Two-Timing It

There isn't a lot to be said for these two captains other than they know how to win. Boston, led by Zdeno Chara, will lead his Bruins into the United Center in Chicago on Wednesday night looking for their second Stanley Cup parade in three years while the Blackhawks, led by Jonathan Toews, will try to capture their second Stanley Cup in four years. Needless to say, these two battle-tested captains will lead their teams into the first Stanley Cup matchup of the these Original Six teams in the game's history with a lot riding on the line.

Some have called this series the "Bobby Orr Series". Others have dubbed it the "Classic Rock Series" thanks to the bands Chicago and Boston. The one thing that everyone should call it is a fantastic matchup with intriguing story lines and solid player-vs-player setups.

The Bruins hold a 5-1 edge in playoff series over the Blackhawks. The most recent series was in the 1978 quarter-finals where Boston swept the Blackhawks in four games. Boston holds a 261-235-82 regular season record against the Blackhawks as well. This will be the first Original Six Stanley Cup Final since 1979. But none of those numbers matter much in this series. Instead, we'll go with some scary numbers that may tell the tale of who will win the Stanley Cup.

• 56 - faceoff win percentage by the Boston Bruins.
• 94.3 - save percentage of Boston's Tuukka Rask thus far.
• 51 - points scored by Krejci, Horton, and Lucic in 16 games.
• 21 - years since Jaromir Jagr last appeared in the final.
• 8 - number of goals scored by new power forward Bryan Bickell.
• 1 - number of goals scored by Jonathan Toews.
• 94.8 - penalty-killing percentage by the Chicago Blackhawks.
• 1.74 - league-leading GAA of Chicago's Corey Crawford.
• 607 - number of days since Boston defeated Chicago 3-2 in a shootout on October 15, 2011.
• 10 - consecutive playoff series won by the Blackhawks when having home-ice advantage.

Of course, the teams still have to play the games. You just crown a winner based off numbers on paper. If that was done, Pittsburgh and Chicago would be playing, not Boston and Chicago.

This should be an epic matchup - one that any and all hockey fans should find something to enjoy. From big hits to timely goals to game-changing saves, this series features two exceptional hockey teams playing incredible hockey. Enjoy the Stanley Cup Final, everyone! I know I will!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!