Stanley Cup Playoffs

Recchi leaves on top

2011-06-16T05:35:57Z

Minutes after Mark Recchi lifted the Stanley Cup over his head for the third time in his career, the 43-year-old made what was expected to be a formality.

"It's the end for me," Recchi said. "This is the last time I get the chance. I'm going out on top. I couldn't be happier with this group of guys. Regardless of what happened tonight, this was going to be one of the best groups I ever played with. We're very fortunate to win. We're going to enjoy this. ]]>
"It's the end for me," Recchi said. "This is the last time I get the chance. I'm going out on top. I couldn't be happier with this group of guys. Regardless of what happened tonight, this was going to be one of the best groups I ever played with. We're very fortunate to win. We're going to enjoy this."

Recchi concludes his Hall-of-Fame career with three rings amid 189 playoff matches. Recchi appeared in 1,652 career games, fourth-most in NHL history behind Gordie Howe, Mark Messier, and Ron Francis. Recchi scored 1,533 career points, 12th-most all-time.

In Game 7, Recchi assisted on Brad Marchand's second goal. Recchi was also in front of Roberto Luongo on Boston's first goal. Marchand sent a pass through Recchi into the slot for Patrice Bergeron. The centre tapped home the pass off the left post.

Recchi made the most of his two-plus seasons in Boston. Recchi was acquired at the 2009 trade deadline from Tampa Bay for Matt Lashoff and Martins Karsums. In the second round that year against Carolina, Recchi overcame a kidney stone -- he required surgery to remove it during the series -- to push the matchup to seven games. Last season, Recchi and the Bruins lost to the Flyers in the second round.

Even before Game 7, Recchi helped to calm down his centreman.

"I was feeling nervous and I asked him to give me some advice," Bergeron said. "He told me to relax, go out there, play the game, and do it for him. It could be his last game. I've learned so much from him on and off the ice."

Thomas claims Conn Smythe

Surprise, surprise -- Thomas won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason's MVP. Thomas stopped all 37 shots in Game 7 for his second shutout of the final. Thomas made it look easy. Even though it wasn't.

"Game 6 at home," Thomas said when asked if he ever lost his momentum. "Right off the opening faceoff, there was a guy that whacked it backhand from the outside blue line right off the opening faceoff. I just lost it. It was up in the air and I went into full panic mode in my mind. Then Vancouver put the pressure on and whizzed the puck around the crease four or five different times, shot just wide. I was on my heels there for a second, and that was the first time I'd gotten nervous during the finals. So yeah, I was scared. I won't lie. I had nerves yesterday and today. I faked it as well as I could, and I faked my way all the way to the Stanley Cup."

The 37-year-old Thomas set records for the most saves in the final (238) and in the playoffs (798).

"Every night, with him in nets, we knew we had a chance," Claude Julien said of Thomas. "No matter if we had a slow start, no matter if we didn't play our best game, we always had a chance with Timmy. Because Timmy was great. In the final, seven straight games, there wasn't a bad game from Timmy. Only exceptional ones."

The Canucks pushed their hardest in the first period. But Thomas was there to turn back every opportunity.

"I think you've got to give credit where credit is due," Alain Vigneault said. "Their goaltender was real tough to beat. The way they played in front of him was real tough to beat. We had some Grade-A chances and we weren't able to score."

Horton inspires again

Approximately two hours before Game 7, Nathan Horton made a visit to the Rogers Arena ice. In his hand, Horton held a Gatorade bottle full of melted water from the TD Garden ice. Horton looked around, thought nobody was looking, and poured its contents onto the sheet. An NHL Network camera caught Horton in the act.

Horton and the Bruins were looking for some better road karma. Although they were undefeated at home during the final, they hadn't scored a win on enemy ice. Perhaps the water pour helped the Bruins get the juice they needed.

After the win, Horton went on to celebrate in full gear -- skates, pads, jersey, helmet. Horton, who suffered a severe concussion in Game 3, acknowledged the disappointment of not playing in Game 7. But Horton was very pleased to support his teammates and participate in the celebration.

"This is a chance of a lifetime," Horton said. "This might not ever happen again. For me to get the opportunity to be here with my teammates to celebrate, it's very special."

Game 7 Recchi's swan song?

2011-06-15T22:51:21Z

Even if the Boston Bruins lose on Wednesday night, Mark Recchi is expected to retire.

"I had a glass of wine with him yesterday and probably one of the last glasses before the game ever," Shawn Thornton said. "Everyone appreciates Rex and everything he's done for us here. ]]>
"I had a glass of wine with him yesterday and probably one of the last glasses before the game ever," Shawn Thornton said. "Everyone appreciates Rex and everything he's done for us here.

"I'm a big supporter of his, so hopefully it will be great for him."

If not for Recchi, the Bruins might have been done after six games. In game six, Recchi recorded three assists in the Bruins' 5-2 win at TD Garden.

Wednesday, Recchi will line up in his usual spot alongside Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. Recchi will also be on the No. 2 power-play unit.

"I know he's expressed the fact that if we win the Stanley Cup, he's done. Not because I want him to retire, but I'd like to see him win another Stanley Cup," Claude Julien said.

"He's been great for us. We can't say enough. We've talked about him all year. Maybe his speed isn't where it might have been at some point, but his experience has certainly made up for that.

"He's contributed in a lot of different ways and scored some big goals, obviously made some big plays at opportune times. He's a guy that shows up every game no matter what the situation is."

Julien expresses sympathy for Raymond

Mason Raymond might not play until November, according to Vancouver GM Mike Gillis, because of a vertebrae compression fracture he suffered in game six.

The injury took place on the game's first shift when Johnny Boychuk rode him into the wall.

"I'm not worried about Johnny Boychuk," Julien said. "But I do worry about Mason Raymond. We talk about those kinds of injuries. They're unfortunate. They really are.

"Whatever happens, whether it's a concussion or other things, this is a job. When guys are making a living out of this, the last thing you want to see is something that could jeopardize their careers.

"He was in an unfortunate position," Julien said. "I didn't see any extra reason to try and injure him more than he was in a bad position. It was unfortunate. I'm more worried about him and hoping he gets better. Johnny's strong enough.

"When you know, as a player, that you didn't mean to do it, you don't have to worry about the psyche. If it was something done in a cheap manner, then you would. But Johnny certainly didn't intend on hurting him.

"Right now, we feel for Mason Raymond. Honestly. No matter what happens tonight, we hope he gets better quickly."

Horton has symbolic spot in locker room

Nathan Horton traveled to Vancouver yesterday. Horton's stall at Rogers Arena was set up with his gear. Horton ate breakfast with his teammates at their team hotel this morning.

Despite all that, Horton will not play tonight. The Bruins declared his season over after he suffered a severe concussion in Game 3. Although Horton is feeling better, his playing status remains the same: unavailable.

"Absolutely no," Julien said when asked if Horton could play tonight. "It's ridiculous. So let's put an end to that."

Bruins wave off morning skate

The Bruins didn't skate this morning. They practiced yesterday at Rogers Arena after arriving in Vancouver mid-afternoon. The Bruins were hopeful that yesterday's practice would lead to a better beginning tonight.

