The Stanley Cup Finals

This is a very special time for the Boston Bruins and their long-suffering fans. There are a lot of riders on the bandwagon these days, and that’s nice to see, but for many out there whose devotion and allegiance to the team predates the Great Bobby Orr, the long drought has been difficult. When Orr & Co. were at the height of their glory, hockey was king in Boston. As the decades passed without much success, the Bruins faded into near irrelevance on the local sports scene. In this relatively new century, the Sox, Patriots and Celtics have all won championships and reaped the well-deserved acclaim that comes with winning the big prize. The pundits began to question whether Boston was still a “hockey town”. The team and its core group of fans became somewhat of a laughingstock, magnified by a brutal Game 7 defeat against Carolina two years ago and an epic collapse against Philadelphia last year.

The experts have installed Vancouver as prohibitive favorites in this Cup Final and the B’s probably have no issue with that assessment. In fact, they ought to thrive in the role of underdog. There’s no question that the Canucks have a definite edge in the offensive game with the Sedin Twins, Kesler, Burrows, et al. And a quick look at the starting goaltenders (Thomas v. Luongo) is pretty much a wash. On defense, the B’s have the edge provided they can stay out of the penalty box. The B’s were somewhat inconsistent in the series with the Lightning. But in those games in which they executed the coach’s game plan well, they were unstoppable. Why can’t they carry over the same level of play to the Finals? Let’s hope that the B’s came not just for the event but to win the games.

Game 1 Stanley Cup Finals at Vancouver (6/1/11):

The stage has been set and it was finally time to drop the puck. In the opening seconds, Daniel Sedin tipped one on Thomas as the Canucks had the B’s momentarily on their heels. The Canucks had a powerful adrenaline rush to start the game but the B’s began pushing back. Daniel Sedin went off for a double-minor high stick of Chara at 4:03, giving the poorly performing power play a golden opportunity. The B’s controlled the puck in the Canucks’ zone and put at least six really good shots on Luongo. But goals? No. Kelly went off for a high stick at 8:47 giving the Canucks’ vaunted power play a chance to break the ice. Burrows went off for holding at 10:18 after he pulled down Ference. Kesler had a shorthanded break and chipped a shot that Thomas knocked away. The B’s could do nothing with their abbreviated power play. Marchand went off at 13:25 for grabbing a stick. The B’s had played with defensive discipline up to that point but couldn’t afford to give Canucks too many man-advantage opportunities. Bieksa put a shot on Thomas that bounced off and was cleared away. Once more, the PK unit did a good job of controlling the play. At the end of the period there was some pushing and shoving between Bergeron and Burrows but the B’s were able to withstand Vancouver’s bull rush in the early going and probably went into the dressing room with some added confidence.

The B’s started out the second on the power play as Burrows got an extra two for roughing with Bergeron (who indicated that Burrows bit him on the finger). Bieksa was then sent off for high sticking at 29 seconds, giving the B’s a 5-on-3 for over a minute and a half. Recchi had a great chance from the right post but Luongo was able to get to the puck before it went in. The B’s power play is simply pathetic. Dan Hamhuis knocked Lucic for a loop but ended up getting injured on the play. Krejci went off for cross checking at 4:00 but the PK unit kept the Canucks from putting any shots on goal. Kesler broke in alone and crashed the net but Seidenberg was sent off at 9:28 for kneeing. Peverley was then sent off for hooking at 9:54 and the Canucks had their turn at a 5-on-3. Burrows then went off for tripping at 10:02, negating that. Ehrhoff fired a rocket from the blue line as Daniel Sedin then crashed the net that sent Thomas sprawling. Bergeron then tipped in a pass from Campbell but Luongo made a great pad save; it was the B’s best chance so far. Kelly then broke in alone down left wing but his shot went wide. Raymond then came back and nearly tipped in a loose puck that slid across the crease but barely missed getting to it. In those recent minutes, the Canucks seemed to be taking the B’s out of their game as the B’s were chasing. Bergeron was then sent off for tripping at 17:50, but the Canucks weren’t able to do much in the closing moments of the period. The B’s spent nearly half of the second down a man but the special teams hung tough.

Burrows opened the third by putting a shot on Burrows that was deflected away. A minute later, Lapierre fired a wrist shot from the high slot that Thomas grabbed. Recchi then nearly tipped in Seidenberg’s blast from the point. Four minutes in, Ryder put a shot on goal that Luongo shunted aside. Oh my goodness! Thomas made a spectacular stop of Hansen’s shot on a clean break to the net. Luongo then came back to make an impressive stop off of Krejci’s break from the left. Thomas then made a great save off of Lapierre’s shot as he had a clean break. In the later stages of the period, the Canucks were pressing hard in the B’s zone and put a couple of testing shots on Thomas, as Higgins’ shot hit the crossbar and rocketed straight back up the ice. Canucks scored with 18 seconds remaining in the period as Torres banged in a pass from Kesler. The B’s defense broke down and Thomas was left to fend for himself. It was a heartbreaking way to lose, but it’s not the end of the world. The B’s played a very good game, and if they are able to maintain that level of play, it ought to be an exciting series.

