Three from Thunder Bay begin their chase for the Stanley Cup this week.
Defenceman Robert Bortuzzo, who has a cup ring with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, begins the West Division semi-final against the Colorado Avalanche Monday night.
Also Monday Centre Jordan Staal and the Carolina Hurricanes kick off their Central Division semi-final against the Nashville Predators in the Central Division semi-final.
The third oldest Staal won the cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009 and has high hopes for this season.
“I thought we demanded a lot from everyone in that room this year,” Staal told the media via a Zoom call on May 10th. “It’s been a really fun season, we have a really great squad anything can happen in playoffs but we feel things are just getting started in the second season here.”
Meanwhile Eric Staal and the Montreal Canadiens open the North Division semi-final on Thursday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. That match-up in the post-season last occurred in 1979.
“I grew up in Thunder Bay watching the Maple Leafs every Saturday night,” the eldest Staal said on May 15th when talking about the match-up. “The opportunity to play them in the playoffs, it doesn’t get much better. You have to embrace and enjoy the opportunity, while at the same time remember the way that we know we can play and hope that in the end that we get the result we want and move on.”
Eric last hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2006 as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes.
