Blues break 52-year drought, win first Stanley Cup
The 2019 NHL playoffs ended in dramatic style last night, with the Stanley Cup Final between the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues reaching Game 7. Prior to the night’s matchup, only 16 series had to be decided in a “winner takes all” contest. For the Blues, a chance to win its first Cup in 52 years as a franchise would be a daunting task on the road against the powerhouse Bruins.
The 2018-19 season was a storybook campaign of sorts, considering the team was dead last in the standings to start the new year. After winning 30 of its next 45 games, the Blues clinched a playoff spot and began their incredible run in the playoffs. The team finished with a 10-3 record on the road and won two game 7s away from home as well. Binnington was a major driving force for the team’s eventual Stanley Cup victory, posting impressive numbers as a rookie goalie, as well as breaking the record for most wins in a playoff year.
Early in the first period, neither team gave an inch in a tightly-contested start. Once the nerves settled, Boston took over and forced the play on both ends of the ice. Weathering the storm was Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington, who performed well in the opening 20-minute frame, turning away all 12 shots he faced, including three show-stopping saves during a dominant Bruins power play.
After the offensive onslaught from Boston, the tide turned for the Blues when they scored the first goal off a tip-in from center Ryan O’Reilly. The tally came after only three shots by the team and O’Reilly netted his eighth goal of the postseason. Later, the Bruins would let in another goal as Alex Pietrangelo put St. Louis up 2-0 in the dying seconds of the first.
The second period proved to be uneventful, as each team struggled to establish any sustained offense and both goalies shut down shots that did reach them. Although the Bruins outshot the Blues by a wide margin yet again, they could not find the back of the net. As the horn sounded to end the second, things started to look bleak for the guys from “Beantown.”
Boston Bruins’ Zdeno Chara, left, reaches behind goaltender Tuukka Rask, to keep the puck from crossing the goal line during the second period in Game 7 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final against the St. Louis Blues, Wednesday, June 12, 2019, in Boston. (Bruce Bennett/Pool via AP)
Boston went into the third with its back against the wall and the clock working against its favor. Sloppy play early on only made things worse, resulting in quality scoring chances for the Blues. Brayden Schenn put St. Louis up 3-0 midway through the final frame to further pressure the Bruins. Then, any chance of a comeback was dashed four minutes later, when Zach Sanford extended the lead to four. A late goal by Boston’s Matt Grzelcyk was the only response the team could muster, ensuring a championship-clinching victory for the visitors.
When the final horn sounded, players from St. Louis’s bench spilled onto the ice and erupted with joy, tossing their gloves and sticks in the air as they celebrated. O’Reilly — who scored eight goals in the playoffs and rode a six-game point streak in the final series — was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy which is given to the league’s postseason MVP. Afterward, the moment the players spent their whole lives dreaming and training for: the presentation of the Stanley Cup.
Known formally as Lord Stanley’s Cup and first awarded in 1893, it is the oldest trophy in professional sports. Unlike many other leagues, there is only one Stanley Cup trophy in circulation and it showcases the previous winners, whose players’ names are engraved around its base. Weighing just under 35 lbs., many players have noted that after an arduous playoff run it feels much heavier.