Game 2 Stanley Cup Finals at Vancouver (6/4/11):

Losing Game 1 in the closing seconds was a tough nut to swallow, but the B’s have been through some rough patches in these playoffs and have found a way to rebound. With the extra day off, the media has had additional time to “dissect and analyze” the team’s performance. All of a sudden, everyone out there is an expert hockey tactician, criticizing the coach’s use of certain players on the power play and offering their irrelevant opinions. The only thing we know for certain is that the B’s have to bring their ‘A+’ game to bear every night if they hope to succeed. The offense was not up to par in Game 1, despite all the shots on goal. Most of the shots either came from the perimeter or were aimed at Luongo’s crest. The offense performed very much like they did in the early stages of the series with Canadiens. They were lucky to win that round. This time, they need more than luck. The B’s should take encouragement heading into Game 2 as there were large stretches of Game 1 in which they were the better team.

They dropped the puck (finally) around 8:20 and it was time to get to business. Former Bruin Andrew Alberts replaced the injured Hamhuis. A couple of minutes in, Kelly flipped a shot on goal that Luongo covered. Boychuk then leveled Kesler with a heavy check and Kesler was suckin’ wind out there for a moment. The B’s pressed early as Paille had a wraparound attempt that was kicked aside. Salo fired a shot that Thomas deflected and the puck bounced loose in the crease but Seidenberg cleared it away. In the first 6-7 minutes, the B’s played at a much faster pace than in Game 1, but Canucks were winning the 1-on-1 battles for possession. The danger was allowing Canucks to set the pace and take the B’s out of their normal style. Oreskovich had the game’s first clean break as he moved out of the neutral zone and fired a shot from the left circle that Thomas covered. Ryder then fired a low shot from a sharp angle that Luongo smothered. Moments later, Ryder came back again with another shot that was aimed at Luongo’s head, no creativity on that one. (He did knock Luongo’s mask off, though). Chara was sent off at 9:36 for interference. At that point, B’s had a 9-4 edge in shots on goal but none of them was particularly challenging. In the first minute of the power play, Thomas made a couple of nice stops on slap shots from mid-range. Canucks scored at 12:12 as Ference turned over the puck in the B’s zone and Higgins was able to pick the loose puck and pass to Burrows, who fired a low wrister that squeaked through Thomas at the near post. Up to that point, the PK unit was doing a good job but all it took was one mistake. As previously mentioned, there was no ingenuity in the B’s offensive approach. It was that same old dump n’ chase style which drives fans to fits of madness. It’s why the coach is such a polarizing figure. The B’s are not going to win this game playing that way, pure and simple.

The B’s power play went to work early in the second, as Canucks were called for delay of game when the puck went over the glass. Once again, the power play units put forth a putrid effort as Recchi’s shot from in tight was the only tangible result. They couldn’t get out of their own way on that one. Krejci was then set up beautifully out in front but his shot hit Luongo in the chest. That was the B’s best chance so far. Perhaps their frustration was causing them to play with a little more intensity. Finally, the B’s tied the score at 9:00! Lucic scored after digging the puck from behind the net and passing the puck to Boychuk at the right point. Luongo made the initial stop of Boychuk’s shot but left a long rebound that Lucic slid into the net. B’s went right back on the power play at at 10:26 as Rome went off for holding and this time they cashed in at 11:33 as Recchi tipped in Chara’s shot from the left point. (So much for all those pundits who thought that Recchi was only fit for the glue factory). Torres then leveled Krejci with a heavy check and then Canucks crashed the net as Kesler fed Hansen but Thomas made a very nice stop. Ryder then cleared away Tambellini’s chance with a wide open right corner of the net. Daniel Sedin followed with a great chance on a pass from Kesler that Thomas kicked away. At 18:59, the B’s went back on the power play as Rome went off for interference, but the B’s couldn’t do much with the opportunity in the final minute.

