It’s unlikely just how unlikely this win was for the Bears. Not only because this was their first Cup-clincher on home ice since 1980, albeit down the block; not only because an AHL team repeats for the first time since 1991, or because the Bears repeat for the first time since 1959 in front of 11,002. This was only the fourth time in 21 games that the powerful, high-flyin’ Bears led after one period, and they were 3-1 in those games. It was only the fifth time they led after two (4-1).
On the other hand, when they trailed after one? They were 7-1. How about trailing after two? 5-2.
You can’t help but remember the first of those. This was the best minor-league team I’ve ever seen; let’s stress that. But wouldn’t it have been fun to see what would have happened if Nygel Pelletier washed it out with 68 seconds left, two months ago tonight?
Maybe. Or maybe it just takes them a couple of days more.
Tip of cap to the Bears, champions twice 367 days apart, with 12 players in the lineup both nights. (A tip, too, to Maxime Fortunus and Raymond Sawada; by virtue of the Stars’ consolidation of prospects from the diaspora to Austin, they were on the sad end of the handshakes both nights.) With his dad in the house, Chris Bourque was named MVP of the Calder Cup playoffs. You could have picked any one of so many of them.
“They won together,” John Walton said as they assembled for the team photo. “They rarely lost together.”
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Chris Botta reported the Islanders one step closer to getting serious about Queens. This makes too much sense to ever work, which is why Katie Strang’s follow-up report of denials is no surprise.
Go now to hear this take on Kane’s goal.
And RIP, Jimmy Dean and Oscar Azocar.