We have finally made it to the Stanley Cup Final! The Stanley Cup will be awarded anywhere between four and seven games. What a year it has been, from a normal start to a season, to the stoppage from COVID-19, to two bubble cities, Toronto losing again in the play-in round, and now the final.
We have two great teams in front of us, the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning. Both teams have overcome tremendous obstacles to reach this point and it looks to be a great series.
How Did They to the Stanley Cup Final?
The Dallas Stars
Dallas comes out of the West after I doubted them not once but twice. Their goaltending seems to have found its way in Anton Khudobin. Dallas went through an off and on Calgary Flames team, the Colorado Avalanche, and Vegas Golden Knights. Two of those tree were favorites to win it all and the victories show Dallas has what it takes to get there.
Thanks to stellar play from Miro Heiskanen, Jamie Benn, Khudobin between the pipes, this team is primed for greatness. And when the Stars won the Western Conference, they didn’t touch the Clarence S. Campbell trophy, perpetuating the superstition that any team that does will not win the Stanley Cup.
The Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa comes out of the East without their captain Steven Stamkos who has been dealing with a leg injury. They have seen stellar play from Pat Maroon, Brayden Point, and in goal with Andrei Vasilevskiy.
This team beat the Blue Jackets in five games, Boston in five, and the New York Islanders in six. Tampa Bay hasn’t necessarily been too challenged besides Boston, who was also a favorite, and New York, who beat out a Flyers team that looks very dangerous. Tampa did touch the Prince of Wales trophy when they won the East, does this mean something? The true test will come against the Stars starting Saturday night at 7:30 pm ET.
So Who Lifts Lord Stanley?
These two teams have shown grit and the ability to win under pressure and phenomenal goal-scoring and goaltending that has improved over time. It will be a great series with a good mix of young and old talent, I expect a low scoring series with a lot of physicality and great goaltending.
In the end, I see Dallas as a Boston-esque team from 2011 when they beat Vancouver in seven games. This team will bring Dallas its second Stanley Cup and first since 1999. Expect Khudobin to get the Conn Smythe award as the Stars win the cup in seven games.
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