Will Kelley and Kel MacDowell
Staff Writers
The 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs have been one of the best we have seen in years. Quick skating, hard shots, bone crushing hits, and fast pace place have all made for an exciting playoffs. Every year, 16 teams enter the playoffs but only two will end up in the Stanley Cup Final. This year, from the Eastern Conference, it’s the Boston Bruins, a big body size and playoff experienced team.
The Bruins were the Stanley Cup champions in 1929, 1939, 1941, 1970, 1972, and 2011. From the Western Conference, the St. Louis Blues are coming into the finals for the first time since 1970. The underdogs have also never won nor played for the Stanley Cup before. The Blues are a smaller team but have very quick skating and excellent shooters on the team such as Jaden Schwartz, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Ryan O’Reilly. The Blues captain, Alex Pietrangelo, is a solid defenseman that can play both ways and is the core of their team.
On the other hand, Bruins captain, 39 year old Zdeno Chara is one of the most experienced players in the entire league and stands at an astonishing 6”9. They also have the most hated player in the NHL, Brad Marchand, who is an animal at getting in his opponent’s heads. The Bruins are not new to the Cup Finals and look to win another championship.
The series without a doubt will be a nail biting head to head matchup that will start out in Boston, Massachusetts and then head to St. Louis, Missouri for game 3 and four and so on. The location of games five, six, and seven are to be determined if necessary. The battle between the Blues and Bruins is set to be one for the ages as each team is coming in with their own skill sets, and one hoping to best the other.
