The differences outweigh the similarities when examining the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Chicago Blackhawks, and the last time we saw them demonstrated that in an interesting way.
I refer to the way they came off the bench to celebrate their respective conference championships--very differently-- and it was easy to understand why, and to say "thumbs up" to both.
The Lightning poured onto the ice at Madison Square Garden, mobbed each other, and showed the hockey world how thrilled they were to be advancing to the Stanley Cup final. Captain Steven Stamkos did a television interview that he might have wished had been longer so he could keep smiling at a camera.
You felt good for him and his teammates because they felt so good and were eager to show it on the New York stage.
Then, one night later, there was a final buzzer in Anaheim and the Chicago Blackhawks, almost matter-of-factly, did their celebrating. If you didn't know it, you would have guessed that they were going where they'd
The Stanley Cup final will show more of Tampa Bay's enthusiasm, probably mixed with nerves, and lots of Chicago's confidence, undoubtedly gained through experience.
In the end, the celebration will be the same, no matter which term wins. That, too, is as it should be.
It may be harsh but it's also true that the Anaheim Ducks wear a mark from a second straight, season-ending, game-seven home-ice loss. And you can't even be polite and say they lost narrowly. You have to say "thumbs down" to the fact the Ducks have swung and missed four times in their last two attempts to reach the Stanley Cup final. The missed chances to end series against Los Angeles and Chicago in six games proved just as damaging as the subsequent defeats in seventh games, but it's the all-or nothing games that'll be remembered, and those were the ones witnessed by the fans in Anaheim. They watched their Ducks lose