When you think of the NHL, you usually think of matchups such as this:
Well, you're in luck, considering that is the current East final matchup in the NHL this season! The last time these 2 teams met in the playoffs was 1979 (more on that later), but to have a chance at championship #'s 25 & 5 all-time, respectively, they'll most likely have to get through these guys: 
Before you start thinking that the East final is the only matchup out there, keep in mind: Chicago not only faced & defeated L.A. in last year's West finals en route to championship #9 all-time, only culminated by the unthinkable "17 seconds" comeback against Boston last June... Between that, the 20-something game point streak a few months earlier, & the fact that they've faced both Minnesota & L.A. in back-to-back playoff runs, I don't think anything short of divine intervention will stop them from championship #10 all-time next month!
Being born & raised in Jersey, I've rooted for both local NFL teams & the "Bombers" for as long as I can remember, but when it comes to the NHL, having a team actually winning championships as "Jersey's team" automatically drew me to their side, instead of the Rangers' side, especially with playoff series like these:
That series was most memorable, at least for me, for seeing any team manage to close out a series at MSG, which has normally been unkind to such events, & the following series was also memorable for its own reasons: 
May 2012 was more memorable not for the fact that the series ended here, but for the fact that it was a complete "carbon copy" of 1994, at least through the 1st 5 games... What happened the following month was supremely upsetting, but at least they can't push "1994" on us anymore without getting reminded of what happened almost exactly 18 years later!
Earlier, I told you I would get back to 1979:
That series clinched championship #22 of (currently) 24 all-time, & it also started similarly to the current series, to an extent, with N.Y. winning game 1 in Montrèal before Montrèal the next 4, including 2 at MSG, to clinch #22!
There's another series that looks extremely similar to the current series:
The only difference between the 2, however, is that Montrèal dropped the 1st 2 games in Philly before winning game 3 in Montrèal, & also before Chicago won its 1st championship since 1961, also in Philly!
Barring the obvious (a chance to face either Chicago or L.A., although most likely Chicago), there are 2 more reasons I don't want these East finals to go the minimum 4 games & end at MSG:
No, for those of you thinking so... She might be only 19, but she's not related to this Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, unfortunately: 
That might be unfortunate, but I guess that makes more sense than for them to be distant relatives, yet taking drastically different paths in the music industry, where 1 is, as mentioned, a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, & the other is basically an entire Canadian province's "foil" for the "real" anthem singer so far these playoffs: 
It would be even better if those 2 ladies could witness just 1 more win these playoffs, if only so the Rangers are forced to clinch the East on home ice, but until that gets decided, I'll just keep poking fun at the failed Boston Bruins: 
ICYMI (in case you missed it), that was the result of the bet between mayors Denis Coderre of Montrèal & Marty Walsh of Boston... As low-key ******-off as I am deep down inside that a team I've grown to secretly despise could very well clinch championship #5 all-time next month, although I still don't see that happen with the Chicago Blackhawks most likely awaiting them, as an "otherwise" N.J./N.Y.C. sports fan, nothing makes me more satisfied sports-wise than seeing a Boston sports fanbase be forced to plant opposing colors atop its City Hall for the foreseeable future! Enjoy it while it lasts, Bruin fans... With your team on the verge of another "rebuilding" phase in the near future, I don't foresee you even getting the chance to even be making such bets anytime soon! 
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