(2-0) NHL Series Notes
Going into tonight’s predicted, NBC rooting for,Nashville win, the team down (2-0) in the Stanley Cup final, has won eight of the last ten times in that situation, eight of nine times when returning home, which “Nash,” having not played all that bad in “Pitts,” is doing tonight.
The last NHL Final sweep in ’98 was the fourth consecutive one from (’95-’98) and also that final manifested in the last repeat NHL champion, the Detroit Red Wings.
Since that time only eventual champion Los Angeles, (Kings) in both 2012 and 2014, vs New York/New Jersey area teams, at home vs New Jersey in ’12 and at the New York Rangers in ’14, has taken the commanding (3-0) series lead.
Both times, L.A. lost game 4, before winning in 5 in ’14, clinching on Alex Martinez’ overtime goal and in 6 games in ’12.
Teams up (2-0) after the ’98 “Vogues”/Red Wings, that failed to go up (3-0) are the ’03 Devils, ’06 Carolina Hurricanes with current “Nash” coach Peter Laviolette, behind their bench, the ’07 Anaheim Ducks, both the ’08 and ’09 Red Wings, each time vs “Pitts,” the ’10 Chicago Blackhawks vs Laviolette’s “Philly” Flyers, the ’11 Vancouver Canucks and ’15 Pittsburgh Penguins.
In ’09 the Penguins and in ’11 the Boston Bruins came back to win the title, while the other six teams, up (2-0) won the Stanley Cup Final.
