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Stanley Cup Finals 2011 The Ways to Beat the Canucks in the Cup Finals

Right now, the general consensus is that the Vancouver Canucks will beat whichever Eastern Conference Team they face in the Stanley Cup Finals. 

Although they'll certainly be the favorites, they're beatable, it just takes a nearly perfect effort. 

For the Bruins and Lightning fans out there, or the people who love the underdog, here's how to beat the Canucks in the Stanley Cup Finals:

Avoid Penalties

Vancouver is loaded with talent that can score at any time 5-on-5, but if you give them a man advantage, forget about it. 

Henrik Sedin is the game's most precise passer and they have a handful of guys who can put the puck in the back of the net. 

The Bruins or Lightning would be much better off if they don't play as aggressive and physical and just try to stay with the speedy Canucks. 

They want to draw interference penalties.

MUST READ: 10 Reasons Why the Vancouver Canucks Will Win the Stanley Cup Finals   

Jump on Luongo Early

Roberto Luongo is a gold-medal winning goaltender who seemingly makes a few jaw-dropping saves each contest. 

However, he's been known to make an ill-advised decision behind the net or let in a soft goal on occasion and it really rattles his confidence. 

Peppering him with as many shots as possible early in the game increases the chance one will slip past him. 

Keen Awareness from Defensemen

It is not time for defensemen to constantly pinch up to add to the offense when playing the Vancouver Canucks. 

With Henrik Sedin playing quarterback, they are deadly in transition and create many odd man rushes. 

The defensemen must have their heads on a swivel at all times and can't allow players like Ryan Kesler or Alexandre Burrows sneak behind them. 

It's not easy, but it can be done. 

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NHL Trade Rumors Would A Jeff Carter Trade to the Maple Leafs Work for Both Clubs?

We are still anxiously awaiting the Stanley Cup Finals, but before we know it, the offseason shopping period will be upon us and a multitude of trade offers will be put on the table. 

Right now, many of the rumors surrounding elite players being traded don't have much factual basis, but it's never to early to decide if possible trades would be beneficial to both parties.

MUST READ: 10 Reasons Why the Vancouver Canucks Will Win the Stanley Cup Finals  

There are rumblings that the Toronto Maple Leafs have expressed interest in Philadelphia Eagles center Jeff Carter. 

Ryan Bright of PhillySportsDaily.com looked into the possibility of the Flyers trading Carter:

Rumored in the deal was one of the Maple Leaf’s two first-round picks, young defenseman Carl Gunnarsson and the dartboard prospect names of Joe Colborne, Jerry D’Amigo and even possibly Nazem Kadri.

The Flyers would then package some or all of those assets and potentially another player to a third team for a goaltender, with Calgary’s Mikka Kiprusoff, Vancouver’s Cory Schneider, Los Angeles’ Jonathan Quick and the rights to Phoenix’s Ilya Bryzgalov at the top of the list.

And while the names, draft numbers and even the teams involved may all be swapped, the theory of moving Carter for assets would be a smart one for general manager Paul Holmgren to test out.

One area of their roster the Flyers need to upgrade is goaltender. It couldn't be anymore obvious. 

Carter has been the center piece of their offense for the last two seasons, but they're dynamic enough with the puck in their opponents' zone that the departure of Carter wouldn't dramatically hurt their goal scoring efforts or power play.  

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NHL Playoffs 2011 Why the Lightning Can Win Game 7 Against the Bruins

There isn't anything more compelling than a Game 7 with a birth in the Stanley Cup Finals on the line. 

For the Boston Bruins and the Tampa Bay Lightning, the intensity will be at an all-time high for the decisive game in this closely contested series. 

The Bruins' power play problems are well-documented while the Lightning are moving in the opposite direction with the man advantage. 

The entire game won't depend on the power play, but I'm not sure the Bruins can handle the pressure of playing at home against a high-powered offense like Tampa Bay Lightning. 

MUST READ: 10 Reasons Why the Vancouver Canucks Will Win the Stanley Cup Finals  

Martin St. Louis is the gutsiest player in the series with Stanley Cup Finals experience and will play a major role in Game 7.

It is not that the Lightning have nothing to lose, but they don't seem phased by playing on the road in front of raucous crowds. 

Usually home ice is a distinct advantage, especially in a Game 7, but Vincent Lecavalier, Steven Stamkos, Simon Gagne and St. Louis are too explosive and have shown throughout these playoffs they can win on the road.

If the Bruins fall behind early, I'm not sure if the Bruins can come back against a very experienced Lightning unit.  

When the Lightning win the Prince of Wales Trophy, Boston can point to their inefficiency on the powerplay as the reason why they fell short for the second straight season at the brink of the Stanley Cup Finals. 

