Unprecedented Finals

It will be the New Jersey Devils vs the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Kings, who were the 8th seed in the NHL Western Conference, are nearly 9 to 5 favorites to hoist their first Stanley Cup. This despite the fact that the Devils have home ice advantage and that the team with home ice advantage has won 19 of the past 24 finals. However,the team without home ice advantage, has won 2 of the last 3 finals series.

It shapes up as a very good series with two outstanding goaltenders in the Devils’ Martin Brodeur and the Kings’ Jonathan Quick. The Kings are (12-2) in the playoffs while the Devils are (12-6).This has to be the first time in major sports league’s history that both finalists made it winning three playoff series without home advantage.The 1995 Devils are the only NHL team to ever win the Stanley Cup by winning all 4 playoff series sans home ice advantage. That year the Houston Rockets did the same in the NBA playoffs. They are the only teams in major sports league history to accomplish that feat. The Kings have a chance to become the third team to do it and their opponents have also defied the odds by winning three series without home ice advantage.