B’s had about a minute of power play time to open the third and Seidenberg fired a shot that Luongo covered. Seidenberg then went off for tripping at 52 seconds and it was the Canucks’ turn with the man advantage. The PK unit did a great job of keeping the puck away from Thomas as Vancouver had no shots on goal. Bieksa was then shaken up when he took a stick to the midsection from Peverley. Thomas came back to make a nice glove save off of Ehrhoff’s shot from the left point. Thomas then came out of his crease to make a stop and was knocked down, leaving a wide open net but the puck was cleared away. Canucks then picked up the tempo and pressed the action in the B’s zone. Krejci turned over the puck out in front of Thomas but somehow the B’s were able to move the puck out of danger. It was beginning to get a little chaotic out there and the B’s really needed to reset. Too late…Canucks tied it up at 9:38 as Daniel Sedin scored on a pass from Burrows directly off the faceoff. The B’s had been on their heels and out of sync for well up to a minute leading up to that goal and the coach should’ve used a timeout prior to the faceoff. After the goal, Canucks smelled blood in the water while the B’s were aimlessly skating about. A scrum then ensued between Torres and Ference in front of the B’s net following an attempt by Canucks to crash the net. Late in the period, Krejci had a nice break in alone but his shot went wide. The B’s withstood another onslaught in the final minute and it was on to overtime.

…Well, that was quick as Burrows scored 11 seconds into overtime on a wraparound that found the back of the net. Burrows picked up a loose puck at the blue line, skated down left wing, faked a shot and went behind the net and slid the puck in on a wraparound. It happened that quickly. Now it was time to go back to Boston, but the B’s had to feel utterly deflated.

Game 3 Stanley Cup Finals v. Vancouver (6/6/11):

There wasn’t much to say after the way in which Game 2 ended on Saturday night. Oh, Bruins’ fans put in their two cents on the talk shows but it was simply crying over spilt milk. They lost again, get over it. No one needs to be told the importance of Game 3. If the B’s win, they have a legitimate shot. If they lose, it’s all but O-V-A-H over. After Game 2, the coach kept mentioning how the B’s were deficient in puck management and how they allowed the Canucks to run roughshod over them in the third period of both games. We’ll see what type of smarts and intensity they bring to the rink for Game 3. In yet another mystifying move, the coach benched Seguin for Game 3 in favor of Shawn Thornton. So while the B’s are getting beaten at the speed game, one of their fastest forwards takes a seat in favor of “sandpaper”.

It’s been 21 years since a Cup Final has been played in Boston and the Garden crowd loudly cheered on the B’s. In the first 30 seconds, Bergeron put a tricky backhander on Luongo that was frozen. Two minutes in, Kesler put a wrist shot on Thomas. Four minutes in Raymond fired a wrist shot on goal that Thomas turned aside. Horton was then leveled by Rome with a check, went down hard and was out cold. Horton made a pass at left wing to Lucic and was leveled by Rome at the blue line. A stretcher needed to be brought onto the ice to remove Horton. It was definitely a late and dirty hit for which Rome was tossed from the game. The B’s had a five-minute power play and needed to make the Canucks pay. Ryder took Horton’s spot up front on the power play. Chara fired a shot on goal that Luongo covered. Krejci and Lucic followed up with shots from in tight that Luongo turned aside. Krejci came back with two more shots that Luongo turned away and the puck was cleared. Despite putting six shots on goal, the power play couldn’t do the job (again). McQuaid was sent off for delay of game at 11:41, giving Canucks their first shot with the man advantage. Edler put a testing shot on goal that Thomas blocked. The PK unit did another good job limiting Canucks to that one shot. Ference then leveled Higgins with a heavy check and Ehrhoff and Edler put two clean shots on Thomas. Late in the period, Mason Raymond then put two great shots on Thomas, who made his best stops of the night so far. That was another frustrating period for the B’s. They lost one of their best players at a time when they needed offensive pressure.

Andrew Ference put the B’s ahead 11 seconds into the second on a shot from the left point on a rebound of a shot from Krejci. The shot was a knuckleball that confused the Canucks’ defenders and found its way past Luongo. Tambellini then went off for hooking Thornton at 2:42. Bergeron put two shots on goal that Luongo turned aside. Recchi put the B’s ahead 2-0 at 4:22 from directly out in front of Luongo on pass from Ryder. After the goal there was some pushing and shoving but no penalties. Ference then came back with a tough shot on goal that Luongo kicked aside. Ference then went off at 6:22 for tripping Burrows. Kesler and Ehrhoff put shots on Thomas that were quickly knocked away. Campbell and Paille came back on the shorthand to put shots on Luongo as the PK group did another great job. Torres then nearly tipped in a shot but Thomas made a great pad save. A minute later Malhotra broke in alone with the puck but Thomas stoned him cold. Lucic was called for slashing the stick out of Alberts’ hands at 10:30 and Canucks went back on the power play. Marchand scored a shorthanded goal at 11:30 as he broke in alone with the puck from the neutral zone and went top shelf, it was a highlight reel goal. B’s then made it 4-0 at 15:47 as Krejci scored on a rebound of Ryder’s shot. Late in the period, Oreskovich attempted a wraparound shot that Thomas steered away, but Boychuk’s stick caught Oreskovich in the face and the B’s were hit with a double-minor. The PK unit was able to effectively keep the puck away from Thomas for the balance of the period.

