Getty Tyler Bozak #21 of the St. Louis Blues celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal on Martin Jones #31 of the San Jose Sharks during the third period in Game Six of the Western Conference Finals during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The 2019 NHL Playoffs was pretty nutty early. Every division champ lost in the 1st Round, including last year’s Stanley Cup winner the Washington Capitals (in 7 games to Carolina). In total, just 3 higher seeds advanced to the next round.
The conference semifinals were more conventional, but aside from a Hurricanes sweep over the Islanders, it was very competitive. The Bruins finally put away the bottom-seeded Blue Jackets after 6 games. In the West, the Blues and Sharks outlasted the Stars and Avalanche is respective Game 7’s.
The Bruins ousted the Hurricanes in just four games, while the Blues harpooned the Sharks in six games, with a decisive 5-1 decision in Game 6 in St. Louis. This sets up a Bruins vs. Blues Stanley Cup Finals.
The Blues last went to the finals in 1970 led by Hall of Fame college coach Red Berenson. The Bruins won the Finals in 2011. Let’s take a look at the matchup.
Stanley Cup Finals NHL Playoff Schedule
Note: Tentative times and dates are listed below with all information courtesy of Sports Media Watch. These are subject to change.
- May 27: St. Louis Blues at Boston Bruins (8 p.m. EST, NBC)
- May 29: St. Louis Blues at Boston Bruins (8 p.m. EST, NBCSN)
- June 1: Boston Bruins at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. EST, NBCSN)
- June 3: Boston Bruins at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. EST, NBC)
- June 6: St. Louis Blues at Boston Bruins (8 p.m. EST, NBC)*
- June 9: Boston Bruins at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. EST, NBC)*
- June 12: St. Louis Blues at Boston Bruins (8 p.m. EST, NBC)*
*If necessary
Stanley Cups Finals Predictions & Pick
St. Louis went 21-13-7 away from Enterprise Center during the regular season. Meanwhile, Boston went 20-15-6 outside of the Beantown. The Bruins, meanwhile, are simply dominant at home, going 29-9-3 during the regular season.
The Blues were just the No. 15 scoring offense in the league during the regular-season, as compared to San Jose’s 11th-ranked unit.
This puts on onus on goalie play. St. Louis will send out Jordan Binnington, who ceded just 1.89 goals per game during the regular season. Those numbers have gone up in the playoffs to 2.44. Boston’s Tukka Rusk is ceding just 1.84 goals per contest.
Brad Marchand (18 points) and David Pastrnak (15) outdo the Blues’ top threats in Jaden Schwartz (16), Vladimir Tarasenko (12), and Alex Pietrangelo (12). The Bruins have four other scorers that either match or outdo the Blues next best scorers at 12 points.
Boston’s combination of goaltending and versatile scoring will make the Blues well…blue.
Boston in 6