Legal Commentary

A Stanley Cup Final for the History Books

By Jonathan H. Adler

Tonight the Philadelphia Flyers face off against the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL Stanley Cup Finals.  Whichever team prevails, this will be one for the history books.  The Chicago Blackhawks have gone longer than any other NHL team since their last championship ? 49 years ? as they last took home the Cup in 1961.  (Several teams have never won the Cup, but they did not exist back then.)

The Philadelphia Flyers last won the Cup in 1975, and are having a storied playoff run.  By some accounts they should not have even made the post-season.  They got in by winning an overtime shootout on the last day of the regular season.  After dispatching the second seed in round one ? banged up, bruised ? they went down 3?0 in a best of seven series against the Boston Bruins.  They forced a game 7 ? the first time an NHL team had done this in decades ? but went down 3?0 in that game as well.  With their fourth goalie of the season in the net, they dug deep and came from behind to win. It was an amazing feat of grit and determination.

Now the Flyers are healthy, but they remain the underdogs.  The Blackhawks are explosive and versatile.  Can Philadelphia overcome adversity again?  Or is it finally Chicago?s to hoist the Cup. The puck drops at 8pm tonight.  Go Flyers!

Full post as published by The Volokh Conspiracy on May 29, 2010 (boomark / email).