To answer the un-“ax”ed question:
If
#ForgedInGold took out Presidents’ Trophy winner
#GoAvsGo in the Western Conference Final, would Vegas start at home against any of the current remaining teams?
No.
The Golden Knights earned 95 points during the regular season. The least of the three remaining Eastern teams -
#GoHabsGo - earned 100.
So…if Montreal were to take out
#LetsGoBuffalo (today or Monday), and then take out conference leading
#SoundTheSiren (which hasn’t lost yet)…AND Vegas took out Colorado…
…Montreal would start the Stanley Cup Final at home…the last time they started a Cup Final at home? 1993, against
#GoKingsGo. (Granted, they’ve only been to one Final since, in 2021)
The Canadiens lost Game 1 - technically, the Kings scored all of the game’s goals…including the one credited to Montreal…but then won the next three in overtime (Desjardins, Leclair, and Leclair again), going on to win the Cup in 5 back at home.
Of course, that is also the last time a CanadiAN team won a Cup. Three times in the 2020s, a CanadiAN team has reached the Final (Habs in 2021, and
#LetsGoOilers the last two years), but not won it.
And Montreal - if statistical momentum is to be believed - has a great advantage (and Buffalo, a disadvantage) before even one warmup stride has been taken today:
In the 2025 and 2026 postseasons, 11 series have gone to Game 5 tied at 2 - including this one. In the 10 completed series, the winner of Game 5 has gone on to win all 10 series…most recently, Vegas over
#FlyTogether.
If Montreal wins today (or, if needed, Monday), that stat goes to 11/11 in the last two postseasons - and 5/5 in this one.
Just the facts.
Montreal wins tonight - next hockey day is Tuesday in Raleigh.
Buffalo wins tonight - next hockey day is Monday in Buffalo, then Wednesday in Colorado, then Thursday in Raleigh.
5pm PT,
@ABC.
#MTLvsBUF @JohnForslund @JimFox19 @NOlczyk16 @bigbrotherjake @helenenothelen @DennisTFP @TheFourthPeriod @NHLRussell @EricEngels @SportsUSALive @robertbrender @drophockeyshow