Stanley Cup Final News May 24 2019
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS HISTORY: BRUINS VS. BLUES
Boston and St. Louis are set to meet in the Stanley Cup Final for the second time and first since 1970, when Bobby Orr scored his iconic Stanley Cup-clinching goal as the Bruins completed a four-game sweep of the Blues. St. Louis will make its return to the Final 17,914 days after Orr’s famous winner, while Boston will appear in the decisive series for the third time in the last nine postseasons. A look back at their previous playoff meetings:
1970 Stanley Cup Final (BOS 4, STL 0)
* Bruins forward Phil Esposito led all skaters in assists and points (2-6—8 in 4 GP). At the time, he was the fourth player in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) to average at least two points per game in a Stanley Cup Final (min. 4 GP), following Toe Blake in 1944 (3-5—8 in 4 GP), Jean Beliveau in 1956 (7-3—10 in 5 GP) and Henri Richard in 1960 (3-5—8 in 4 GP).
* Bruins forward Johnny Bucyk led all players with six goals (6-0—6 in 4 GP), nearly matching the output of the entire Blues roster as Boston outscored St. Louis 20-7 to conclude the postseason on a 10-game win streak.
* Four different Bruins scored a game-winning goal, with Bucyk (Game 1), Ed Westfall (Game 2) and John McKenzie (Game 3) setting the stage for Orr’s iconic Cup-clincher in overtime of Game 4.
1972 Semifinals (BOS 4, STL 0)
* The Bruins scored at least five goals in each game, including a 10-2 win in Game 2 before the series shifted to St. Louis. Bucyk led all players in goals and points (6-6—12 in 4 GP), capping the series with two goals in the Game 4 finale at St. Louis Arena.
* The Bruins went on to earn a six-game win over the Rangers in the ensuing series to capture their fifth Stanley Cup in franchise history and second in a three-year span. Three Bruins that appeared in the 1972 Semifinals – Esposito, Wayne Cashman and Don Awrey – went on to play for Team Canada four months later in the 1972 Summit Series, skating alongside Red Berenson who they faced in the 1970 Stanley Cup Final.
STRONG SPORTS TIES LINK BOSTON AND ST. LOUIS
In addition to their Stanley Cup Playoffs history, the cities of Boston and St. Louis also share a long history in other North American major professional sports.
Major League Baseball
* The St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox have played each other four times in the World Series, with St. Louis winning the first two (1946, 1967) and Boston winning the last two (2004, 2013).
National Football League
* The New England Patriots defeated the St. Louis Rams by a score of 20-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI on Adam Vinatieri’s last-second field goal.
National Basketball Association
* The St. Louis Hawks and Boston Celtics met in the NBA Finals four times in a five-year span, with Boston winning three titles (1957, 1960, 1961) and St. Louis capturing one (1958).
* Basketball legend Bill Russell was selected by the Hawks with the second overall pick in the 1956 NBA Draft but went on to capture 11 championships as the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty, including three titles against the team that drafted him. His statue stands outside Boston City Hall.
NHL and NHLPA Statement on Vyacheslav Voynov’s Suspension
The National Hockey League Players’ Association and National Hockey League announced that Arbitrator Shyam Das has issued his decision with respect to the appeal of defenseman Vyacheslav Voynov’s one-season suspension issued pursuant to Article 18-A of the NHL/NHLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement. Arbitrator Das upheld the Commissioner’s determination that Voynov be suspended for the equivalent of one NHL season, but found that he is to be credited with having already served 41 games of such suspension during the 2018-19 regular season. Accordingly, the suspension will remain in effect until the mid-point of the 2019-20 regular season.
NHL Statement on Arbitrator’s Decision Regarding Vyacheslav Voynov’s Suspension Appeal
The National Hockey League released the following statement regarding Arbitrator Shyam Das’ decision in the NHLPA’s appeal of Vyacheslav Voynov’s League-imposed suspension for domestic assault:
“We have reviewed Arbitrator Das’ opinion in the NHLPA’s appeal of Vyacheslav Voynov’s suspension for domestic assault, which upheld the Commissioner’s imposition of a one-season (one-year) suspension for Voynov’s off-ice conduct in October 2014. In his decision, Arbitrator Das confirmed that there was substantial evidence to support each of the Commissioner’s material factual findings as well as the quantum of discipline imposed. Arbitrator Das described his decision to grant Mr. Voynov some ‘credit for time served’ for a portion of the 2018/19 season as being due to various ‘highly unusual facts and circumstances [which] were not contemplated by the drafters of [the CBA] and do not easily fit into its procedures.’ While we do not believe Mr. Voynov was entitled to any ‘credit’ for time missed during 2018/19 season, we accept Arbitrator Das’ conclusion that the precise factual context here was unusual – including the fact Voynov has not played in the NHL since October 2014, and that he did not play professional hockey at all during the 2018/19 season.
“Taken in its totality, we are satisfied that Arbitrator Das’ decision supports our strongly held views that the conduct engaged in by Mr. Voynov in this case was completely unacceptable and worthy of significant League-imposed discipline. The decision also confirms and reaffirms the Commissioner’s broad authority under the CBA and applicable League Rules to establish – and to enforce – appropriate standards of conduct for individuals involved in the National Hockey League.”