Hockey might be considered Canada's game, but its most iconic trophy has extended its decades-long residency in the United States for at least another year.
Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven and Eric Robinson scored in a dominating first period that helped push the Hurricanes past the Montreal Canadiens 6-1 on Friday night, closing a five-game series.
That sets up a Stanley Cup final between the Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights, and guarantees an American team will hoist hockey's Holy Grail for a 32nd straight season.
When the Montreal Canadiens won the Cup in the 1992-93 campaign, they became the eighth Canadian champion in 10 seasons.
Canadian teams have advanced to the final eight times since then, but none have been able to end the championship drought that has become an albatross in the country where hockey is king.
Instead, the Cup has found a home in the American sun belt. Vegas and Carolina have both won NHL titles since the '93 Habs. So have the Kings, the Anaheim Ducks and the Dallas Stars.
And if the Cup were to take up permanent residence somewhere, Florida would have a more persuasive claim than Canada. The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers have combined for five Stanley Cup titles, including four in the last seven seasons.
The Canadiens seemed poised to end the slump after posting gritty seven-game series wins over the Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres before running into a smothering Hurricanes team that has lost just once in the playoffs.
Canadian fans looking for a team to root for in the Cup final might consider Vegas. The Golden Knights have 18 Canadians on their current roster, including captain Mark Stone and playoff MVP favourite Mitch Marner — who is playing in the Stanley Cup for the first time after not coming close in his nine seasons in Toronto.
Picture Courtesy: AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker
