Please join @PatineCellars at Il Barone Ristorante Thur., June 25 6 pm Newport Beach Great menu Great Wine! Reservations! 949-955-2755!

This Date in Stanley Cup Final History: June 11, 2012 - “The long wait is over! After 45 years…the Kings can wear their crown!” - Nick Nickson “This is for you, Kings fans, wherever you may be! All the frustration and disappointment of the past…is gone! The 45 year drought…is over! The Los Angeles Kings are INDEED…the Kings of the National Hockey League!” - Bob Miller On that Monday night at then-named STAPLES Center, one of the first six expansion teams won its first #StanleyCup, as #GoKingsGo defeated the #NJDevils 6-1 in Game 6 of that Final. A key moment in the game was a 5 minute major for checking from behind on New Jersey’s Steve Bernier (and a game misconduct) against the Kings’ Rob Scuderi. On the ensuing major, the Kings’ struggling powerplay broke the game wide open, with goals by captain Dustin Brown (pictured), Jeff Carter (his was the game winner), and Trevor Lewis. Early in the second, Carter scored again, this time at even strength, to make it 4-0 Kings, and at that point, future @HockeyHallFame PxP #NickNickson later said it was then that he felt the Kings would win, because no one was getting 4 on eventual #ConnSmythe winner @JonathanQuick32…much less 5. The win punctuated a 16-4 postseason, where 3 of their 4 losses were on home ice, and the Kings had started the postseason with 3-0 series leads in every round…and a 10 game road winning streak. Tonight - Game 5 of the 2026 Cup Final, from @LenovoCenter…#SoundTheSiren and #ForgedInGold are tied at 2. In the last two postseasons, the winner of Game 5 (in a series tied at 2) has won every game. And as this pivotal Game 5 approaches - maybe I’ve missed it in coverage - the loser of tonight’s game will on Sunday face an elimination in a game for the first time this postseason. 5pm PT/8pm ET on @abc and @espn; national radio coverage @SportsUSALive. Game 6 is Sunday back at @TMobileArena in Vegas…and the Cup will be in the building. #CARvsVGK @JimFox19 @DarylEvans15 @bigbrotherjake @JohnForslund @BJaffe @robertbrender @espnSteveLevy @emilymkaplan @PKSubban1 @ESPNRefNHL @DennisTFP @TheFourthPeriod @mikemaniscalco @TrippTracy @Dan_DUva @garylawless @PA_Bruce @VegasHockeyPod @drophockeyshow

