Thus far all three games in the Stanley Cup finals have been decided in regulation time by a margin of one goal.
After losing game one, the Tampa Bay “LIGHTNING” have “STRUCK TWICE,” winning the next two games vs the Chicago Blackhawks and lead the best of seven series two games to one.
Jason Garrison’s goal broke a (3-3) tie and lifted Tampa to a home win in game two. That day was NBC’s as American Pharoah roared to the horse racing Triple Crown on its airwaves, after which the Lightning made the Cup finals also on NBC, so much more interesting, with a series squaring, game two victory.
Monday night in Chicago, Cedric Paquette’s third period goal broke a (2-2) tie in Tampa’s (3-2) victory.
I believe all 14 previous teams to win a road game 3 of a (1-1) NHL Final series, have gone on to win the Stanley Cup/final series. (Which is more amazing 14 of 14 or the fact I have not seen this note in any of the hockey coverage?!).
For what it is worth, in the 12 previous Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup finals (the first three best of 5 and the next nine as with this one, best of seven) only once has the game one losing team won the series.
The Lightning, who lost game one of the finals at home vs the Calgary Flames, but won the title in 2004, in their only previous Cup Final appearance, hope this will be the second time.
Stanley Cup Finals start Wednesday
Though the city of Cleveland was much closer to ending its title drought when the baseball Indians led the Florida Marlins by a run going to the bottom of the ninth inning in game seven of the 1997 World Series, (only to lose), this is the first time a Cleveland team has led in a championship series since the Cleveland Browns football team won the NFL in 1964.
This is because LeBron James scored 40 points and Matthew Dellavedova’s offensive rebound and subsequent two free throws put Cleveland ahead to stay in the waning seconds of this all important Cavs’ game two triumph in Oakland.
Cleveland leads the NBA finals two games to one and it is the first time that a Cleveland team has led a finals series since the Indians led the then Boston Braves by a similar two games to one margin in the 1948 World Series. The Indians won that series in six games.
The football Browns, who as far as I am concerned are now the Baltimore Ravens, won one game league (NFL) finals in 1950, 1954, 1955 and the last Cleveland title in 1964.
Speaking of the 1964 Browns, that team’s great player, Jim Brown was in attendance at last night’s Cavaliers’ win vs the Golden State Warriors.
LeBron James
A truly inspirational story involving honorees Brad and Jessica Berman is a big part of the Burke Centennial Dinner to be held at The Pierre in New York City on June 16th.
Brad, with the great support of his family led by his wife Jessica, and great advanced care at Burke Rehabilitation Center in white Plains, New York is recovering from a massive hemorrhagic stroke that forced him to learn to breathe, walk and talk again.
It is beyond words that Jessica is so supportive and that Brad has progressed this far. It is inspiring to think about their courage and determination.
Proceeds from the dinner will go to assistance programs at the Burke Rehabilitation Center in White Plains, New York.
Additionally, Jessica and Brad have initiated “Run 4 Brad” which helps fund advanced robotics. Some aspects, already in place at Burke, have been of invaluable assistance in Brad’s remarkable recovery.
One added note and that is concerning Jeanette Berman, Brad’s grandmother: she is a remarkable, determined, take no “bleep,”— yet very kind, woman. Surely Brad has received some of her determination, which is helping on his journey to recovery.
For more info, click on links:
I am sorry for the cynicism, but I say it was no real surprise that the 8 point underdog, Cleveland Cavaliers won game two, on the over rated Golden State Warriors’ court.
The Cavs, being led by a great, but also over rated entity, LeBron James, played well, in losing game one by 8 points, in overtime, as a 6 point underdog.
Neither team played well in a sloppy game 2 which again went into overtime, this time with the Cavaliers prevailing, the final score (95-93).
Golden State was a little more than a 2 to 1 favorite when the series opened, which is what they are now with the series tied at one game apiece.
In between, however, the Warriors became 7 to 1 favorites after Kyrie Irving, perceived as Cleveland’ second best player (after James of course), was lost to injury.
Game three is Tuesday in Cleveland and the home team is a slight favorite. Yesterday’s win was the Cavaliers’ first in six NBA finals games and ended a 5 game, 40 year Golden State win skein in the NBA finals.
The three year old horse, American Pharoah, led from start to finish to not only capture yesterday’s Belmont Stakes, but also became the first horse since Affirmed in 1978, to capture horse racing’s “Triple Crown.”
The “Triple Crown” consists of three races all within 5 weeks, first the Kentucky Derby then the Preakness Stakes two weeks later and then the Belmont Stakes three weeks hence.
“Pharoah’s,” victory ended a streak of 13 times that a horse had won the first two Triple Crown races only to fail in the Belmont Stakes since Affirmed won all three races in 1978.
The victory by American Pharoah also ended some frustrating streaks by two outstanding figures in the “Sport of Kings” (of course never forget the people with holes in their shoes, from betting on the “Sport of Kings”).