"We came out really flat," Milan Lucic said of Game 5. "Hopefully getting in a nice 20-minute skate helps us get the plane legs out."

Expected lineup

Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Rich Peverley
Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Mark Recchi
Tyler Seguin-Chris Kelly-Michael Ryder
Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Shawn Thornton

Zdeno Chara-Dennis Seidenberg
Andrew Ference-Johnny Boychuk
Tomas Kaberle-Adam McQuaid

Tim Thomas
Tuukka Rask

Canucks can erase 40 years of heartbreak

2011-06-15T18:43:29Z

Will Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday wipe out the frustration of the past 40 seasons in Vancouver Canucks history? Will there be a victory to supplant the disappointments against the Chicago Blackhawks in the last two years, the 1994 Game 7 loss to the New York Rangers, the way the referees conspired against the late head coach Roger Neilson and the Canucks in the 1982 final?
]]> By Tim Wharnsby, CBC Sports

VANCOUVER - There are ghosts in the majestic Coastal Mountain range that frames the beautiful city of Vancouver. Hockey ghosts.

Will Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday wipe out the frustration of the past 40 seasons in Canucks history? Will there be a victory to supplant the disappointments against the Chicago Blackhawks in the last two years, the 1994 Game 7 loss to the New York Rangers, the way the referees conspired against the late head coach Roger Neilson and the Canucks in the 1982 final?

That being said, the Bruins also pine for their moment with the Stanley Cup. They haven't won the prized trophy since 1972, the second year the Canucks were in existence.

The Canucks were on the fast track this year. Even though they began the regular season eight months ago without injured veterans Sami Salo and Alexandre Burrows, and dropped their season opener at home 2-1 in a shootout to the Los Angeles Kings, the Canucks were 10-4-2 by mid-November and cruised to the Presidents' Trophy.

They finally skated past the Blackhawks with a Game 7 victory in the first round after plenty of difficulty because they blew a 3-0 series lead. They got by the pesky Nashville Predators in the second round and had little trouble with the San Jose Sharks in the West final.

The Stanley Cup final has been a different story. The league leaders in offence have checked in with only eight goals in six games. They also led the NHL in defence, but have surrendered a whopping 19 goals to Boston. The NHL's top-ranked power play has gone 2-for-31 - it also has yielded two shorthanded goals - and the third-best penalty killing unit in the regular season has allowed the Bruins' power play to go 5-for-26 in the series. This wouldn't be such a big deal, but Boston scored only five power-play goals in the previous three rounds.

Never before has a team been outscored in the final and won. The Canucks can certainly become the first team to earn that dubious honour with a win tonight.

"We all believe in this dressing room we'll get it done," Burrows said. "We played a lot of Game 7s in our basement growing up."

"This is it," Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa said. "This is what we've dreamed about our whole lives. Now it's time to get it done."

The Canucks have had to overcome serious ailments to Manny Malhotra, who recovered from his eye injury in time to play in Game 2 of the final, Mikael Samuelsson, Dan Hamhuis and now Mason Raymond. The dependable Hamhuis was lost in the final's opener with an undisclosed injury and Raymond suffered a vertebrae fracture on the first shift of the 5-2 loss in Game 6 on Monday.

The Bruins also have endured their share of suffering. They arrived at training camp to discover that their top player, Marc Savard, had yet to fully recover from a concussion. They also were still dealing with the embarrassment of blowing a 3-0 series lead to the Philadelphia Flyers last spring.

After a retreat in a Vermont resort, the Bruins played an exhibition game in Belfast and started the season in Prague. Savard returned in November and then was lost again for the season a few months later.

The Bruins got behind early in the first round when they lost both games at home to the Montreal Canadiens, but rebounded to win the series in seven games. They took care of the Flyers in a sweep to avenge what transpired 12 months earlier and survived the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games in the East final.

Now the Bruins and Canucks will clash for one final time in the ultimate, dramatic winner-take-all-game at Rogers Arena on Wednesday.

"You've got to stay the course," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "I think it's served us well. Our group right now seems calm and focussed and ready."

Julien received a good luck call from Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona, a two-time World Series winner.

Meanwhile, Canucks coach Alain Vigneault spoke about his journey to get to the final.

"I know how hard this journey is, not just to get to the Stanley Cup Final," he said. "I've said many times how privileged I feel to be one of the 30 head coaches in the National Hockey League. It's a tough business to get into, it's a tough business to stay in, and I was out of this business coaching in the NHL for six years so it took me a long time to get back at it.

"This is my fifth year in Vancouver. I knew what was at stake this year. I knew I was in my window of opportunity, and to get a chance to play for the Cup, to get a chance to play in the seventh game for the Stanley Cup, I'm real excited. Doesn't it show?"

Lineup news

The Canucks will employ Jeff Tambellini in Raymond's spot on the second line with centre Ryan Kesler and right wing Chris Higgins. Tambellini was a free-agent signing last summer and started the season alongside Henrik and Daniel Sedin with Burrows on the shelf. Tambellini, 27, has seen limited action on the fourth line in five playoff games this spring.

Vancouver defencemen Andrew Alberts and Alex Edler did not finish Game 6 after getting banged up, but Vigneault claimed both will play in Game 7. Edler did not participate in the team's morning skate. In his spot was veteran Nolan Baumgartner.

On the Bruins side, it will be the same lineup as Games 4, 5 and 6. There were questions about the possibility of a return for Nathan Horton, who was lost in Game 3 with a concussion. He has made the trip and his equipment has been hung in the Bruins dressing room. While Julien acknowledged that Horton wants to play, the Bruins forward has not been cleared to play.

Injured Horton making the trip

2011-06-15T04:52:59Z

Nathan Horton will not play in Game 7, courtesy of the concussion delivered by Vancouver's Aaron Rome in Game 3. But Horton was feeling well enough to travel with his teammates to Vancouver prior to the series-clinching game. Horton will be in attendance at Rogers Arena.

"I was very happy to see him, and I'm very happy to have him around," Bruins goalie Tim Thomas said. "I just spent some time talking to him in the locker room. He's a positive guy. His joy for the game and life is kind of like a little kid. That's a great thing. I personally feed off that. So I was happy to see him today. ]]>
"I was very happy to see him, and I'm very happy to have him around," Bruins goalie Tim Thomas said. "I just spent some time talking to him in the locker room. He's a positive guy. His joy for the game and life is kind of like a little kid. That's a great thing. I personally feed off that. So I was happy to see him today.

"[Monday] night on the screen, I was so focused I didn't realize he was up there until near the very end. I looked up. I hadn't been tapping my stick or anything because I didn't know what was going on. I've heard from my wife that it was pretty emotional when he was up there."

Horton was at TD Garden for Game 6. During the first TV timeout of the game, Horton stood in the Zamboni entrance and was welcomed on the scoreboard. A smiling Horton waved rally towels with both hands.

Prior to Game 7 at Rogers Arena, the equipment staff prepared Horton's stall in the visiting dressing room as if he were playing. Before Game 7, his white road jersey will be in the stall. Horton was quickly declared ineligible to play after Game 3 because of the severity of his head injury.

