be one step closer to that Cup final.
If a 1993 Stanley Cup rematch is on the horizon, their opponent won’t have to change much.
The Kings have showed they are among hockey’s elite as they crawled back from the grips of defeat to knock off the San Jose Sharks, and now have what seems to be a stranglehold on their opponents, The Anaheim Ducks. Up 2-0 in the series and heading back home, they will be looking to add one more nail into the coffin of the talented Ducks team.
After allowing 12 goals on 68 shots in the first two games of these playoffs, Jonathan Quick has regained his mojo he so willingly displayed only a few years back while winning the Conn Smythe en route to Lord Stanley. With world class goalkeeping, it’s hard to imagine that LA will be on the outside looking in, this June. Completing a quick series (no pun intended) would be ideal for this Kings team who would need as much rest as possible for the next round where they will face either a dark horse, high octane Minnesota Wild team or the reigning Cup Champs, The Chicago Blackhawks.
While most have The ‘Hawks pegged to advance, LA will be ready for anything and anyone in their way.
Don’t doubt for a second that this is all wrapped up with a pretty bow either. It’s very early to tell who will reign supreme in both Conferences, and history is not on this glorious encounters side. Since 1990, only once have we witnessed a rematch of previous cup contenders. It happened in back to back years, when The Detroit Red Wings faced off against the Pittsburgh Penguins, resulting in an exchange of series wins.
I do believe that anything can happen, and as an avid hockey fan, I can’t imagine the amazing games we would see, if Montreal and LA were to meet up in the finals.
It’s a matchup for the ages, with eerily similar resemblances. Both teams have top goaltenders, who some consider to be ranked 1a, 1b in the world currently. Each team has their star D-man (Doughty, Subban). Captains on both sides are American and have one ring each. All four lines in each club produce every night, the list goes on. The question now is, can LA keep up their postseason dominance, and will Montreal continue their surprising but expected playoff run? Only time will tell.
All that can be said for sure, is that every hockey fan, young and old, would be in awe at the fantastic matchup that could be. There will be no Wayne Gretzky or Patrick Roy, but each side has their fare share of superstars who can and will create something vey magical.