Canucks started out the third with 1:36 of power play time. Bieksa put two quick shots on goal that Thomas kicked aside. Ryder was then sent off for roughing at 2:50 for a high hit on Alberts. Burrows and Chara were both sent off for whacking each other at 3:33. Raymond then fired a shot on goal that Thomas covered. Ference and Daniel Sedin both received 10-minute misconducts for some rough stuff in front of Thomas. Higgins came back to fire a point blank shot on Thomas after McQuaid turned over the puck. Thornton then received a 2+10 after he got into it with Kesler for roughing as the referees decided to impose a “zero tolerance” policy on the extra curricular activities. Kesler was then sent off for boarding Paille at 9:11. Thomas then robbed Higgins again on a backhanded attempt. Seidenberg and Kesler then had a wrestling match at 11:16. The B’s made it 5-0 at 11:38 as Paille scored on the shorthand as he picked a loose puck on a turnover and buried it. Hansen put Canucks on the board at 13:53 from the base of the left circle on a nice pass from Torres. Krejci was complaining that Hansen slashed him prior to scoring the goal and the coach was chirping at the referees as well. Recchi made it 6-1 at 17:39 from in close on a rebound of Marchand’s shot. After Ference and Bieksa were sent off for the night, Kelly made it 7-1 at 18:06 as he picked a loose puck at the top of the crease and buried it, so it was safe to put this one in the “W” column. Ryder made it 8-1 at 19:29 on the power play to put an exclamation point on this game. It was the Bruins’ night as they put forth a solid effort all the way around. Moving into Game 4, the big question is how the team will make up for Horton’s absence. It was the first B’s Cup Final home win since May 21, 1978…that was a long, long time ago. Hopefully, the B’s can bring the same effort to Game 4.

…On Tuesday morning, the B’s announced that Horton was lost for the remainder of the series with a severe concussion and the NHL announced that Rome was suspended for the balance of the series for his dirty hit. It doesn’t seem like a fair trade, does it? Now, the B’s have to move forward without one of their best forwards.

Game 4 Stanley Cup Finals v. Vancouver (6/8/11):

The B’s couldn’t count on Luongo having another sub-par night coming into this game. If they wanted to tie up the series, they needed to bring the same level of intensity to bear as in Game 3. They were at a big disadvantage without Horton as a young kid like Seguin couldn’t be expected to fill such big skates, but the team had no choice but to make the best of it with Seguin.

Henrik Sedin put a shot on goal in the first minute that Thomas knocked away. A couple of minutes in, Paille popped Oreskovich with a heavy hit. Three minutes in, Krejci put a backhanded stab on goal that Luongo turned away. Daniel Sedin came back to put a shot on Thomas from the bottom of the left circle that was knocked aside. Marchand put a low shot on Luongo’s stick side that was knocked away. Ryder was then sent off at 6:58 for tripping Kesler. Edler fired a shot that went over the top of the net, but that was the only shot that the PK unit allowed. Midway through the period, Ryder put a shot on Luongo from the high slot that was blocked. Lucic came back on the rebound but Luongo covered the puck. So far, the teams went at each other hammer and tong with no clear edge to either. Peverley put the B’s ahead at 11:59 as he broke in alone on a pass from Krejci and went five-hole. Ballard and Bieksa came back to put shots on goal that Thomas turned aside as Canucks were playing with a higher level of intensity. Marchand went off for cross-checking at 16:10, giving Canucks another bite of the apple. The PK unit kept the Canucks’ power play from putting any shots on Thomas. Late in the period, Lapierre put a shot on goal from directly out in front that Thomas covered. Ryder hit the post with less than a minute left in the period. The B’s were out shot 12-6 in the first period but made their opportunities count.

