There’s just something about the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks that feels right.

It could be history, cities rich in tradition, or the Original Six connection. Or maybe even two of the sweetest jerseys in the National Hockey League. I really just don’t know what it is exactly. But I know that I like it. No, strike that, I love it when these two teams meet up. Every hockey fan does. Well, maybe those of you guys that live in Vancouver don’t love it, but you know what I mean.

The Blackhawks are basically the B’s midwestern cousin and vice versa.

They look vaguely alike, share some of the personality traits, and were once despised by their own family during their prepubescent awkward years. Fortunately for the game of hockey and their own fan bases, Boston ditched their pimples in 2007-08 and Chicago shaved their dirtlip in 2008-09.

And I just can’t hate them. I tried -- believe me, I tried -- but 2013’s postseason left me without angst.

Northeast Division rivalries and a love of seeing their fans curse the sport they love made rooting against the Maple Leafs all too easy. A self declared ‘king’ in New York -- as handsome of a devil as he may be -- made the Rangers a notably detestable club. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Mario Lemieux? Let the record show that was OK with a statue of himself skating through two butts being erected in front of the building where the team he owns plays. What a weird thing for all.

But Chicago, they were alright by me.

Even Andrew Shaw, the Blackhawks’ version of Boston’s Brad Marchand, was a likeable character given his fearless attitude out there. That guy went right at Zdeno Chara. In fact, I hated Kaspars Daugavins more than I could ever hate the Blackhawks. Related: How do you make the National Hockey League and miss a completely open net by 10 feet?

Now, that’s not to say that seeing the Blackhawks win on Boston ice didn’t bum me out. It’s everyone’s dream to see the Cup won in their building, especially if you have a chance to be on the ice for it. So, naturally, seeing the hometown Bruins sent to the locker room and home for the summer by way of two goals in 17 seconds of Game 6 at TD Garden this past June was tough.

It was tough for the Bostonian in me, and it was tough for the fan in me.

But those feelings were clearly and completely erased once I got to ice-level that night.

I stepped on the Garden ice moments after captain Jonathan Toews lifted the Stanley Cup high above his head and found Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford with his family. “You did it!” his parents exclaimed, tears in their eyes, hugging their son. The pure joy in that moment for the Crawford family was something that still gives me chills. Ray Emery, a player that nearly had to retire due to hip issues, lifted the Cup for the first time. Danny Carcillo’s family was there, going absolutely nuts for their family’s well traveled enforcer. Seeing and feeling those moments is why we’re all hockey fans, and there’s no possible way for me to resent that franchise, even if they left with the Cup I wanted to see take another round through summertime Boston.

That’s me though. And I’m not suiting up in today’s matinee at the United Center.

Spoiler: The members of the Bruins that witnessed their own collapse don’t share my sentiments on that night and the Blackhawks in general. Top-line winger Milan Lucic has said that he’s re-lived the memory of the ‘Hawks scoring two in 17 ‘a hundred times in his head’. They want this game, and while it won’t erase the reality of last summer’s bitter end, a road win against Chicago is another step forward in Lucic and the Bruins’ effort to get their skates back on track.

The Bruins, a team that’s looked lost in their own zone since the loss of Dennis Seidenberg (torn ACL), took a significant step forward in their last game, a 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars. It began in net too, with backup netminder Chad Johnson stopping 32-of-34 shots. The top line contributed two goals on the night, and the B’s put 40+ shots on net for the second straight game.

Don’t kid yourself though, the Blackhawks are not the Stars. It just won’t be that easy against a Blackhawks club that begins the day with the second most points in the league (73), five players with at least 15 goals this year, and 17 wins in 27 games at the Madhouse on Madison in 2013-14.

If the Black-and-Gold are heading back to Boston with two points, it’s going to start with the play of the club’s top line once again. While Lucic and David Krejci got back into the mix with a goal, the B’s are still in search of a reawakening from the 36-year-old Jarome Iginla.

With zero goals and a minus-4 rating in his last six games, Iggy’s undoubtedly had a tough time of it lately, but enters play with 24 goals and 49 points in 60 career games against Chicago.

And just like all six games of last year’s Cup Final, Tuukka Rask gets the start for the Bruins opposite Crawford. Rask takes to the ice with two wins and an .898 save percentage in five games this month and makes his first career regular season start against the ‘Hawks, while Crawford has one win in six starts since returning from injury despite a .922 save percentage.

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