Duffer’s Dabbles: June 16 Brings Mixed Stanley Cup Outcomes For Brown Family

June 16, 1998 was a big day in the life of the Brown family and the Stanley Cup. June 16, 2021 wasn’t quite as enjoyable.

It was 23 years ago Wednesday that saw the Detroit Red Wings successfully defending the Stanley Cup. They put a 4-1 whipping on the Washington Capitals at the MCI Center, completing a four-game sweep of the Cup final series. Pacing the Wings that night by scoring two goals was forward Doug Brown.

@darenmillard @MikeMcKenna56 You guys realize Patrick Brown is the son of the "Greatest Hockey Player who never scored 20 goals"
Doug Brown – 2x Cup winner with DET.https://t.co/hmbcpKZiIa

— Christopher Boyd (@CJBear71) May 21, 2021

Wednesday, Doug’s son Patrick, a center with the Vegas Golden Knights, tasted defeat for the first time in six games. The Golden Knights fell 3-2 to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 2 of their Stanley Cup semifinal series. The outcome leaves the best-of-seven set tied 1-1.

Brown was even during 10:07 of ice time in Game 2. He had two shots on goal and delivered five hits. Through 11 games Brown’s found the net twice for goals.

It’s the third successive season that Brown’s team is in the Stanley Cup final four. Last season, he scored one goal in two games as Vegas lost to Dallas in the Western Conference final. In 2018-19, Brown played eight playoff games for the Carolina Hurricanes. They fell to the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference final.

Merrill Makes Return

• Expectations were speculating that the Canadiens would be inserting a former Wing into their lineup for Game 2 against Vegas. The thinking was that forward Tomas Tatar was coming in for Paul Byron. Instead, it was 2021 ex-Wing Jon Merrill slotting in on the defense in place of rookie Alexander Romanov.

Now this is love. #GoHabsGo

pic.twitter.com/yqsKMENZ8e

— From Failing Hands Podcast (@FFHandsPodcast) June 17, 2021

• Anyone else notice that in a sense, the same teams are in the Stanley Cup final four? Last year it was Vegas, Tampa Bay, the New York Islanders and Corey Perry’s team (Dallas). This year, it’s Vegas, Tampa Bay, the New York Islanders and Corey Perry’s team (Montreal).
• Vegas forward Max Pacioretty is the first former Canadiens captain to face the Habs in a playoff series since Doug Harvey in the 1968-69 Stanley Cup final with the St. Louis Blues.

Ex-Whalers Coach Vellucci Interviewed by Blue Jackets

• Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Penguins assistant coach Mike Vellucci, the longtime coach-GM of the OHL Plymouth Whalers, was interviewed for the Columbus Blue Jackets head coaching job that went to Brad Larsen.
• Boston Hockey Now: With a roster led by aging veterans, are the Bruins beginning to resemble the late 2000s Red Wings, who kept hanging on, trying to win one more Cup with the Pavel Datsyuk-Henrik Zetterberg duo leading the way?

A sign the off-season is really revving up as the final four chase the Stanley Cup: Carolina has given Dougie Hamilton permission to talk to other NHL teams. Opens potential for a sign-and-trade.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 14, 2021

• Philadelphia Hockey Now: In need of an upgrade on the back end, the Flyers are being linked to trade rumors involving Seth Jones, Dougie Hamilton, Mattias Ekholm and Matt Dumba.
• Florida Hockey Now: CSKA Moscow, the KHL team managed by former Red Wing Sergei Fedorov, have signed Panthers center Lucas Wallmark.