In the first minute of the second, Kesler fired a shot from the high slot that Thomas blocked. Three minutes in, Burrows fired another shot from the high slot that Thomas stopped. Bieksa put a shot on goal that was cleared away by the defense. At 7:41, Raymond went off for high sticking Ference but the power play group was only able to muster one shot on goal. Midway through the period, Chara fired a bomb from the blue line that Luongo covered. Ryder made it 2-0 B’s at 11:11 as he scored from the top of the left circle on a great outlet pass from Seguin and the puck went under Luongo’s glove. Alberts and Peverley got into a little jam and both went off for matching minors at 12:05. At 13:29, Marchand made it 3-0 as he picked up a rebound of Bergeron’s shot on the doorstep and tucked it past Luongo on the backhand. At that point, Canucks exercised their timeout to regroup. Seidenberg then leveled Ehrhoff with a big check. Paille and Bieksa then traded shots on goal that were knocked away. Late in the period, Krejci fired a shot on goal that Luongo covered as Lucic and Kesler were battling directly out in front. At 18:49, Boychuk was called for firing the puck over the glass. But the PK unit clamped down and limited the Canucks to only one shot.

The Canucks had 49 seconds of power play time remaining to open the third. Henrik Sedin was then called for slashing Peverley at 52 seconds. Bergeron snapped one on goal that was blocked out in front by Albers. Again, the power play didn’t do much. But Peverley scored at 3:39 as he deflected the puck off of Kesler on a pass from Lucic. After review, the goal was confirmed and Luongo was pulled in favor of Cory Schneider. Midway through the period, the teams exchanged a couple off shots on goal before Recchi went off for high-sticking at 9:14. Thomas then came back to make a big blocker save of Bieksa’s shot. Kesler went off for slashing at 10:25. After the abbreviated power play did nothing, Seguin put a shot on Schneider that was knocked away. Lapierre then went off for slashing at 14:35. After the power play expired, Raymond and Henrik Sedin put a couple of shots on Thomas that were knocked away. Marchand and Ballard had a little go as Sedin went flying in the exchange leading up to the scrum and both combatants were sent off to the box. Schneider was pulled at 17:33 as Canucks attempted a last-gasp maneuver to get on the board. Burrows and Thomas then had an exchange of punches and Seidenberg stepped in to protect the goaltender. Other players got into it and a mess of misconducts were assessed. Bieksa fired a shot on goal in the final seconds, but that was all the Canucks could put forth at the end. It was a very good win for the Bruins, and now it’s down to a best of three.

Yes, the Bruins are halfway there, but one thing’s for certain: They have to play much better.

Game 5 Stanley Cup Finals at Vancouver (6/10/11):

The teams flew west on Thursday in preparation of Game 5 at Rogers Arena. It is great to see the Bruins on everyone’s minds and (however briefly), kings of the local sporting scene again. The talk shows and media have been totally focused on hockey as the local fans now have to endure the opinions of the local pundits who previously wouldn’t give the B’s a moment of their time. Suddenly, everyone’s an expert.

The key to Game 5 for the B’s is to keep doing what they did in Games 3 and 4. It’s not rocket science. They have to hit and hustle for 60 minutes in front of a hostile and antagonistic crowd. It would be a big challenge for the B’s to prevail in this one though it’s not an overwhelming task. They’ve already won playoff games in Montréal, Philly and Tampa, and those crowds were pretty intimidating. But you’d have to believe that the Canucks will come out as a desperate team and the B’s need to withstand an early onslaught. The other question facing the Canucks is which Roberto Luongo will show up? The one who was unstoppable in Games 1-2, or the one who gave up 12 goals in Games 3-4? We shall see…

OK, enough with the talk; drop the puck for cryin’ out loud. Thornton and Lapierre jousted early on but it was Torres who was called for tripping at 1:39. Once again, the power play unit couldn’t get out of their own way and mustered three shots on, the most dangerous being a backhanded attempt by Krejci. Kelly then had a nice break down right wing but his shot went wide of the net. Raymond then had a point blank chance but Thomas deflected his shot over the net (oh, that was close). After the first 5-6 minutes Canucks finally started to get into a groove offensively. Henrik Sedin then went off for interference (dirty blind-side hit) at 6:54. This time, the power play started out cohesively before falling apart. Canucks then used their speed advantage and the B’s were chasing instead of hitting and controlling the play. Boychuk then came down and ripped a shot from the high slot into a crowd of players out in front of Luongo. Albers went off for roughing at 14:13, Hanson then had a shorthanded break down right wing but his shot went wide. Bergeron then came back and fired a shot on goal that Luongo deflected away; otherwise the power play was powerless. They simply cannot afford to be given man-advantage chances and fail. The Canucks will get their chances, too. Burrows came down the ice and put a testing shot on that Thomas covered. Edler then popped Ryder with a heavy check up against the boards. Lucic and Burrows were both sent off at 19:27 for a little scrum at the faceoff circle as the refs are having no part of any rough stuff tonight. The B’s basically survived that period.

