It's down to two teams, and at stake is hockey's ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup.
One thing for certain, we will see the famous silverware trotted back to Northwestern Ontario over the summer.
Thunder Bay's Patrick Sharp and his Chicago Blackhawks, which includes Fort Frances born defenceman Duncan Keith are up against the Philadelphia Flyers, or should I say "Team Northwest Ontario.'' Led by captain Mike Richards of Kenora, future Hall of Fame defenceman Chris Pronger of Dryden, Sioux Lookout blueliner Ryan Parent, and Claude Giroux of Hearst, the Flyers have surprised many by making it to the final.
It should be a good series. Both teams have excellent on-ice leadership. Richards and the Hawks' Jonathan Toews were Olympian team-mates. Both squads have netminders who have really stepped up their play this spring. And, both teams have good scoring depth, and great home-crowd fans.
Before I venture forth with my final ''bold'' prediction for this hockey season, I just want to say I hope it's a great series, worthy of a champion. The Flyers have made believers of many in the way they handled Montreal, which ealrier ousted the defending champion Penguins.
The Blackhawks have a chance to end the league's longest running cup-drought, as the last time Chicago tasted the championship champagne, Bobby Hull and Glenn Hall were the stars in 1961.
Take the Hawks to win in six, and don't be surprised if it goes the distance. And, if that happens we can look forward to Patrick Sharp bringing the Cup to the Bay over the summer.
