Event of the Day: Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals
Our event of the day is game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The Boston Bruins host the St Louis Blues at TD Garden. The Bruins look for their first championship since 2011 while the Blues hope to win the first championship in franchise history. This has been an unexpected NHL playoff season and a historic Stanley Cup series. Be sure you don’t miss the end of it tonight. St Louis squandered a chance to make history as they failed to find a rhythm on home ice in game 6. The shots never landed for the Blues as Boston took a one-goal lead in the first period and added four more in the third. Tuukka Rask recorded a .966 save percentage, making 28 stops and only allowing one goal late in the third. Tonight, the teams have very different objectives. For St Louis, the need is to find their form once more. The team that took games four and five, the first team in the series to win two games in a row, was completely stymied by Boston in game six. They need to bounce back and show that dominant play from the middle games of the series.
Meanwhile, Boston need to keep their nerve and close out one last game. They have come back from behind to force this game seven and need to stay focused. This game also represents something significant for both teams. For Boston, the eight-year comeback is complete. After winning it all in 2011 and reaching the Stanley Cup again in 2013, the Bruins went into a slump - a first round exit, two second round exits and two seasons where they missed the playoffs entirely. But tonight represents how far they have come, proof that their trades and signings and extensions were the right thing to do. For St Louis, it’s history. This is game seven in their first Stanley Cup since 1970 after years of mediocrity. The bright spot of a conference finals appearance in 2016 was followed by a second round exit in 2017 and missing the postseason in 2018. And now they are in the final game of the finals of the playoffs. The team has come a long way and a win tonight would be the perfect end to this journey. The end of the series is here and, with everything that is on the line tonight, this is a game you won’t want to miss.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the Cricket World Cup, where Australia face Pakistan at the Taunton County Ground. Australia are 2-1 so far in the tournament, having lost to India in their most recent match. Pakistan are 1-1-1 as they continue to find their best form in the ODI format. Expect another exciting day of international cricket. In the Women’s World Cup, Germany face Spain at the jStade du Hainaut in Valenciennes. In the WNBA, the New York Liberty host the Minnesota Lynx at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. On the ATP and WTA Tour, the Libéma Open continues at the Autotron Rosmalen in Rosmalen in the Netherlands. In the MLB, the Houston Astros host the Milwaukee Brewers at Minute Maid Park for the second game of their two-game series.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Photos by St Louis Blues, Boston Bruins