The teams started out the second on a 4-on-4, which could be dangerous with Canucks’ speed advantage. Less than two minutes in, Sedin had a great chance that Thomas knocked away. Oreskovich followed up with a shot from further away on which Thomas left a fat rebound. Kesler then crashed the net and slammed Thomas’ head into the goalpost; he was sent off at 4:13. There was a little more life to the power play this time but still no dice. Seidenberg then blistered a shot from the left point that Luongo smothered. McQuaid went off for holding at 7:22, giving Canucks their first crack at the power play. Canucks worked the puck well on the perimeter and crashed the net from in close but the B’s PK unit held down the fort. Raymond then nearly tipped in a shot from close range. Midway through the period, the B’s controlled the play in the offensive zone and put several shots on goal that Luongo turned aside. It was their best sustained pressure so far. Canucks came right back and crashed the net and nearly scored but Thomas somehow kept the puck from going in. Henrik Sedin then put a backhander on net that Thomas held onto. Raymond then attempted to jam one in but Thomas held the near post. Bergeron was then sent off for holding at 15:56. Daniel Sedin then fired a shot on through a crowd that Thomas smothered. The PK unit did another good job of limiting Canucks’ chances. The one thing that was noticeable during the second period was that Canucks did a good job of sending an attacker to the front of the net on every advance while the B’s continued to dump and chase. Hopefully that would be addressed in between periods.

Three minutes into the third period, Chris Higgins put a testing shot on that Thomas covered, but the B’s had the better of the play in the early going. Lapierre scored for Canucks at 4:35 when his shot from the left corner bounced off Thomas and into the net. The B’s came back to press the play in the offensive zone and crashed the net. Peverley was sent off for tripping at 12:09. In the final minutes, the B’s attacked hard in the offensive zone and Luongo made a couple of sparkling stops. With about a minute and a half left on the clock, Thomas was pulled for the extra attacker and the B’s called their timeout. But the Canucks did a good job of bottling things up and came away with the hard-fought 1-0 win. Give credit to Luongo as he came up big a couple of times late in the game. The B’s simply did not play well enough to win. Now it’s back to Boston…

…there was a lot of whining on the talk shows and in the media over last night’s loss, but in reviewing the game, how many legitimate scoring chances did the Bruins have? They were out hustled, out hit and out played for the full 60 minutes. Canucks beat the B’s at their own game.

Game 6 Stanley Cup Finals v. Vancouver (6/13/11):

The series took the weekend off as the teams flew back to Boston for Game 6. The wait for this game was interminably long as there’s only so much “hockey talk” that one can reasonably stand. For the B’s the formula is simple: Win or go home. Hopefully, they’d have enough pride to prevent the visitors from skating around the Garden ice with Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Canucks came out flying and hitting from the opening faceoff but it was Mason Raymond who took a hard hit from Boychuk near the boards and needed to be helped off the ice. Henrik Sedin took a dive and Chara laid a heavy hit and both went to the penalty box. During the 4-on-4, it was the B’s turn to do the flying and hitting, though neither team was able to log any shots on goal. Peverley then had a clean break in on goal but his shot was tipped wide of the net. Marchand made it 1-0 at 5:31 when he skated down right wing and fired a high wrist shot that went over Luongo’s shoulder and into the net. Lucic then made it 2-0 at 6:06 as he broke in with Krejci on a 2-on-1 and tipped in a rebound. Over the first 5-6 minutes, the B’s were utterly dominant. Daniel Sedin then had a nice shot on goal that Thomas smothered. Peverley then took a viscous hit from Edler (who left his feet) and a boarding penalty was called. The power play initially generated pressure in front of Luongo and Ference made it 3-0 on a shot from the left point at 8:35. Luongo was then relieved by Cory Schneider. The B’s then crashed the net following Boychuk’s shot from the right point. Ryder made it 4-0 at 9:45 as he tipped in Kaberle’s shot from the left point. Kesler went off for holding at 10:31 and the power play moved the puck pretty well (for a change), putting two or three quality chances on goal. The B’s then put out the fourth line against Canucks’ top line and Thornton & Co. shut them down. Kesler attempted a wraparound shot but Thomas hugged the post and held onto the puck. In the later stages of the period, Canucks had their best sustained pressure in the B’s zone as Burrows nearly backhanded a shot in but Thomas was ahead of the curve and made the save. Canucks were called for too many men on the ice at 17:09 and the B’s played a lot of tic-tac-toe but no serious chances. Late in the period, Hansen broke in alone and Thomas slid to his right to make a remarkable stop. That was a pretty fair period of hockey the B’s played. Now they have to put their skates to the pedal.

