2019 Stanley Cup Finals

The 2019 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) 2018–19 season and also the culmination of this 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Western Conference champion St. Louis Blues defeated the Eastern Conference champion Boston Bruins four games to three to win their first championship, in their 51st period of drama (not including the 2004–05 lockout), finishing the next longest championship drought in league history. The Bruins had home-ice benefit in this best-of-seven playoff series with the better regular season record. The show started on May 27 and concluded on June 12. [1] Their Stanley Cup–winning streak of 26 playoff games tied the 2014 Los Angeles Kings for the longest of any Stanley Cup–winning team ever.
This is a rematch of the 1970 Stanley Cup Finals, which Boston won in four, the fourth consecutive Finals to involve at least one team vying for its first championship and end with the champion clinching the Celtics on the street, and also the first time because 2011 where the Finals went the full seven games.
Until this year, the Blues were the oldest franchise. That distinction is currently shared with the Buffalo Sabres and the Vancouver Canucks, as both groups were set in 1970 and are without a Stanley Cup for their name. St. Louis also became the last surviving 1967 NHL expansion team to win their first Stanley Cup, joining the Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars (originally the Minnesota North Stars) and Pittsburgh Penguins.Boston Bruins
Main article: 2018–19 Boston Bruins year This was the Boston Bruins’ 20th appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals, six years after 2013, when they faced the Chicago Blackhawks and were defeated in six games. The Bruins last won the Stanley Cup in 2011, their sixth Cup in franchise history. [2]
Brad Marchand became the first Bruin since the 2005–06 season to score 100 points, completing the regular season with 100 points in 79 games. David Pastrnak led the team in goals with 38. Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak split the goaltending duties during the normal season. [3] Halak had signed with the group during the off-season,[4] and coming the trade deadline the Bruins acquired forwards Charlie Coyle and Marcus Johansson. [5]
Boston finished the regular season with 107 points, finishing in second position at the Atlantic Division and third overall in the league. [6] In the First Round of the playoffs, they defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games for the second successive playoff meeting against the Maple Leafs and third since the 2012–13 season. [7] They then defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4–2 at the Second Round. [ 8 ] At the Seminar, 4 — 0 spanned the Carolina Hurricanes. [9]
St. Louis Blues
Main article: 2018–19 St. Louis Blues year This was the St. Louis Blues’ fourth appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals. Their last appearance in the Finals was in 1970 against the Bruins, which Boston won in a four-game sweep. All St. Louis’ previous appearances came during their first three seasons after the Blues and five other new teams formed the West Division at the 1967 NHL expansion. While the Blues could advance beyond their fellow growth franchises, each Finals appearance ended with them being swept by First Six groups that comprised the East Division, concluding with their 1970 conquer. In the years that followed, the other expansion teams from 1967 would acquire Stanley Cup titles of their own (excluding the defunct California Golden Seals franchise), but the Blues went almost half a century without reaching the Finals again and became the earliest franchise not to win the Stanley Cup. [10]
Ryan O’Reilly, that was acquired via trade in the off-season[11] led the team in scoring with 77 points and assists with 49. Vladimir Tarasenko led the group in goal-scoring with 33 goals. [12]
St. Louis fought in the regular season, starting the year with a 7–9–3 album. Head coach Mike Yeo was fired and assistant coach Craig Berube named interim coach. [13] Their listing declined to an NHL-worst 15–18–4 album with 34 points on January 2, 2019. Subsequently the Blues went on a 30–10–5 operate to finish the year with 99 points, third at the Central Division. [14] Amid their turnaround, rookie goaltender Jordan Binnington has been given his first start and moved on to get 23 wins. [15] From the playoffs, St. Louis defeated the Winnipeg Jets 4–two at the First Round, removed the Dallas Stars in seven games, and won 4–two against the San Jose Sharks in the Conference Finals