Most Bruins fans are confident that the Cup is coming back to Boston. Credit: Reuters
How Metro Boston staff and sports writers believe the series between the Bruins and Blackhawks will play out:
Metro National News Editor Jill Gadsby: Bruins in 7. It will be a hard-fought series between two killer Original 6 teams. But when it comes down to Beantown vs. Chi-town? I think we all agree beans are better than, um, Chi.
Metro News Reporter Mike Naughton: Bruins in 5. The matchup will be tough, but the Bruins have amazing momentum and in the end Tuukka Rask and the Mullet will prove to be too much for Da ‘Hawks.
Metro Features/Music Editor Pat Healy: Bruins in 2. I’ll bet that Bobby Orr guy can get a touchdown in the first inning!
Metro Entertainment Editor Alexandra Cavallo: Bruins in … 4? I have no idea what that number is (like, innings?) but since I know about as much hockey (ha! got the sport right!) as I do about Chicago, I’ll go for Boston. Go Bruins.
Metro Sports Editor Matt Burke: Bruins in 7. This thing has to go seven, right? With the whole lockout-before-the-season deal everything is already pushed back as it is. Why not have a sweaty championship parade in the city a week before the Fourth of July?
Metro Bruins Writer Rich Slate: Bruins in 7. A great matchup like this deserves a classic series. Boston wins its second Game 7 on the road in the finals in two years. Rask is better than Crawford and that’s the difference.
Metro Celtics/Patriots Writer James Toscano: Bruins in 6. The Bruins have been an unstoppable force since Game 7 against the Maple Leafs. Tuukka Rask is standing on his head, and the Bruins line of Lucic-Krejci-Horton has been the best line of the postseason. The Blackhawks will prove to have much more fight than the Rangers or Penguins, but it’s the Bruins year.
Metro Contributor Tony Lee: Blackhawks in 7. Chicago is a more complete team than Pittsburgh and Boston cannot sustain this 9-0-1 surge; the B’s are due to take a punch in the mouth. They will, then recover, but ultimately home-ice makes just enough of a difference in a thrilling series.
Metro Red Sox Writer Ryan Hannable: Blackhawks in 6. Although the two teams are very eventually matched and should play a bunch of one-goal games, the Bruins haven’t faced a team this good on defense in both this and their Stanley Cup run in 2011. The Bruins will have trouble finding the back of the net and thus see the Blackhawks skate away with the Cup for a second time in four seasons.
Metro Sports Columnist Ryan Hadfield: Bruins in 5. For years, goaltenders ranging in a variety of pedigree — from the obscure (Jocelyn Thibault) to the legendary (Martin Brodeur) — stymied the Bruins, eventually causing upsets, early exits, and heartache every spring for Boston fans. That changed in 2011, and when it’s all said and done, using a much more traditional style, Tuukka Rask will have managed to emulate Tim Thomas’ success all the way to another championship ring.