Bergeron went off for goaltender interference at 28 seconds giving Canucks their first crack at the power play. Salo put a shot on goal that was nearly tipped in. Kesler then nearly tipped one in while Thomas was out of position. On the whole, the B’s did a good job of keeping the puck away from Thomas. Canucks then had a 2-on-1 break and Thomas came up with a big stop on Kesler’s shot. The B’s then had a brief period of sustained pressure in Vancouver’s zone and put a couple of shots on that Schneider turned aside. Thomas then came up with a stop of Burrows’ shot as the B’s seemingly stopped hitting and allowed Canucks to play a skill game. Well, they didn’t stop hitting entirely as Seidenberg nailed Higgins in the neutral zone. Bergeron went off again for interference at 12:15 but the PK unit did a great job, limiting Canucks to just one shot by Hansen. Daniel Sedin then put took quick shots on that Thomas knocked away. Bergeron then went off again for elbowing Ehrhoff at 19:08.

Canucks scored at 22 seconds of the third on the power play as Hendrik Sedin backhanded one in through a crowd. Canucks almost scored again at as Hansen drove one in on Thomas on a pass from Sedin. The shot hit the post and a goal was called but then overturned on video review. Torres tripped Krejci and was sent off at 5:23. Alberts then went off for a wicked cross-check on Seguin at 6:11. Recchi put a hard shot on Schneider that was caught and then Krejci scored on a pass across the crease from Recchi at 6:59. Burrows and Bergeron then went off for matching roughing minors. Recchi went off for a trip at 11:32 but the PK unit shut down the Canucks cold. Lapierre scored at 17:34 when he drilled in a pass into a wide open left corner to make it 5-2. Things got rough in front of Schneider after Marchand fired a shot on goal on a break and the B’s crashed the net. Marchand then gave Henrik Sedin several punches to the face with the glove on. Schneider was pulled with 1:30 left on the clock as Canucks moved around the puck in front of Thomas. Seidenberg was sent off for a cross-check on Higgins at 19:03. Thomas then made three quick saves as time ran out on the Canucks. So, the B’s staved off elimination and lived to fight for another day. They have a chance, they really do.

…Think about it, it’s the middle of June and the B’s are still playing hockey. How many people out there predicted that this one would go the distance? The smart money had the Canucks winning in no more than six, so credit to the B’s for hanging tough against a very good team. No matter how tomorrow night’s game turns out, there’s a great deal about this team for which fans can be grateful. They’ve had quite a ride in these playoffs and have pulled out several thrilling victories, starting with Game 7’s overtime win against Canadiens. Do they have one more win in them?

We’re all tired with the old clichés about Game 7’s. The fact is that the Bruins have scored two goals in three games in Vancouver. Somehow they’ve been unable to translate the dominant style they’ve played at home to Rogers Arena. Sure, a lot of it has to do with the crowd noise but it’s been baffling to watch a team play like a shell of themselves once they put on the road sweaters. The two facets of their road game that have been troublesome are playing the dump n’ chase and failing to protect Thomas’ stick side of the net (where Lapierre scored Game 5’s winning goal). They need to tune out the noise (easier said than done) and play their very best game of the season. They simply cannot allow themselves to get pushed around as occurred in Game 5. The numbers say that home teams are 12-3 historically in Game 7 Finals, and this is the very first time that the B’s have been involved in a Game 7 in the Finals. That’s a lot of history to overcome for the Bruins (not to mention criss-crossing North America twice in the past four days). But the Bruins already know this, so it’s time to:

“Carpe Diem”, or
“Leave It All On The Ice”, or
“Go All The Way”, or
“Take It To The Limit”, or
“Lay It All On The Line”, or
“This Is Yours, Take It”, or
“Go The Distance”, or
“Just Win, Baby”

Game 7 Stanley Cup Finals at Vancouver (6/13/11):

As “Coach Norman Dale” famously said in “Hoosiers”, “We’re way past big speech time, now”. This is it. At the precipice of the moment that Bruins’ fans have patiently endured for 39 years and the moment that Canucks fans have never tasted. At the end of the night, one team will lift the Stanley Cup and the other will leave empty handed. There’s nothing “fair” about it, nor should there be. The Bruins are the underdogs heading into Game 7, though to date they have done a remarkable job of shutting down the NHL’s top-rated offensive attack.

