The Stanley Cup is set as the Chicago Blackhawks get ready to take on the Boston Bruins to determine who will be the 2013 Stanley Cup Champions. This will be the first Original Six Stanley Cup Final since 1979 as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the New York Rangers in five games. The Blackhawks are the #1 seed out of the Western Conference and the Bruins are the #4 seed out of the Eastern Conference.
The shortened regular season due to the lockout was most noted by the great streak of the Chicago Blackhawks lasting 24 straight games to open up the regular season with scoring at least one point which was marked by the best start in NHL history.
Both of these teams are coming off of short series as the Bruins swept the #1 seeded Pittsburgh Penguins in four games in the Eastern Conference Finals and the Blackhawks defeated the defending Stanley Cup Champions Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference Finals. Patrick Kane scored the game winning goal to win 4-3 in overtime, resulting in a hat-trick. Gregory Campbell, center for the Boston Bruins is out for the postseason with a broken leg, however he was able to finish a penalty-kill shift with a broken leg in a Game 3 victory over the Penguins.
Tuukka Rask was outstanding in the series against the Penguins for the Bruins, only allowing two goals in the entire series as the Bruins held Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin without a point.
Bruins and the Blackhawks haven't lacked any drama in the postseason. In the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, the Bruins were down 4-1 to the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 with 10 minutes to go in the third period, but a remarkable comeback was held by the Bruins scoring three goals in the final 10 minutes to send the game into overtime. The Bruins became the first team in NHL history to win a Game 7 after trailing by three goals in the third period. Patrice Bergeron scored the game winning goal in overtime to send the Bruins to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Blackhawks then were down three games to one against their rival Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference Semifinals, but Chicago showed why they won the Presidents' Trophy by winning three straight games to move on to the Western Conference Finals.
This year's Stanley Cup Playoffs have been memorable as the first round of the playoffs set an NHL record with 17 out of 47 opening-round games went into overtime.
How the teams got here:
-Blackhawks defeated the Minnesota Wild in five games in the Western Conference Quarterfinals, Detroit Red Wings in 7 games in the Western Conference Semifinals, and Los Angeles Kings in five games in the Western Conference Finals.
-Bruins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, New York Rangers in five games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, and the Pittsburgh Penguins in four games in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Game 1 of the best-of-seven series starts on Wednesday at 8:00 ET in Chicago. Here is the series schedule:
Game 1: Wednesday in Chicago, 8:00 ET on NBC
Game 2: Saturday in Chicago, 8:00 ET on NBC Sports Network
Game 3: June 17th in Boston, 8:00 ET on NBC Sports Network
Game 4: June 19th in Boston, 8:00 ET on NBC
Game 5: June 22nd in Chicago, 8:00 ET on NBC (If needed)
Game 6: June 24th in Boston, 8:00 ET on NBC (If needed)
Game 7: June 26th in Chicago, 8:00 ET on NBC (If needed)
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