“Pharoah”‘s trainer Bob Baffert had failed three previous times after one of his horses had won the first two races of the Triple Crown.
Meanwhile its jockey Victor Espinoza had twice ridden horses that won the first two Triple Crown races that failed in the Belmont Stakes.
This weekend two great National League rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers, are playing 4 games at Dodger Stadium in L.A.
There is so much history involved with the two teams and throughout the season, I will look back at history involving some major league clubs and their individuals.
Today to start the series of looking back at greats, some comments about Stan Musial concerning he and the Dodgers.
In Brooklyn, where the Dodgers played through the 1957 season, there were great but rabid Dodgers’ fans. Some opposing players were “less than popular.”
Stan Musial of the Cardinals was respected. He seemed to do always do well, “wearing out” Dodgers’ pitching.
As the story goes, when he came up some fan said “here comes that man again” and eventually Stan became Stan “The Man” Musial.
Not only was Stan “The Man” when it came to baseball, as an all time great player, he was a truly good and giving man and oh do we need more like him.
In researching the Golden State Warriors *nee Philadelphia Warriors) playoffs history on “Yahoo! Sports,” I saw a glaring factual error.
Their record of the then Philadelphia Warriors’ 1962 playoffs indicated a 7 game loss to the Boston Celtics in the “NBA FINALS.”
That is INCORRECT as it was an “Eastern Division” series. The Celtics/Philadelphia Warriors or Philadelphia 76ers (as in Boston vs Philadelphia, as in two eastern cities, as in one of the great NBA rivalries, as in that year Bill Russell vs Wilt Chamberlain) has never been a final.
It bothers me to see that, but nowhere near as much as when in 1991, broadcasting the NBA, the esteemed Dick Enberg (I like Enberg, certainly compared to today’s announcers) called a Boston/Philadelphia NBA series a final. Doesn’t or didn’t he have any sense of NBA history?!!!
Click here to see the Yahoo! Sports Page with the mistake (Hopefully they will correct it soon).
Not an “NBA Final”–it was an Eastern Division Series.
During a 49 year title drought after their Stanley Cup win in 1961, until their next one in 2010, the Chicago Blackhawks played in and lost 5 finals series.
After last night’s (2-1) road win at Tampa vs the Lightning, in game one of the 2015 finals, the team is heavily favored to win a third straight finals series, all in the past six seasons.
Additionally Chicago at one point had lost 16 of 17 road finals games until Patrick Kane’s “reviewed” Stanley Cup winning goal at Philadelphia, in game six in 2010.
Including that game, “Chi” has won 4 of 5 road finals games, including the Stanley Cup clinchers in 2010 and 2013, the latter in Boston.
The Blackhawks’ (2-1) win at Tampa vs the Lightning last night, was similar to their Cup clincher at Boston in game six in 2013.
Last night Chicago scored two goals in just under two minute’s time, the first with less than seven minutes to play, to overcome a one goal deficit and gain the victory.
In 2013, in a truly dramatic display (last night’s was not exactly “chopped liver”) the Blackhawks scored two goals in a seventeen second span in the last eighty seconds to overcome a one goal deficit in a road sixth game and win the Stanley Cup.
The Stanley Cup finals get started tonight in Tampa Bay, with the home team Lightning (Tampa Bay) hosting the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Blackhawks are seeking their third title in six seasons, after not winning the title for 49 years from 1961-2010.
The Lightning won in their only Stanley Cup final appearance, defeating the Calgary Flames in 2004.
Current Blackhawks’ player then with the Lightning, Brad Richards, won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the outstanding player of the playoffs that season.
In the Lightning’s last three semi- finals or this final appearance, the three Lightning opponents were the three teams their broadcaster Phil Esposito played for in the NHL: the Boston Bruins, who beat the Lightning in the 2011 semis, the New York Rangers, whom the Lightning just beat in this year’s semis and now the Chicago Blackhawks.
Recently I had occasion to see a wonderful play called “Mallorca” at the Abingdon Theatre (312 West 36th Street) in New York City.
The five person cast, consisting of four men, all but one of whom have not communicated nor in any way gone “deep” with his emotions, and one woman was superb.
Written by Sheldon Bull (“Newhart”) and directed by Donald Brenner, the extremely humorous play took me on a journey back and hopefully forward, about expressing what is truly important.
The cast in order of appearance: L.J. Gasner “Stan,” Brian Russell “Leo,” Steven Hauck, “Arthur”, Rory Scholl “Julius” and Lisa Riegel as “Roberta.”
Without giving much away, I related to not being able to open a bag of chips and Gasner came back to the topic beautifully.
Additionally, I became even more outraged as to how expensive tickets to (my words) a meaningless NBA regular season game involving at least one bad team, have become.
Unlike the case with the basketball, “Mallorca” is more than worth the cost, and proved an entertaining and extremely insightful experience.
For ticket info, click here.