"He wants to play so badly," said coach Claude Julien. "He'd be willing to play through that. So when a guy has that approach and has that will to want to do that for his team and teammates, the least you can do is honor him in your own way. Our players chose to honor him by making sure the trainers brought his equipment. Before the game, his sweater's hanging in his stall. He's part of our team. We want him there to the end."

Bruins hold light practice

The day before Game 5, the Bruins traveled to Vancouver but didn't practice. The following night, they dropped a 1-0 decision to fall behind in the series, 3-2.

So with hopes of changing things up, the Bruins went directly to Rogers Arena after touching down in Vancouver. They held a brief practice that looked more like a morning skate. The Bruins didn't do any systems work or battle drills.

"When you've been on the plane for six hours, we just wanted to come out here, get the blood flowing, and loosen up a little bit to get ourselves ready for tomorrow," Julien said. "Simple as that. I don't think there was anything we did today that was with regards to systems or stuff like that. It was just very, very simple -- getting the guys ready for tomorrow."

Thomas was the only player given a day off the ice.

Raymond's absence affects matchups

Mason Raymond will not play in Game 7 because of a vertebrae compression fracture. Raymond suffered the injury on the first shift of Game 6 when Johnny Boychuk rode him into the boards. Boychuk was not penalized on the play.

"I don't really have time to really bother with that when you've got Game 7 coming up," Julien said. "We've talked more about what we need to do here, not analyzing the injured player of the other team."

The Bruins could take advantage of Raymond's absence. Raymond had been the right wing on Vancouver's No. 2 line with Chris Higgins and Ryan Kesler. At home, the Canucks had tried to match Kesler's line against Milan Lucic, David Krejci, and Rich Peverley. The Canucks could consider Jannik Hansen and Jeff Tambellini among Raymond's replacements.

Much like the entire team, Boston's top line hasn't had much luck on the road. They might have more space against a weaker second line.

Thomas the frontrunner for Conn Smythe

When Thomas was a boy acting out his Game 7 Cup-winning fantasy in street hockey, he wasn't a goalie. Instead, the native of Flint, Mich., was Steve Yzerman.

"Doesn't make sense for a goalie," Thomas said. "But you're saying to yourself, 'Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.' You're not saying Game 6, you know? So this is really what every kid dreams about."

Even if the Bruins lose, Thomas is the favorite to win the Conn Smythe award as the post-season MVP. Other Bruins under consideration include David Krejci, Zdeno Chara, Dennis Seidenberg, and Patrice Bergeron.

But they all are distant second-place finishers to Thomas.

Canucks hoping for breakthrough

2011-06-15T03:10:49Z

VANCOUVER -- The highest-scoring team with the most efficient power play from the regular season will enter Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final with just eight goals and a 2-for-31 power play in the series.

So what has gone wrong for the Vancouver Canucks? Has it been solely Boston's magnificent goalie Tim Thomas, the leading candidate to win the Conn Smythe award, or have there been other factors involved?]]> By Tim Wharnsby, CBC Sports

VANCOUVER -- The highest-scoring team with the most efficient power play from the regular season will enter Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final with just eight goals and a 2-for-31 power play in the series.

So what has gone wrong for the Vancouver Canucks? Has it been solely Boston's magnificent goalie Tim Thomas, the leading candidate to win the Conn Smythe award, or have there been other factors involved?

"I think Thomas has something to do with it," said Canucks centre Ryan Kesler, who has only one point in the series. "Obviously we're playing a team that didn't get here by chance. They're a very good team and they play a very good defensive system.

"For us, we just need to keep getting shots, I liked what our power play did last game and we continue to improve on that.

"You want to score, help the team win, but, you know, tomorrow is all that matters. Everything in the past is in the past. If we win tomorrow, we become legends and I don't think anybody worries about that I have one point in six games."

The last time Kesler has played such an important game at Rogers Arena was for the United States in the gold-medal final against Canada at the 2010 Olympics. This time, however, the crowd will be cheering for Kesler rather than against him.

"It's tough to compare the two, but I think one difference is I think I got 18,000 on my side this time, an entire city and country," he said. "It's going to be a little different that way. It's going to be fun.

"Obviously, the Olympics was a great experience but I've seen what these guys have worked so hard for all year and as a team, as a family, we want this really bad."

Horton travels with the Bruins

Injured Bruins forward Nathan Horton made the trip with his teammates to Vancouver. But you can forget about some sort of miraculous recovery from his concussion to play in Game 7, even though his equipment was hung in a stall with his nameplate between teammates Andrew Ference and Adam McQuaid.

"That's something the guys wanted to do," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "They wanted him to be part of our group here. Until the third game of the final, he was a big contributor to our hockey club. If the doctors would let him, he would play tomorrow and we all know that that's the way he feels right now. He would be willing to play through what he's gone through.

"But we know that's not the right decision to make the way he feels. He wants to play so badly, he would be willing to play through that. So when a guy has that approach and has that will to want to do that for his team and teammates, the least you can do is honour him in your own way. Our players chose to honour him by making sure the trainers brought his equipment. Before the game, his sweater is hanging in his stall. He's part of our team and we want him there to the end."

Old-man Recchi

Bruins 43-year-old forward Mark Recchi happens to be the most experienced when it comes to Game 7s among all the players who will be on the ice on Wednesday. This will be the 11th Game 7 of his career. He has been on the winning side six of his previous 10 deciding games. Recchi also has scored three goals and six points in this final to lead all players.

"This is what we dream of," Recchi said. "We've had pressure all year, pressure all through the playoffs. It's come down to one game. There is no pressure, go play, go out and have fun with this. It's what you play for and what we've worked hard for all year. We're going to have a blast doing it. That will be the message.

"They'll see how I'm acting and see you can't let it grab you. You can't let it bite you. We're going to play on the road and go and play a tremendous road game and compete and try and win a hockey game. It's something the guys will be focus and ready."

The most experienced Canucks are Henrik and Daniel Sedin. They have gone 3-2 in seventh and deciding games.

Kaberle's bro

Five years ago, Frantisek Kaberle, the older brother of Bruins defenceman Tomas Kaberle, scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal for the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 7 against the Oilers. Frantisek now lives in Tampa Bay with his family and talks to his brother every other day.

"It would be nice to get a second Stanley Cup in the family," said Tomas, whose father Frantisek Sr. won two world championships. His brother has been a five-time world champion and Tomas has one world title.

Game 7 history

This will be the 16th time the Stanley Cup Final has been extended to a seventh and deciding game. The home team has posted a 12-3 record in the previous 15 Game 7s. Interestingly, the last time a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final was played on Canadian ice was 24 years ago, when the Edmonton Oilers upended the Philadelphia Flyers at home.

