When Game 4 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals begins on Wednesday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the New Jersey Devils will be under pressure to avoid the indignity of being swept out of the Stanley Cup Finals. After coming up just short in the first two games of the series at the Prudential Center, the Devils were thoroughly outplayed on Monday night, as the Kings bested goaltender Martin Brodeur four times while Jonathan Quick stopped every shot he faced. With Los Angeles on the verge of the first Stanley Cup in team history, the Devils will hope to make a better showing for themselves, at the very least, even if they'd only be delaying what feels an awful lot like the inevitable.
However, as the Kings look to put the finishing touches on their electric run to the Stanley Cup and win it in front of their home fans, the reality is that when it comes to sweeps in the Stanley Cup Finals, it's about time.
That's not a comment on the Devils or support for the Kings. It's just about the law of averages.
In truth, sweeps in the Stanley Cup finals aren't as rare as one might think. Since the NHL's championship series went to a best-of-seven format in 1939, 20 teams have claimed the most celebrated trophy in sports with a four-game sweep. On average, a little less than two out of every seven Stanley Cup Finals since 1939 have ended in a sweep. So, while it's not exactly a regular occurrence, it's not exactly unheard of, either.
In fact, the first decade of the 21st century is the only one since 1939 that hasn't seen a Stanley Cup sweep. The last team to win the Stanley Cup Finals in four games was the 1998 Detroit Red Wings, who were the fifth team in the '90s to accomplish the feat, and the current streak of 12 Stanley Cup Finals without a sweep is the longest since 1939 (Oddly enough, the only other decade to see five Stanley Cup sweeps was the 1940s, when talent was more concentrated with just the Original Six in the NHL).
So, if the Kings can complete the sweep on Wednesday night, it won't be unprecedented...it'll probably be about time.