Back to wrap up this Game 4 from @TMobileArena. Both teams had an issue with goalies letting in 4 goals. #SoundTheSiren not only didn’t start theirs - they healthy scratched him in favor of Brandon Bussi and his backup, Pyotr Kochetkov. #ForgedInGold stayed with Carter Hart, who - despite his team’s 2-1 series lead - had given up 4 goals in all 3 previous games… And in the first period Tuesday, he gave up 3 more…7 goals allowed in his last two regulation periods, as of the first period. Vegas got one in the first, but it was 3-1 Carolina end of 1. Then #ForgedInGold went to its strength - the “long line change” 2nd period, scoring 2 goals to tie the game at 3 after 2. And then in the 3rd, the Hart quadrafecta was complete, with Jordan Staal scoring what turned out to be the game winner, on a strange angle, falling to the ice. A playoff goal if one was ever seen. Nikolaj Ehlers added a late empty net goal at 19:05 and Vegas fans holding tickets for Sunday, left knowing they’d get to use them… So, @InfoComm attendees, be aware - heavy traffic in Vegas Sunday, especially near the south of the Strip where the arena is - someone will be in position to hoist the #StanleyCup by night’s end. Whether they do or not? 🤷🏼‍♂️ Final stats, NHL Game 414, #VGKvsCAR: Faceoffs: CAR: 29/51, 57% (Staal 12/18) VGK 22/51, 43% (Hertl 5/9, Eichel 5/11) SOG 28-21 CAR (Staal 4, 2G) Hits 38-34 VGK (Lauzon 7) Blocked shots 16-12 CAR (Walker 3) Winning goaltender: Brandon Bussi (18/21), 1-1 Losing goaltender: Carter Hart (23/27), 14-6 GWG: Jordan Staal 6:32 3rd. PP: CAR 1/3 (Staal); VGK 0/3 ENG: Ehlers 19:05 3rd. Multiple points: CAR Ehlers 3 (1-2) Staal 2 (2-0) Blake 2 (1-1) VGK Karlsson 2 (1-1) Time of game: 2:32 Attendance: 18,339 at @TMobileArena 3 Stars of the Game: 3⭐️ VGK Karlsson (G, A, 16:53 TOI, hit, 4/12 FO) 2⭐️ CAR Ehlers (G, 2A, 19:09 TOI, hit, 2/2 FO) 1⭐️ Staal (2G, GWG, 16:34 TOI, 2 hits, 1 blocked shot, 12/16 FO) Carolina improves to 14-3, 7-1 on the road, and still has not lost consecutive games in the postseason…a lot longer back than that. Vegas falls to 14-6, 7-3 at home (matching their road record), and what must be a concern - G Carter Hart allowed only 7 goals to #GoAvsGo in the 4 game series prior to this one. He’s allowed 16 so far in these 4 games, with at least 2 to go…if he plays in them. This will be the 2nd Game 5 for the Hurricanes - they had a 3-1 lead on #GoHabsGo in the East Final and won Game 5. They’ve not yet had a Game 5 tied at 2…they do now. This will be the 3rd Game 5 for Vegas, the first one on the road. The other two - against #TusksUp and #FlyTogether, they won Game 5 at home and then Game 6 on the road. We’ll see you Thursday from Raleigh; goodnight from Las Vegas via Los Angeles. 😴😴😴

Ok, stats after 2, Game 414, #VGKvsCAR: Faceoffs #SoundTheSiren 20/35, 57% (Staal 7/10) #ForgedInGold 15/35, 43% (Dowd 4/6) SOG 23-12 CAR (Blake 3, G-A; Staal 3, G; Stankoven 3, G) Hits 30-23 VGK (C. Smith 5) Blocked shots 10-7 VGK (Andersson 3) PP: CAR 1/3 (Staal); VGK 0-2 When tied after 2: CAR: 4-1 VGK 3-1 Since we have a minute, here is our #MediaTineoutShoutout - props to all who call/report on our great game! @FDSN_Hurricanes @TrippTracy @corylav @mikemaniscalco @ice_chip @hannaRyates @CanesPR @CardiacCane @Chicago_Wolves @canes @Dan_DUva @garylawless @DavidCGoucher @PA_Bruce @JesseGranger_ @HSKnights @8NewsNow @reviewjournal @ChanceNHL @DannyWebster21 @VegasHockeyPod @HockeyBlvdVegas @ashalivise @GoldenKnights @JimFox19 @DarylEvans15 @bigbrotherjake @DennisTFP @TFP @TheFourthPeriod @ABC @JohnForslund @BJaffe @robertbrender @SportsUSALive @HockeyHallFame @OvertimeScottB @NHLRussell @PKSubban1 @espnSteveLevy @notthefakeSVP @emilymkaplan @ESPNRefNHL @KevinWeekes @6ErikJohnson @DreWithESPN @Braylon_Breeze 🏒🏒🏒 Another OT in the works? We’ll see. For now, 3-3 headed to the 3rd! #VGKvsCAR