Here is a glance at the outcomes of the 15 previous Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Final:

1942 -- Detroit 1 at Toronto 3 (Leafs score three times in 3rd to overcome 1-0 deficit)
1945 -- Toronto 2 at Detroit 1 (Babe Pratt's power-play goal in 3rd breaks 1-1 tie)
1950 -- NY Rangers 3 at Detroit 4 (2OT) (First Game 7 in final decided in OT)
1954 -- Montreal 1 at Detroit 2 (OT) (2nd and last Game 7 in final to be decided in OT)
1955 -- Montreal 1 at Detroit 3 (Alex Delvecchio scores two to lead Detroit)
1964 -- Detroit 0 at Toronto 4 (Maple Leafs' third straight Cup championship)
1965 -- Chicago 0 at Montreal 4 (Canadiens score four in 1st period and cruise)
1971 -- Montreal 3 at Chicago 2 (Henri Richard scores game-winner in 3rd period)
1987 -- Philadelphia 1 at Edmonton 3 (Oilers overcome early 1-0 deficit)
1994 -- Vancouver 2 at NY Rangers 3 (Mark Messier scores game-winner in 2nd period)
2001 -- New Jersey 1 at Colorado 3 (Ray Bourque celebrates his first and only Cup)
2003 -- Anaheim 0 at New Jersey 3 (Home clubs win all games for first time since 1965)
2004 -- Calgary 1 at Tampa Bay 2 (Ruslan Fedotenko scores both Tampa Bay goals)
2006 -- Edmonton 1 at Carolina 3 (Frantisek Kaberle scores game-winner in 2nd period)
2009 -- Pittsburgh 2 at Detroit 1 (Maxime Talbot scores both Pittsburgh goals)

Horton provides boost for Bruins

2011-06-14T05:47:28Z

Before the morning skate, Bruins forward Nathan Horton visited his teammates to wish them good luck. But it was what he did during the first period that lifted them and their fans even more.

]]> In Game 4, Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault pulled goaltender Roberto Luongo and replaced his starter with Cory Schneider after the Bruins scored four goals. In Game 6, it took only three Boston scores for Vigneault to turn the trick once more.

At 8:35, with help from a screen from Bruins forward Mark Recchi, defenceman Andrew Ference beat Luongo with a slap shot from the left point. Not long after Ference's shot hit the back of the net, Luongo was back on the Vancouver bench to the delight of the TD Garden crowd.

Luongo had little trouble bouncing back following his previous early exit. In Game 5 at Rogers Arena, Luongo stopped every shot he saw to help his team grab a 1-0 win.

"We did that last time and then he shut us out when we got in there," Bruins forward Michael Ryder said. "So you know he's going to bounce back. We've got to make sure we find ways to score on him when we get there. It's all about working to get to the net and trying to generate those chances."

Luongo didn't have much of a chance to stop Boston's first goal. After taking a pass from Recchi, forward Brad Marchand snapped a shot from the right circle that catapulted over Luongo's glove. While Luongo gave Marchand some room upstairs, it took a near-perfect shot for the rookie to beat the netminder.

"It was a good shot," Luongo said. "But at the same time, I've got to make that save. He put it where he wanted it. But I've got to make a save there."

The most questionable goal was the second, a close-range shot off the stick of Milan Lucic. Luongo got a piece of Lucic's shot between his pads. But the puck dribbled through at 6:06, just 35 seconds after Marchand's goal.

In all, Luongo was in goal for 15 of the Bruins' 17 goals at the Garden. Luongo will be back between the pipes for Game 7 at home, where he's been dominant throughout the series.

"He's a great goalie though. He is a great goalie," Boston's Johnny Boychuk said. "With two of the best goalies in the league against each other, you can't really say much more about him. Both have gotten a couple shutouts through this series, so it could be anybody's game and we're going to try and make it ours."

Horton boosts teammates

Before the morning skate, Bruins forward Nathan Horton visited his teammates to wish them good luck. But it was what he did during the first period that lifted them and their fans even more.

During a TV timeout at 7:27 of the first period, Horton stood in the Zamboni entrance. When the camera trained its sights on him, beaming him onto the scoreboard, Horton flashed his trademark smile and waved rally towels with both hands.

His teammates banged their sticks on the bench while Bruins fans gave their approval. It was Horton's first public appearance since he was concussed by Aaron Rome in Game 3 at the Garden.

"We didn't know they were going to be doing that and showing him up there," Marchand said. "You know for him to come in and give us that boost of energy is unbelievable. And obviously the crowd loves it, loves him, and are supporting him every minute of the day. It was great to see him out there. He gave us a big energy boost."

Recchi helps out

Game 6 could have been Recchi's final appearance. Instead, the Bruins' veteran made it one of the best games of his post-season.

Recchi recorded three assists and four shots in 12:03 of ice time. Now, Recchi has a shot at winning his third Stanley Cup.

"It crosses my mind," Recchi said when asked if he ever thought last night could have been it. "But I have a job out there to do for the guys. I can't put those thoughts in my head. I'm going to lay it on the line one more time, then see where it takes me after that.

"No matter what, it's been a great 22 years. I've enjoyed every minute of it. This has been one of my best ones regardless of what happens. I'm just still proud to play in the NHL. I love playing hockey and I love being in the NHL. I think it's the greatest sport out there."

Vigneault confident in Luongo for Game 7

2011-06-14T05:32:03Z

BOSTON -- Vancouver Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault has fibbed before.
He pulled the wool over our eyes when he remarked that he saw some positives with his power play in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final and that it was about to break out of its funk. He didn't tell truth when he declared goalie Roberto Luongo as his Game 6 starter in the first-round series against the Chicago Blackhawks, only to push backup Cory Schneider into action.

But Vigneault was believable after his team's shoddy 5-2 loss to the Boston Bruins that has forced a seventh and deciding game back in Vancouver on Wednesday.]]> By Tim Wharnsby, CBC Sports

BOSTON -- Vancouver Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault has fibbed before.
He pulled the wool over our eyes when he remarked that he saw some positives with his power play in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final and that it was about to break out of its funk. He didn't tell truth when he declared goalie Roberto Luongo as his Game 6 starter in the first-round series against the Chicago Blackhawks, only to push backup Cory Schneider into action.

But Vigneault was believable after his team's shoddy 5-2 loss to the Boston Bruins that has forced a seventh and deciding game back in Vancouver on Wednesday.

"He knows he's going back in next game," the Canucks coach said. "He's going to be real good.

"I don't have to say anything to him. He's a professional. His preparation is beyond reproach and he's going to be ready for Game 7."

Luongo has proven this spring an uncanny ability to bounce back. He struggled mightily in Games 4 and 5 of that series against the Blackhawks, only to rebound to dethrone the defending Stanley Cup champs in overtime in Game 7.

After a pair of poor outings in Boston last week, he returned home to pitch a 1-0 shutout in Game 5. He talked after that strong effort about his walk around the seawall in Vancouver's Stanley Park and how the same stroll worked before that critical Game 7 in the opening round, so he went back to his serene saunter with his hoody up and his headphones cranked.

You can bet Luongo will be back on the seawall on Wednesday. If he gets his groove back again, and the Canucks celebrate the first Stanley Cup championship in their 40-season history, the parade route may want to include a detour to the Luongo's peaceful path.

"I've got to believe in myself, right," Luongo said. "That's a big component of bouncing back.

"Obviously, I would have like to have been better in this game, but like I said I now have another chance in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final, which is what you dream of when you're a kid."

