In honor of the Stanley Cup Finals, which get underway tonight between the Boston Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks, I wanted to pay tribute to the NHL's tremendous "History Will Be Made" ad campaign by counting down my favorite commercials.
While hockey remains a distant fourth among the major American professional sports, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are undoubtedly the most riveting and dramatic professional sporting event out there. It's a shame that more sports fans don't tune into the NHL's postseason, because I think they'd like what they see.
It's these commercials that capture the essence of the Stanley Cup playoffs and the sport as a whole. Not since the NFL tapped actor Don Cheadle for their playoff commercials in 2002, have we seen sicker ads.
As for the list, being a New York Rangers fan, it's little biased toward commercials featuring my Blue Shirts, but there are some cool Boston/Vancouver spots that I really love as well.
Without further adieu:
5. History Breaks Through
After being eliminated by the Chicago Blackhawks from the playoffs in 2009 and 2010, Alex Burrows' overtime goal in Game 7 finally got Chicago off Vancouver's back. In what in my opinion was the best game of these playoffs, Burrows' delivered both Vancouver goals to lead the Canucks to a decisive 2-1 victory. The Canucks, who nearly blew a 3-0 series lead to the Blackhawks in the first round, are now on the doorstep of their first Stanley Cup.
4. What if Bobby Didn't Fly?
I'm no hockey historian, but Bobby Orr's overtime goal against the Blues in Game 4 of the 1970 finals is likely the most iconic image in NHL history. Although the Bruins swept the series, "The Goal" endures as one of the most famous moments in the game. The Bruins, who haven't won a cup since 1972, look to write some new history starting tonight.
3. What if Messier Didn't Lift an Entire City?
OK, so this is where the Ranger homerism starts, but for good reason. After winning five cups with the Oilers, Mark Messier was traded to the Rangers and delivered the franchise its first Stanley Cup in 54 years in 1994. Messier is second in NHL history in points and No. 1 in Rangers fans' hearts for guaranteeing victory in Game 6 of the '94 Eastern Conference Finals against the hated Devils. Then all the captain did was back up the bold prediction with a hat trick in Game 6, cementing his place in hockey lore. It was more than just the Cup he was lifting after the Rangers later beat the Canucks in Game 7 of the Cup Finals.
2. What if Bourque Didn't Believe in One More Year?
After 21 years in a Bruins uniform, Ray Bourque was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, with whom he'd have the chance to win his first Stanley Cup. The next season in 2001, Bouque's Avs beat the Devils in seven games. In customary fashion, the team's captain Joe Sakic was the first player to receive the Cup, but immediately passed it to Bourque. Nothing beats Gary Thorne's call of "and after 22 years..." This one is awesome.
1. History Becomes a Household Name
The aforementioned Eastern Conference Finals in 1994 went to a decisive Game 7 after Messier's heroics in Game 6. Played in Madison Square Garden, Stephane Matteau sent the Rangers into the Stanley Cup Finals with his dramatic wrap-around goal in double overtime, beating the Devils' young goalie Martin Brodeur.
Rangers' announcer Howie Rose's call of "Matteau! Matteau!" still remains my favorite call from ANY sporting event. Even though I was only six years old and was likely asleep at the time, I remember my father raving to me about goal. He would even walk around the house belting "Matteau! Matteau! That moment and its raw emotion is what made me want to play hockey.
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