2024 Stanley Cup Finals

 The 2024 Stanley Cup finals between the Eastern Conference Champion Florida Panthers and the Western Conference Champion Edmonton Oilers looked to be a trouncing by the Panthers.  The Oilers went down 3-0 and then they showed up to make a series out of it with 2 great wins and it now stands at 3-2 with the Final headed back to Edmonton for a HUGE game 6.   The Panthers l0ost in the 2023 Final to the Vegas Golden Knights are looking to win their first Stanley Cup.  The Oilers who last were in the Final in 2006 where they lost to the surprising Carolina Hurricanes, are going for their first Stanley Cup Final series win since 1990 when Mark Messier led the team to victory over the Boston Bruins. 

 

The Stanley Cup

Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach Punch Imlach enjoys a glass of champagne to toast his Stanley Cup Winning Leafs.

1933 Stanley Cup Finals

The 1933 Stanley Cup Final saw the Toronto Maple Leafs meet the New York Rangers in a rematch of the 1932 Finals which the Leafs swept the Rangers 3 games 0.

In 1933 the Rangers won their 2nd Stanley Cup with a 3 games to 1 series win.

Bill Cook of the Rangers became the first player to score a Cup-winning goal in overtime.  This won game 4 1-0.

Here is a film made of game 4, now some of this does look staged but its a great peek at NHL hockey in 1933 and the Stanley Cup finals

Stanley Cup Celebration

Day with The Cup (The Original Stanley Cup)

The Stanley Cup Caretaker Phil Pritchard on The Dan Patrick Show

today May 2nd 2013

Happy Birthday Bobby Clarke

Today is the 62nd birthday of Philadelphia Flyers legend Bobby Clarke.
 He retired from active on ice play after the 1983-84 season and at the time was 4th all time in assist and 11th in points scored, he has since moved down to 24th in assist and 42nd in points.  His plus/minus rating is still 5th all time with +506.

He was the NHL MVP (Hart Trophy) in 1973,1975 and 1976 and he won the Frank Selke Trophy for best defensive forward in 1983.
He is biggest on ice triumph came in 1974 and 1975 as he led the Philadelphia Flyers to back to back Stanley Cup Championships.
He holds the Flyers record for most assist in a season with 89, which he did in 1974-75 and 1975-76 seasons.

Philadelphia retired his #16 in 1984 and named the trophy for the MVP of the Flyers, the Bobby Clarke Trophy.
In 1987 he was a first ballot inductee in to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Today in Hockey History - 1982

Today in 1982 was game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the 2 time defending cup champion New York Islanders and the Vancouver Canucks in their first Stanley Cup finals.

At the end of the 1981-82 regular season it seemed a foregone conclusion the Islanders would face the Edmonton Oilers and their record setting captain Wayne Gretzky for the Stanley Cup. Gretzky had set new records for goals (92), assist (120) and total points (212). His closest challenger was Islanders captain Mike Bossy who had 147 points.
The LA Kings had other ideas about the Finals, they came into the playoffs the 8th out of 8 playoff teams and were given little hope to stop the scoring juggernaut in Edmonton. However the Oilers got overconfident and on April 10th it was game 3 of the first round best of 5 between the host LA Kings and Oilers. In what became known as the Miracle on Manchester the Kings went down 5-0 before launching the greatest comeback in NHL playoff history. The Oilers ran roughshod over the seemingly outmatched Kings all season but in game 1 the Kings outgunned them 10-8 before dropping a 3-2 game 2. The series moved to LA for game 3 and Edmonton jumped all over the Kings and went into the 3rd period up 5-0 and then it happened, the Kings started to find the back of then and with only 5 seconds on the clock Steve Bozak tied the game at 5 and sent it into overtime. In that OT forward Daryl Evans sent a slapshot that just eluded the glove of Oiler goalie Grant Fuhr and sent the LA crowd into hysterics and a roar that nearly tore the roof off the Forum. With the Kings up 2-1 the Oilers fought back to win game 4 but just ran out of steam and lost game 5 to complete the biggest upset in playoffs history.

After that win the Kings fell 4 games to one against the Vancouver team on its way to the finals. Vancouver then dispatched the Chicago Blackhawks 4 games to 1 for the Campbell Conference Title.

The Islanders also struggled in their opening series against the 8th place Pittsburgh Penguins. The easily won games 1 and 2 before stumbling in Pittsburgh and losing games 3 and 4. They had score 2 goals to force OT in game 5 and finally dispatched the Penguins 3-2. This was the only misstep for the defending champs as they cruised past the Rangers 4-2, and beat the Quebec Nordiques 4-0 for the Prince of Wales Conference Title. In the Finals they outmanned the Vancouver Canucks to sweep to them 4-0 and win their 3rd consecutive Stanley Cup Championship.



Mike Bossy won the Conn Smythe Trophy as Finals MVP with 7 goals in the four games.

Today in Hockey History

1927 - Stanley Cup: Ottawa Senators beat Boston Bruins, in 2 games & 2 ties

1940 - Stanley Cup: New York Rangers beat Toronto Maple Leafs, 4 games to 2

1944 - Stanley Cup: Montreal Canadiens sweep Chicago Blackhawks in 4 games

1996 - Ottawa Senators eliminate Stanley Cup Champs New Jersey Devils from playoffs

1997 - Hartford Whalers last NHL game