Welcome back to postgame, Game 5 at @LenovoCenter - #SoundTheSiren wins 6-1 against #GoHabsGo and takes the series 4-1 to become the 2026 Eastern Conference champions. They will meet the West champion #ForgedInGold, who swept Presidents Trophy #GoAvsGo in the West Final; the #StanleyCupFinal starts Tuesday, June 2 in Carolina. Both teams have the distinction of having won the Stanley Cup the last time they competed in one - Carolina, in 2006 vs #LetsGoOilers; Vegas, in 2023 against #TimeToHunt. Both teams are 1-1 in the Final - Canes lost in 2002 to #LGRW, while Vegas lost in 2018 (its inaugural year) to #ALLCAPS. Montreal’s loss extends the streak of Canadian teams not winning the Cup to 33 years (32 seasons) - the last Canadian team to win the Cup was Montreal, in 1993 vs #GoKingsGo. Since then, 5 of the 7 Canadian teams have reached the Final at least once (excepting Winnipeg and Toronto) but none have won. Final stats for Game 5, #CARvsMTL: Faceoffs MTL 28/53, 53% (Danault 8/12) CAR: 25/53, 47% (Staal 13/24) SOG 30-24 CAR (Stankoven 4, G-2A; Martinook 4) Hits 18-11 CAR (Stankoven 5) Blocked shots 12-3 CAR (Chatfield 4) Winning goaltender: Frederik Andersen (23/24), 12-1 Losing goaltender: Jakub Dobes (24/29), 9-10 GWG/Series-clinching goal: Logan Stankoven, 15:12 1st. Empty net goal: Seth Jarvis, 16:19 3rd. PP: MTL 1/5 (Caufield), CAR 1/5 (Gostisbehere) Multiple points: Stankoven and Hall 3 (1-2) Jarvis and Blake 2 (1-1) Time: 2:28 Attendance: 18,931 at @LenovoCenter. 3 Stars of the Game (all CAR): 3⭐️ Stankoven (G, 2A, 16:00 TOI, 5 hits, game winning/series clinching goal) 2⭐️ Hall (G, 2A, 15:26 TOI, 2 SOG) 1⭐️ Andersen (23/24 saves) Carolina moves to 12-1 in postseason, 6-1 at home, 6-0 on the road. Montreal ends its postseason at 9-10, 2-6 at home, 7-4 on the road…but lost its last 2 on the road. Our picks were 7-5 through the first two rounds - we had both preseries underdogs winning in 6 games, but only one of them won, and in a sweep…so we are now 8-6 in postseason picks, so no matter what we pick for the Final (and we DO have one, it’s just not released yet) we will finish over .500 again for the postseason. So, a rest for the independent hockey statcaster as well - no games until Tuesday…taking the weekend off but will revisit Monday and prep for Tuesday and beyond. The Saturday Game 3 will have to be a “jip” but I will get in as soon as I’m available. TV will be @ABC and @TSNHockey; national radio is @SportsUSALive - I will get the lineup from host @robertbrender when I can. Again, the final score - Carolina 6, Montreal 1. Good night from Raleigh (via Los Angeles). 😴 #CARvsMTL @DennisTFP @JohnForslund @JimFox19 @DarylEvans15 @NOlczyk16 @bigbrotherjake @NHLRussell @EricEngels @ESPNRefNHL @Dan_DUva @garylawless @PA_Bruce @ashalivise @liam_mchugh @WayneGretzky @BizNasty2point0 @AnsonCarterLA @HLundqvist @Jackie_Redmond @CarrlynBathe @KaylaKnierim @mikeydelorean @abc7rob @VegasHockeyPod @drophockeyshow