It's easy to blame Luongo for Monday's loss. He admitted that he should have stopped the first goal from Boston's Brad Marchand. Milan Lucic's second goal snuck through his pads. But what has been so astonishing has been how the Canucks succeeded in so many areas in the regular season to win the Presidents' Trophy and have failed in those same areas in the final.

The league leaders in offence have checked in with only eight goals in six games. They also led the NHL in defence, but have surrendered a whopping 19. The top-ranked power play has gone 2-for-31 -- it also has yielded two shorthanded goals -- and the third-best penalty killing unit in the regular season has allowed the Bruins to go 5-for-26 in the series. This wouldn't be such a big deal, but the Bruins scored only five power-play goals in the previous three rounds.

Still, the Canucks did win the Presidents' Trophy and with that regular season championship comes home ice, a place the Canucks have been rocked and rolled all season. History is on the home team's side in the seventh game of the Stanley Cup final. Of the previous 15 times the final has been extended to its limit, the home team has won 12.

But the Canucks only make it 13 if Luongo's visit to the seawall not only prepares himself for his best game, but his teammates, too.

Canucks all business for Game 6

2011-06-13T17:50:11Z

BOSTON - The Vancouver Canucks hope to become the fourth consecutive team to win the Stanley Cup away from home on Monday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET).

]]> By Tim Wharnsby

BOSTON - The Vancouver Canucks hope to become the fourth consecutive team to win the Stanley Cup away from home on Monday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET).

The Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings all celebrated the Stanley Cup in their opponents' building. But in order for the Canucks to follow the trend, they have plenty to improve upon from their previous visit to TD Garden last week when they were outscored 12-1 in two losses to the Boston Bruins.

It will be another emotional evening in Boston. Injured Bruins forward Nathan Horton visited his teammates in the morning and he plans to be in the building tonight. But so will the Stanley Cup, and the Canucks would prefer to end the series in Boston rather than see the final extended to a Game 7 back in Vancouver on Wednesday.

"We're one game away and we want to take care of business tonight," Canucks captain Henrik Sedin said. "This is a big chance for us."

The Canucks have gone 3-4 when they've had a chance to eliminate the opposition in the playoffs, while the Bruins have gone 2-0 when facing elimination.

"I think it's clear to our players that all the focus should be about tonight," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "If you want to create a Game 7, you have to focus on tonight's game, not on Game 7. So we're going to be ready, I think our guys understand that. I don't think we're looking any further than tonight's game and let the rest of the stuff take care of itself.

"Our guys have done a good job with that in the past. And whether we've been in the lead or whether we've gotten behind in the beginning of a series, we never let ourselves look too far ahead so our guys deserve a lot of credit for that."

Canucks parade rumour

Another day, another controversy at the Stanley Cup Final. It seems about this time of year, a story leaks out about one of the teams already having a parade route planned if that team should win.

This time around, there is a different twist. As the story goes in various Boston media outlets, the Canucks attempted to sell the broadcast rights to their potential victory parade, but the league kiboshed the idea.

The story made a ripple on Monday morning.

Bruins facing do-or-die scenario

2011-06-13T17:16:32Z

The Bruins are hoping to make one last flight West tomorrow. But their minds aren't considering a possible Game 7. For that to happen, they'll have to take care of business tonight.

]]> Home sweet home

The Bruins are hoping to make one last flight West tomorrow. But their minds aren't considering a possible Game 7. For that to happen, they'll have to take care of business tonight.

"It's been pretty clear to the players that all the focus should be about tonight," Claude Julien said. "If you want to create a Game 7, you have to focus on tonight's game, not on Game 7. We're going to be ready. I think our guys understand that. I don't think we're looking any further than tonight's game. Let the rest of the stuff take care of itself."

Julien will have the upper hand in the matchup game tonight. It will be easier for the Bruins to deploy Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg against Vancouver's No. 1 line of Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, and Alex Burrows. If Alain Vigneault rolls out his third defensive pairing of Andrew Alberts and Chris Tanev for a faceoff, Julien can counter with one of his top two lines.

"I think it's smoother when you have the last change," Julien said. "There's less changing on the fly. You get the better matchups, that's for sure. Except for a couple of certain matchups that both teams are trying to stay away from or get, I think we've been more or less content with what they want against us and what we want against them.

"The back end is something that's been a bit of a challenge for both teams to try and get away from or get as a matchup. It hasn't been that big of an issue. But nonetheless, to start with the matchup you want is always better than having to change on the fly. That's the advantage we have at home."

Bruins hope PK success continues

The Vancouver power play entered the series with a 28.3 per cent success rate in the playoffs. But after five games, the Canucks have netted just one power-play goal in 25 opportunities.

"We have to be better on our power play," Vigneault said. "I know I said that for Game 3 and 4. But tonight, I really, really, really mean that we're going to have to be better on our power play."

The Bruins will look to ramp up their physical game tonight. They believed Vancouver got the best of the muscle matchup in Game 5. If the Bruins come out hitting, they'll have to be disciplined and stay out of the penalty box.

Horton visits teammates

Nathan Horton, knocked out of the Stanley Cup Final by Aaron Rome in Game 3, stopped by the dressing room this morning to wish his teammates good luck. Horton is still experiencing post-concussion syndrome symptoms, said Claude Julien. Horton is expected to attend Game 6.

"I have the impression he's going to be coming to the game tonight as long as he feels good," Julien said. "That can vary as the day goes on. But I think right now his plan is to hopefully be here tonight."

Fatigue non-issue for Bruins

Tonight will mark the 106th game of 2010-11 for the Bruins, not including pre-season or exhibition matches. It is the 24th post-season game. Fatigue, however, is not entering the Bruins' minds.

"No such thing this time of year," Shawn Thornton said. "I'll be tired a week from now."

Possible exit for Recchi?

Tonight could mark the final game of Mark Recchi's career. The future Hall of Famer said before the start of the series that he will retire if the Bruins win the Cup. Recchi didn't say what he planned to do if the Bruins lost. However, it's doubtful the 43-year-old will stretch out his playing career another season. Recchi will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Recchi plans to stay in hockey after he retires. Recchi hopes to become part of an NHL management team. He is currently a part owner of the WHL's Kamloops Blazers.

Expected lineup

Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Rich Peverley
Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Mark Recchi
Tyler Seguin-Chris Kelly-Michael Ryder
Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Shawn Thornton

Zdeno Chara-Dennis Seidenberg
Andrew Ference-Johnny Boychuk
Tomas Kaberle-Adam McQuaid

Tim Thomas
Tuukka Rask

Thomas fires back at Luongo

2011-06-12T23:47:22Z

The verbal jabs between Tim Thomas and Roberto Luongo started after Game 5, when the Vancouver goalie made some curious comments regarding his counterpart's approach of playing Kevin Bieksa's point shot aggressively. The verbal jabs between Tim Thomas and Roberto Luongo started after Game 5, when the Vancouver goalie made some curious comments regarding his counterpart's approach of playing Kevin Bieksa's point shot aggressively. After Bieksa planted the puck off the end boards, Thomas couldn't recover in time to snuff Maxim Lapierre's sharp-angle shot.

