NHL: Canucks and Bruins Ready for Historic Stanley Cup Finals

The wait is finally over. The Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks will start the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals tonight with both teams riding a wave of emotion. Al Dannity looks ahead to what promises to be an epic series.

Hungry for glory
The Canucks have never lifted the Stanley Cup in their 40 year history, losing twice in the Finals. Boston haven’t been to the Finals since 1990 and last won the Stanley Cup in 1972. These are two hungry fanbases, desperate for success, longing to celebrate winning the biggest prize in sports.
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The impact these long droughts have on the psychological aspect of Game 1 will be fascinating. The Canucks carry the weight of the favorites tag but it is one they have earned. Having dominated in the regular season, Vancouver showed the toughness required to fight back after watching their 3-0 lead get clawed back to 3-3 by Chicago to win Game 7 of the opening round. The Canucks then raised their game to beat the Predators and then they stepped up again against the Sharks. In every series we have seen Vancouver get better and grow in confidence.

They will need to go to another level to beat a Bruins team that has managed to overcome some big challenges. First they fought back from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Canadiens in seven games. Then, after sweeping the Flyers, they endured a back-and-forth war with the Lightning. Having shown tremendous resiliency, the Bruins won’t be afraid of the passionate crowd that will greet them in Vancouver tonight.

A good week for Canada
With the announcement that the NHL will return to Winnipeg, this has already been a great week for Hockey in Canada. A Canucks win tonight would go part of the way towards healing another wound, one shared by all NHL betting fans in Canada. No Canadian team has lifted the Stanley Cup since 1993 and it’s about time somebody did something about that.

A series win for the Canucks would make up for their own disappointment in 1994 and the failures of the Senators in 2007 and the Oilers in 2006. Success at home will be critical to doing so. I like Vancouver to come out hard and fast tonight, looking to put the Bruins on the back foot early. It will be close and Boston won’t wilt easily but quality will out tonight. We should see the Green Men dancing in celebration tonight.