Stanley Cup X-rayed at airport en route to Chicago
Conn Smythe Trophy also goes through sceening process
The Chicago Blackhawks will have the opportunity to win the Stanley Cup on home ice Monday night for the first time since 1938.
But first, Lord Stanley had to clear the screening process at the airport.
As posted on Twitter by Philip Pritchard — the Stanley Cup's guardian — hockey's ultimate prize went through the X-ray machine just before taking flight to Chicago.
Xray of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash">#StanleyCup</a> enroute through security. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BecauseItsTheCup?src=hash">#BecauseItsTheCup</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL">@NHL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/HockeyHallFame">@HockeyHallFame</a> <a href="http://t.co/ZvWYIMp0tk">pic.twitter.com/ZvWYIMp0tk</a>
—@keeperofthecupThe Cup wasn't the only piece of hardware going through the process. The Conn Smythe Trophy, given to the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup playoffs, also needed to pass through the security check.
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ConnSmythetrophy?src=hash">#ConnSmythetrophy</a> made it through okay. On to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCupFinal?src=hash">#StanleyCupFinal</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BecauseItsTheCup?src=hash">#BecauseItsTheCup</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/HockeyHallFame">@HockeyHallFame</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL">@NHL</a> <a href="http://t.co/uTMXxeJYtH">pic.twitter.com/uTMXxeJYtH</a>
—@keeperofthecupThe Blackhawks lead the final series against the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2, and can clinch their third Stanley Cup title in six seasons on Monday night.
Chicago has won 27 of its last 33 playoff games at the United Center.
"Obviously there's a lot of buzz, a lot of excitement, a lot of things going on around the entire event," captain Jonathan Toews said. "I think we're just going to do our best as individuals to focus on our job as players and focus on the game and nothing more."
The teams will play Game 6 tonight at 8 p.m. ET (CBC, CBCSports.ca).
With files from The Associated Press