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"It's not hard if you're playing in the paint," Luongo said. "It's an easy save for me, but if you're wandering out and aggressive like he is, that's going to happen. He might make some saves that I won't, but in a case like that, we want to take advantage of a bounce like that and make sure we're in a good position to bury those."

A day later, while Thomas's teammates defended their goalie, Luongo tried to clarify his remarks. In doing so, Luongo gave Thomas another poke.

"I've been pumping his tires ever since the series started, and I haven't heard one nice thing he had to say about me," Luongo said.

On Sunday, Thomas came back at Luongo.

"I didn't realize it was my job to pump his tires," Thomas said sarcastically. "I guess I have to apologize for that."

In response, Luongo was asked if he regretted his words after Game 5, which prompted the entire spectacle.

"I know we're in the Stanley Cup Final," Luongo said. "Everything is under the microscope and going to get blown out of proportion. Obviously my whole comment, I don't think, was a negative comment if you take the whole comment.

"But at the end of the day, I'm one win away from winning a Stanley Cup, and that's all I really care about now. All the other stuff is noise to me and doesn't really affect what's going to take place for me tomorrow night. To be honest with you, I don't really care."

Peverley practises on 1st line

During practice Sunday at TD Garden, Rich Peverley skated on the first line with David Krejci and Milan Lucic. Peverley will most likely start on the No. 1 line Monday night (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET). However, based on matchups and how much Peverley has to kill penalties, Michael Ryder should see some action on the first line.

"I probably played only five or six shifts with them in total just because of [matchups] and penalty kills," Peverley said of his first-line play in Game 5. "It wasn't so much line changes. It was more about where I was going on in the power play and penalty kill."

Tyler Seguin could also skate some shifts on the No. 1 line.

Unfamiliar territory

Against Montreal in the first round and against Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference final, the Bruins entered Game 6 with a 3-2 series lead. In both rounds, the Bruins dropped Game 6 on the road. They returned to the Garden to win Game 7.

"We're on the other side of the coin right now," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "I don't look at it that way more than I look at our resolve during the season and different times when we have had to come up large - whether it's Game 7 in the playoffs or whether sometime during the season when we needed certain wins.

"Our guys have always responded well, and I have a lot of confidence in our team. The reason we're here is because those guys have delivered. I don't expect that to change."

Campbell takes seat on PP

In Game 5, Julien introduced centre Gregory Campbell to the power play for the first time in the playoffs. During the regular season, Julien gave Campbell spot duty in front because of his ability to tip pucks.

But Campbell rarely had a chance to get his stick on pucks in Game 5. The Bruins struggled to gain clean entries. As a result, they didn't get set up enough for Campbell to be a net-front factor.

Campbell didn't participate in power-play drills Sunday.

"Our intention was to put him in that position last game," Julien said. "But when you don't get set and the puck keeps going down the other end, you don't see the usefulness of his role. So at one point, we moved guys around, hoping that somebody else could be the guy that could carry the puck in and have different looks. When one thing doesn't work, you go to the next. Simple as that."

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Canucks' Rome apologetic, but has no regrets

2011-06-12T21:40:00Z

Suspended Vancouver Canucks defenceman Aaron Rome stated that he doesn't regret his decision to nail Nathan Horton, but he was repentant that Boston Bruins forward suffered a concussion.

Speaking for the first time since his late shoulder-to-head hit on Horton last Wednesday that resulted in a harsh four-game suspension - the longest in Stanley Cup Final history - Rome also questioned the length of his suspension that will keep him out of the series.]]> By Tim Wharnsby, CBC Sports

BOSTON -- Suspended Vancouver Canucks defenceman Aaron Rome stated that he doesn't regret his decision to nail Nathan Horton, but he was repentant that Boston Bruins forward suffered a concussion.

Speaking for the first time since his late shoulder-to-head hit on Horton last Wednesday that resulted in a harsh four-game suspension - the longest in Stanley Cup Final history - Rome also questioned the length of his suspension that will keep him out of the series.

"If I could go back, I'd wish he didn't get hurt, but I don't think it would change my decision on the play," said Rome, who caught Horton looking left, following the pass he had just delivered at the Canucks blue-line.

"There has to be some accountability on the part of the player skating up the middle of the ice maybe with his head down, not looking. If it's half a second earlier or quarter of a second earlier, maybe I'm not in this situation.

"But the game happens fast and I've got to play on the edge. I guess that time it was a little bit over the edge."

Of course, Rome was on the receiving end of a questionable hit from San Jose Sharks fourth-liner Jamie McGinn in the Western Conference final that resulted in no suspension. The Canucks defenceman missed the final two games with a concussion.

"That was the type of hit where a guy is vulnerable and I saw him coming, but there's nothing you can do," Rome said. "Mine, they say it was late and it's arbitrary.

"What is late? That's a decision they made and respect, but I definitely don't agree with it."

Rome received a five-minute penalty for interference and a game misconduct for the late hit. He has since tried to text Horton with an apology, but he has yet to receive a response.
What has made this difficult to deal with for Rome has been not only being kept out of the final, but that Bruins captain Zdeno Chara was let off the hook without any further discipline after his five-minute interference penalty and game misconduct against Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty on Mar. 8.

"You just have to look back to late in the season, I'm not going to name names, but there was the same incident with an interference penalty and there was a severe injury out of it and there was no suspension at all," Rome said. "It's an emotional time.

"He's not going to be able to play in the series, either. I understand being on that side of hits where you're [upset] about it and he wants to be out there like anybody else. I understand that."

The hated Canucks

Vancouver defenceman Kevin Bieksa dismissed the notion among reporters and some players around the league that the Canucks are the most disliked team in the NHL.

"We don't feel like villains," he said. "It feels like we have all of Canada cheering for us.

"That's an entire country, so how can you be a villain when a whole country is cheering for you?"

Kesler doesn't skate

There were two noticeable absences from the Canucks practice on Sunday. Dependable defenceman Dan Hamhuis still has not skated since he suffered his undisclosed injury in the series opener, and second-line centre Ryan Kesler did not participate in the practice.

There has been speculation that Kesler has been playing hurt, since he missed several shifts after he suffered a groin injury in the West final finale against the Sharks.

"He's fine, just gave him a day off. That's all," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault claimed.

From draft day to Cup day?

Henrik and Daniel Sedin were selected in the 1999 NHL entry draft, held at the TD Garden. Now 12 years later, they may celebrate a Stanley Cup championship inside the same building with a win on Monday evening.

"From draft day, I think always we were excited that Vancouver picked us both for the same team," Daniel said. "That was a big surprise for us.

"We didn't expect that. Over these ten years, we know what a tough league this is.

"We've been through up's and down's and we learn a lot. I think we grow as people and as hockey players and that's the most important thing."

On the road again

The Boston Globe newspaper computed that this final is the longest distance between two cities at 4,028 kilometres. Not surprisingly, the other two Canuck trips to the final rank among the top-four.