The Canucks took the ice to an overwhelming and thunderous applause from the towel-waving crowd. After an endless wait to this game, the referee dropped the puck at 8:20 p.m. Canucks controlled the play in the B’s zone in the first two minutes as Tanev put a shot on Thomas from the point. The B’s then came down and crashed the net following Thornton’s shot. After, there was the usual pushing and shoving in front of Luongo. Thomas then came back to make a nice save off of Henrik Sedin’s shot from in close. Lapierre followed with a shot that Thomas covered. Paille then nearly tipped in a shot at the right post but Luongo held on. Daniel Sedin followed up with a backhanded shot that Thomas grabbed through a crowd. Canucks poured on the pressure in the B’s zone as Higgins put a very tricky shot on goal. Whereas Canucks seem to be moving the puck with a purpose, the B’s are playing dump n’ chase. Midway through the period, the B’s had a brief moment of sustained pressure in Vancouver’s zone and Paille put a shot on net. GOAL! Marchand fed Bergeron and his backhander squeaked through Luongo’s pads and the B’s drew first blood at 14:37. Canucks then made a wild break down ice and Thomas stopped Kesler’s drive. In the closing seconds, Higgins hit Chara away from the play and Chara was momentarily stunned. But he was able to recover and make his way to the bench. Two periods remain…

Thomas was called on in the first minute of the second period to make a stop of Kesler’s shot from close range. Marchand came back and fired a shot as he skated across the crease that Luongo knocked away. Burrows nearly had a golden chance but the puck bounced over his stick. Five minutes in, Kesler fired a long-distance wrist shot that Thomas had no difficulty snatching away. Peverley then fired a shot from the high slot that Luongo kicked out. GOAL!! Brad Marchand wrapped around a goal at 12:13 as he grabbed a loose puck from behind the net, circled to his right and stuffed the puck past Luongo to make it 2-0 B’s. Recchi then had a great chance but he was dumped as he approached the crease. Had this not been a Game 7, that clearly would’ve been a penalty. Canucks then came back to press hard in the B’s zone and put at least three very testing shots on Thomas, the last two by Higgins and Bieksa. Chara drew the first penalty of the game for interference at 16:07…GOAL!!! Bergeron scored on a shorthanded breakaway and he pushed the puck into the net while in the process of being hauled down in the crease by Ehrhoff. What an amazing goal! The PK unit did a fantastic job of killing off the balance of Chara’s penalty. One period remaining…1972 was a very long time ago…

The Bruins’ task in the third period is to treat matters as if the game were scoreless, go out and execute in the same manner as in the previous two periods. They fully recognize that Canucks will come out with all of their guns blazing and so the B’s need to blunt the momentum from the opening faceoff. Through the first two periods Canucks have out-shot the B’s 21-13.

Kesler fired a shot on Thomas in the first minute that was knocked away. Rather than come out with their guns a’blazin’ the Canucks took a more patient and methodical approach to open the third and the B’s successfully kept the puck away from Thomas over the first five minutes. The Canucks picked up their first penalty at 5:33 as Hansen went off for interfering with Ference. It was a dumb penalty to take at an inopportune time. Ryder nearly went top shelf on a shot from the right circle. The power play did a good job of moving the puck around and put a couple of shots on goal but no cigar. Canucks came right back down the ice and Sedin put a shot on that Thomas fell on his back to save. Midway through the period, Canucks continued to make forays into the B’s zone and Hansen and Lapierre fired two quick shots that Thomas covered. Burrows attempted to knock over Seidenberg and wound up on the seat of his pants. Kesler then attempted to stuff in a puck at the near post and was dee-nied. Lucic was then called for hooking Henrik Sedin at 11:34. It was a ticky-tack call for a Game 7. Canucks came out full bore on the power play and moved the puck well initially but Bergeron fed Marchand on a shorthanded bid that Luongo tipped wide. Once more, the PK unit did a commendable job of keeping the puck away from Thomas. Following the conclusion of the power play, Hansen put a very tough shot on goal that Thomas covered. Hansen then hit McQuaid with a cheap shot with his stick. At that point (14:09) the B’s coach wisely used his timeout to regroup and refocus. The B’s had a 2-on-1 break with four min utes remaining but the shot missed the net. With three minutes left, Canucks were in full blown desperation mode and pulled Luongo. Marchand administred the coup de grace at 17:16 and it looked like Lord Stanley’s Cup was coming back to Boston. The Vancouver crowd was deadly silent. Lucic nearly scored with a minute remaining but Luongo tipped away the shot.

On this day, June 15, 2011, at 10:45 p.m. the 39-year wait ended. The Boston Bruins, at long last, are Stanley Cup Champions again. The Boston Bruins are Stanley Cup Champions.

As expected, Tim Thomas won the Conn Smythe Trophy as Playoff MVP. The Commissioner handed the Cup to Zdeno Chara and all of those ghosts from the past disappeared. The Cup was passed next to Mark Recchi, who ends a brilliant career on top. The Cup was then passed to Patrice Bergeron, who suffered through so much to get to this moment. The Vancouver crowd gave an overwhelming ovation to hometown kid Milan Lucic when he held the Cup aloft.

The Boston Bruins are Stanley Cup Champions.