After 8 straight days of NHL conference final action, Thursday was an open date. #GoAvsGo would have hosted #ForgedInGold had the Avalanche won at least one (but not all) of the series’ first four games. Instead, Vegas swept the series Tuesday - leaving Thursday open. #SoundTheSiren, who last reached the #StanleyCupFinal (and won it) in 2006, has the power to determine when their series with #GoHabsGo ends - and how much rest at home it gets before hosting Vegas for Games 1 and 2 of the Final. If 11-1 Carolina eliminates Montreal tonight at @LenovoCenter, the Hurricanes will have three days of no games before hosting Game 1 of the Final Tuesday, June 2. If the road-proficient Canadiens - still the last Canadian team to win a Cup since 1993 (when they did it against #GoKingsGo) - extends the East Final past tonight, Game 6 would be Sunday night, 7:30pm ET, at @CentreBell @BellCentre. And if the percentages hold, and Montreal loses at home again, Carolina would still have 3 days of no hockey before hosting Vegas for Game 1 of the Final - but on Thursday, June 4. If, however, Montreal were to win that Game 6 - Game 7 would be Tuesday, June 2, at @LenovoCenter, with the winner having just a day of no hockey (Wednesday) before hosting Vegas…who by then would have had 8 days of no hockey) in Game 1. Stick tap to the respective arenas’ Operations crews at that point, because one of them would have a lot of work to do to get the ice ready for a Game 1 Final starting Thursday. Carolina, who beat Montreal at Raleigh in overtime on Saturday, can ensure itself 3 no-hockey days (and Vegas, 6) by closing the series tonight. They’d get an extra day off between Games 3 and 4 in Vegas (because of the NBA Finals - also on @ABC - having Game 3 in New York on Monday, June 8)…if they finish tonight. A side note - this is the first Game 5 for the Hurricanes in this postseason. Montreal has already played 2 and won 2 (albeit with their series tied 2-2, and won both series on the road). Game 5 tonight, 5pm PT/8pm ET, on @NHL_On_TNT - national radio, @SportsUSALive with @JohnForslund, @JimFox19, @NOlczyk16, and @robertbrender. We will have full game coverage of every remaining game (except ones on Saturday), using appropriate hashtags (#CARvsMTL, #MTLvsCAR, #CARvsVGK, etc.) It’s always a bittersweet time of year when there are 10 games or less remaining in the season…possibly, only 5. So let’s enjoy what’s left. #BecauseItsTheCup

Tune-In LIVE TONIGHT on SiriusXM #StanleyCup Playoffs 🎧SiriusXM.ca/NHLLive

Will the Hurricanes punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final tonight? Find out when @SportsUSALive brings you Game 5 of the ECF. I’ll have the pregame at 7:30 ET with @JohnForslund @JimFox19 and @NOlczyk16 on the PBP. Listen live: sportsusa.live

Listen in to @SportsUSALive at 7:30pm ET to hear the outstanding @JohnForslund, the great @JimFox19, and I for the call of Game 3 in Montreal 📻

GAME 3 OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS TONIGHT ON SPORTS USA! HURRICANES AT CANADIENS | ECF | GAME 1 ⏰ 7:30 PM ET 📻 STATIONS NATIONWIDE AND SXM 91 🎙️@JohnForslund, @JimFox19, and @NOlczyk16

Game 2 of the #ecf begins at 6:30 pm ET on @SportsUSALive with @JimFox19 and @JohnForslund streaming at sportsusa.live sxm channel 91

The ECF should be very intriguing! Join me, @JimFox19 and @NOlczyk16 for all the coverage on @SportsUSALive starting at 730 et tomorrow from Raleigh, NC #thatshockeybaby

Thanks to everyone for the Birthday Wishes! Very much appreciated! Salute! 🥂

Christian: Many thanks for the Birthday Wishes and the kind words! I hope all is well?🥂 🏒🎙️🙏

Looking forward to joining my friends at @SportsUSALive for the excitement of the Eastern Conference Final and then the Stanley Cup Final. Talk to you next week from Raleigh!!! #thatshockeybaby

🚨MITCH MARNER AND THE KNIGHTS TAKE CARE OF THE DUCKS 5-1!🚨 Listen to Sports USA’s own @Goldieonice and @JimFox19 with the call. Tune in Tomorrow for Game 6 between the Sabres and the Canadiens at 7:30 PM ET on stations nationwide 📺: SportsNet

Join us tonight for Game 4 of the Golden Knights/Ducks 2nd round series on @SportsUSALive. Vegas leads the series 2-1. I’ll have the pregame show at 6pm PT with @goldieonice and @JimFox19 on the PBP. Listen online or find your local radio affiliate: sportsusa.live

Very kind!!!! 🥂🏒

GAME 2 TONIGHT ON SPORTS USA! DUCKS AT GOLDEN KNIGHTS | Round 2 | Game 2 ⏰9:00 PM ET 📻STATIONS NATIONWIDE AND SXM 380/970 STREAMING 🎙️ @GoldieOnIce & @JimFox19

I could have taken Biz for a cold beer!!!! 🍻😜