1993 -- Montreal/Los Angeles (3,974 km)

1982 -- Vancouver/N.Y. Islanders (3,938 km)

1994 -- Vancouver/N.Y. Rangers (3,908 km)

The total distance travelled in the regular season by the Bruins and Canucks also was tabulated. The Canucks road trips have equalled 121,875 km in distance to Boston's 94,679.

The Best

There was some sad news in the sports media world, when word filtered down to Boston on Sunday that 44-year-old Reuters photographer Shaun Best passed away as the result of a heart attack. He was shooting the F1 race in Montreal and was to make the drive to Boston to cover Game 6 with his Reuters colleague, sportswriter Steve Keating.

Three months ago, I remember seeing his photo on a website of a motionless Pacioretty on the ice after his run-in with Chara and then seeing that it was Shaun's picture. He took another award winner that night.

I've had the pleasure of spending plenty of time with Shaun at Canadiens games as well as other events in Montreal, the Stanley Cup playoffs and several world junior hockey championships. He was a terrific and caring individual, wonderful travelling and dinner companion. He was much too young to leave this world and will be missed.

Luongo, Sedins join in on war of words

2011-06-12T01:26:24Z

Whether it was Vancouver Canucks forward Alexandre Burrows biting the gloved index finger of his Boston Bruins opponent, Patrice Bergeron, in the series opener.

]]> By Tim Wharnsby, CBC Sports

BOSTON - Whether it was Vancouver Canucks forward Alexandre Burrows biting the gloved index finger of his Boston Bruins opponent, Patrice Bergeron, in the series opener, or the back-and-forth taunts about the bitten digit between Vancouver's Maxim Lapierre and Bruins forwards Mark Recchi and Milan Lucic in the next two games.

Or think of Boston's Brad Marchand dusting his hands while skating past the Canucks bench after a late-game incident in Game 4.

There's no shortage of silly sidebars in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final that the Canucks lead 3-2 with Game 6 at the TD Garden on Monday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET).

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The latest episodes include Henrik and Daniel Sedin's response to former general manager-turned-analyst Mike Milbury's insensitive remark when he called the twins "Thelma and Louise," and Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo's comment about his Bruins counterpart, Tim Thomas, after the Canucks 1-0 victory at home on Friday.

Luongo stated that he would have stopped Lapierre's game-winner because he stays in the crease more than the aggressive Thomas and therefore would have been in position when Kevin Bieksa's shot caromed off the end boards to Lapierre.

"That's not hard if you're playing in the paint," Luongo said. "It's an easy save for me. But if you're wandering out and aggressive like he does, it's going to happen. He might make some saves I won't, but in cases like that, we want to take advantage of bounces like that and make sure we're in a good position to bury those."

This is the sort of comment that could come back to haunt the Canucks. When the Bruins returned to Boston for Games 3 and 4, a reporter asked Thomas if he should change his aggressive nature because he got caught out of the net on Burrows wraparound overtime winner in Game 2. Thomas chuckled at the suggestion and since then has yielded only two goals in three games.

"Everybody is entitled to their opinion," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "Anybody can say what they want.

"I don't think Timmy is going to make much of that comment. I think you guys are making more out of it than Timmy will. Either way, his stats, you know, are proof itself. He's given up six goals in five games [in the series]. The guy that made the comment, I'm not quite sure how many he let in. I think you guys have a good idea, so I don't think he's going to lose sleep over that."

Luongo, Thomas could earn MVP honours

Luongo has allowed 14 goals in five games, but also pitched a pair of 1-0 shutouts in the series opener and again on Friday. If he could record another shutout to give the Canucks their first Stanley Cup in the 40-season history of the franchise, there is a good chance Luongo could win the Conn Smythe Trophy.

If Thomas comes up with another strong effort to extend the series to a seventh game back in Vancouver, he could very well win the playoff MVP award.

"Obviously [Luongo] is good goalie, we all know that," Boston forward Chris Kelly said. "It's unfortunate that he is commenting on another good goalies' performance. I don't think Timmy has commented on his style.

"Obviously, Timmy has been unbelievable for us. We wouldn't be where we are if it wasn't for him so that's really all you can say about that. Obviously at this point of the year I don't think you need extra motivation to get up for the next game."

The Sedins played better in Game 5 after Milbury's remarks, but they were even more proficient with their remarks directed at Milbury following the game.

"That wasn't too much fun," he told the Ottawa Sun. "My son told me a man was making fun of me and Uncle Danny on TV. I said that can't be true because that's what usually happens in kindergarten. That's what happened. Sometimes grown-ups have low self-esteem and get on guys and say stupid stuff.

"I think he has to be happy with his career. He did a great job on Long Island. I'm sure he is happy with that."

Matchup advantage swings to Boston

2011-06-11T16:48:46Z

The home team has won every game of the Stanley Cup Final so far, a trend the Bruins hope will continue on Monday at TD Garden.

In Game 5, Claude Julien had to change on the fly throughout the game to get the matchups he wanted.

]]>

Rich Peverley, Michael Ryder, and Tyler Seguin took shifts on the first line with Milan Lucic and David Krejci. The revolving door at right wing, Nathan Horton's usual position, might have contributed to the absence of chemistry the No. 1 line exhibited throughout the game. Lucic had zero shots. Krejci recorded just one.

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In Game 4 at the Garden, only Ryder and Peverley played in Horton's spot. By having the last change, Julien could dictate the identity he wanted for the first line, whether a speedier unit with Peverley, or a heavier threesome with Ryder.

"It is what it is," said Julien of home-ice advantage so far. "The two teams that are here are good teams and they don't give home-ice advantage away that easily. They've been good in their own buildings. I think we've been a decent road team for most of the season. Right now, what we have to do is go back home and create a Game 7 so we get another shot at them here."

Contrasting stopping styles

Tim Thomas became a Vezina Trophy finalist by playing an aggressive, out-of-the-paint style. To compensate for his size, Thomas must cut down angles and challenge shooters. If Thomas stays back in his crease like Roberto Luongo, he wouldn't have had the success he's had throughout his career.

In Game 5, Maxim Lapierre's goal highlighted the difference in the goalies' approaches. Especially this year, after a tweaking by goaltending coach Roland Melanson, Luongo has been instructed to stay deep in his crease. Had Lapierre put that shot on him, Luongo figured he would have turned it aside because he doesn't attack shooters like Thomas.

"It's not hard if you're playing in the paint," Luongo said. "It's an easy save for me, but if you're wandering out and aggressive like he is, that's going to happen. He might make some saves that I won't. But in a case like that, we want to take advantage of a bounce like that and make sure we're in a good position to bury those."

Canucks score physical edge

The Canucks outhit the Bruins in Game 5, 47-27. Alex Edler, usually a puck-moving, offensive-minded defenceman, led the hit parade with 10 thumps.

Vancouver's game plan was to set the physical tone early. The Canucks were a bit too aggressive early, when they were whistled for three straight first-period infractions. But the Bruins couldn't take advantage of Vancouver's lack of discipline. The Bruins were 0 for 3 on the power play in the first and 0 for 4 total.

"With the power plays we had and the way we started off the game, the team that's chasing the team that has the puck most is going to end up with the most body checks. You've got to be careful how you look at those things," Julien said. "They had an edge tonight. They were in front of their home fans and they seemed to thrive on that. They came out hard and were a committed group."

Travel day for Bruins

The Bruins didn't practice today. They departed Vancouver this morning and were scheduled to conduct their media obligations this afternoon at the Garden. They will practice tomorrow at 11 a.m. They are not expected to make any lineup changes for Game 6.

Luongo returns to victorious path

2011-06-11T05:38:57Z

How confident was goalie Roberto Luongo that he would bounce back on Friday after two dismal outings in Boston by him and the entire Vancouver Canucks team?

]]> By Tim Wharnsby, CBC Sports

VANCOUVER -- How confident was goalie Roberto Luongo that he would bounce back on Friday after two dismal outings in Boston by him and the entire Vancouver Canucks team?

Well, he decided to mentally prepare himself for the must-win Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins with a stroll along the seawall in Stanley Park. Two Stanleys don't always make a right, but the seawall is not exactly a secluded place. Many walk the path on a daily basis.

Luongo was not the most popular person in town after the two games in Boston. He shouldered most of the blame, even though it was a dreadful performance by every single Vancouver player in the 8-1 and 4-0 defeats at TD Garden.

But that fact didn't dissuade him from meandering along the seawall. He took this journey to prepare for Game 7 against the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round and it worked. So he returned to the path in the hopes of the same outcome against the Bruins on Friday.

"I don't know if they have any seawalls in Boston, but I'm going to look for that," Luongo said after he beat Boston with a 31-save performance in a 1-0 win.

"I put my hoody on and my headphones, and I don't know if somebody said anything. I can't hear. But I just focus on the journey and everything I need to do to be ready for the game and that's what gets me prepared.

"I don't do it before every start. Sometimes I need to clear my head and put things in perspective. Usually people don't bother me. I don't know if they're talking or not because I have my headphones on and I can't hear anything. So it's nice for me to be able to do that and focus on what I need to do and don't have any distractions."

Luongo now has four shutouts in this playoff run. He has a pair of 1-0 victories in the final, something that had not been accomplished since Frank McCool turned the trick for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1945 championship series.

Luongo was especially good early in this game, when the Canucks were forced to kill off four Bruins' power plays in the opening 25 minutes. He made wonderful stops on Boston centre Patrice Bergeron.

The effort was reminiscent of his comeback in the first round against the Chicago Blackhawks. Luongo struggled with a couple brutal outings in Games 4 and 5 losses, and as a result, was replaced by backup Cory Schneider as the Game 6 starter.

Luongo, however, found his game for a critical overtime win in the deciding Game 7.

When he was yanked after four goals on 20 shots in Game 4 against Boston on Wednesday, the crowd that assembled at Rogers Arena to watch the game on the large scoreboard television cheered.

Luongo was upset when asked for his reaction in the dressing room afterwards about what happened back home. But the next day he sat in front of reporters and spoke with confidence. He backed up that poise on Friday. Maybe the walk helped, too.

"Like I said before, you learn from your experiences," Luongo said. "Whether they're good or bad, you always take something from it and try to use it moving on forward with your life.

"Obviously that Chicago series was the perfect example. It's [a] tough two games and you got to find a way to get it done because obviously, we're still in it, and we still have a great opportunity ahead of us. It wasn't time to put your head down or whatever it was. It's was the best of 2-out-of-3, and that's the way I looked at it. We got a great opportunity here coming Monday night."

One mistake burns Bruins

2011-06-11T04:27:08Z

When Dennis Seidenberg pinched hard down the right-side wall in the third period, Milan Lucic rotated back to cover the defenceman's position at the right point.

]]> When Dennis Seidenberg pinched hard down the right-side wall in the third period, Milan Lucic rotated back to cover the defenceman's position at the right point.

But Lucic, lacking the skills of an experienced blue-liner, was flat-footed and couldn't do much when the Canucks started the breakout from their own zone.

Tim Thomas stopped Maxim Lapierre on the first flurry. But as the puck skittered around to Kevin Bieksa at the right point, Lucic tried his best to challenge the defenceman's shot. Lucic had a long way to skate, going from behind the net to the point to pressure Bieksa.

Vancouver's shutdown defenceman read Lucic and Thomas perfectly - the left wing was in the shooting lane and the goalie was out of his crease - to make the right play. Instead of putting a shot on goal, Bieksa sent the puck off the end boards.

The puck caromed off the wall and out to Lapierre at the far post. Thomas tried to recover, pushing from left to right. But Lapierre's shot bounced off Thomas's chest and into the net at 4:35 of the third for the only goal of the night.

"He does play out and their D's do block shots," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said. "Sometimes all you have is a short-side shot. I think that's what Kevin had right there. It took a bounce the right way, right to the other side. Max was able to find the back of the net."

No breakthroughs on the power play

The Bruins could have buried the Canucks early in the game. Vancouver took three straight undisciplined penalties in the first period (Raffi Torres for tripping, Henrik Sedin for interference, Andrew Alberts for roughing).

But the Bruins couldn't solve Roberto Luongo on any of the three power plays. Their best chances came during their third power play with Alberts in the box. Patrice Bergeron redirected a Seidenberg shot on goal that Luongo turned back. Then when Bergeron had a follow-up bid - the centre didn't appear to get all of his blade on the shot - Luongo got a piece of the puck with his blocker.

The Bruins sent out their standard first unit of Seidenberg and Tomas Kaberle at the point, with Bergeron, Lucic, and David Krejci down low.

But Claude Julien opted to tweak his second unit. Zdeno Chara and Andrew Ference were at the point, while Michael Ryder and Mark Recchi were down low as they were in previous games. The new addition was fourth-line centre Gregory Campbell. Julien tabbed Campbell occasionally during the regular season, citing the defensive-minded forward's ability to tip pucks.

Campbell logged 2:17 of time on the power play. During the regular season, Campbell skated a total of 17:35 on the PP for an average of 13 seconds per game.

"He's done a pretty good job in front of the net," said Julien. "He certainly is good at tipping and screening. I don't think we were capable of doing much with him in front because we weren't getting the setup we wanted to get in the offensive zone. Had we managed to get control of the puck, move it around, and create some shots, he would have been a valuable player up front where he normally does a good job."

Luongo posts simple shutout

After being in net for 12 goals in Boston, Luongo rebounded with a flourish in Game 5. The Vancouver netminder, chased from the net in Game 4, stopped all 31 shots for his second shutout of the series.

The Bruins, however, didn't make life very hard on Luongo. Lucic, the team's No. 1 left wing, didn't land a single shot on goal. Krejci had only one shot. Julien gave Ryder, Rich Peverley, and Tyler Seguin cracks on the first line in Nathan Horton's position on the right side. The first line never had any chemistry.

"A lot of the things you saw tonight are a lot of the things you saw in the first two games," Julien said. "Good effort. Not good enough. Times where we should have gotten the puck in deep and established our forecheck, wasn't obvious. We turned some pucks over. Give credit to the goaltender. He played well tonight, but we certainly didn't make it as hard on him as we did in the last two games at home."