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Stanley Cup Finals 2011 Luongo Needs Cup Title to Finalize Legacy

The Vancouver Canucks made the Stanley Cup Finals for many reasons. 

The Sedin twins facilitate the offense with their superb vision and great hands. 

Ryan Kesler and Alexandre Burrows are the snipers who deliver the clutch goals. 

Kevin Bieksa and Christian Ehrhoff are solid defensemen who are rarely caught out of position and are capable of providing offense.

MUST READ: 10 Reasons Why the Vancouver Canucks Will Win the Stanley Cup Finals  

Lastly, goalie Roberto Luongo, who's been the staple of excellence in Vancouver is the final and probably the most vital piece to the Canucks. 

There isn't much he hasn't accomplished in his illustrious career. He's made multiple All-Star games, won at the World Cup of Hockey and took the gold back to Canada in the 2010 Olympics. 

The one achievement that's eluded Luongo is capturing Lord Stanley's Cup. 

A recent column on FoxSports.com outlined his current legacy:

Luongo has always carried a reputation as a goalie who, despite obvious talents, might never win the ultimate prize due to a tendency to surrender the occasional soft goal or make a dramatic mental error.

He's always been that good but not good enough goalie that leaves us with disappointing playoff performances each spring.

Luongo finally has a legitimate shot to win the title that has eluded him his whole career, one that would complete his Hall of Fame legacy and take a huge monkey off his back.  

He has paid his dues and really deserves to hoist the Cup. 

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Stanley Cup Finals 2011 Will Ryan Kesler Be 100 Percent For Canucks In Finals?

Henrik and Daniel Sedin are the headliners for the Vancouver Canucks, and the notoriety they receive is well deserved. 

They are the catalysts for all the Canucks offensive efforts both precise passers who define the word "playmaker". 

Centerman Ryan Kesler is probably equally as important to the team's quest for the Stanley Cup, as the primary scoring threat and ultimate hustle player.

MUST READ: 10 Reasons Why the Vancouver Canucks Will Win the Stanley Cup Finals 

The entire city of Vancouver gasped when Kesler left Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals with an apparent lower body injury.

Adrenaline brought him back onto the ice and he scored the tying goal that forced overtime in the Canucks series-clinching win.

Kesler didn't give any specifics, but touched on his injury in a recent Vancouver Sun report:

All Kesler would say Thursday was that he feels fine and he knew Tuesday night that he'd be back.

"There wasn't a time where I thought I wasn't going to come back out," Kesler said.

"I think his determination was pretty evident," said defenceman Kevin Bieksa, who won the game in double-overtime. "I don't think anyone expected him to stay in the room for long. I was in the penalty box when I saw him go to the dressing room, so I didn't know what happened. I wasn't too worried. I knew Kes would come back. He always does.

"That's what kind of guy he is. He's very determined and won't let anything stop him. I'm sure if it had been anything serious they would have just cut it off and put a prosthetic on and he would have kept playing and probably still scored that goal."

It seems as though Kesler and his teammates aren't making much of this leg injury, which leads me to believe he'll be at full-go for Game 1 on Wednesday. 

Even if Kesler isn't exactly 100%, he certainly won't make it obvious, and will still be one of the most dangerous players on the ice. 

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NHL Playoffs 2011 Lightning's Bergenheim Questionable for Game 7

The Tampa Bay Lightning have a trio of marquee scoring threats in Vincent Lecavalier, Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis. 

Lost in the shadows of those three stars is Sean Bergenheim, who's been as hot as anyone the Lightning all postseason long. 

His nine playoff goals trail only St. Louis by one tally for the team lead.

MUST READ: 10 Reasons Why the Vancouver Canucks Will Win the Stanley Cup Finals  

Bergenheim has been the unheralded member of Tampa Bay that really has lifted the Lightning to new heights this postseason. 

He was greatly missed in the Lightning's Game 5 loss after he left the game with a lower body injury he suffered in Game 4.  

But the resilient Lightning were able to force a Game 7 without him. 

An ESPN report touched on his availability for Game 7 tonight:

The Tampa Bay Lightning are preparing for Game 7 as though Sean Bergenheim, a key depth player with nine playoff goals this spring, will miss his second consecutive game.

Well, he's seeing our doctors again today, and he's going to have another evaluation tonight and tomorrow morning, and we'll see," Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher said Thursday afternoon in Boston. "But right now, it doesn't necessarily look like something positive for us.

The Lightning have a lot of firepower, but Bergenheim has been their spark plug all postseason. This adds pressure to the shoulders of St. Louis and Stamkos. 

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NHL Playoffs 2011 Zdeno Chara the X-Factor For Boston In Game 7

Zdeno Chara is one of the most intimidating and menacing players in the NHL today. 

He's 6'9'', weighs 255 pounds and has a rocket slap shot, ideal for scoring from the blue-line. 

Usually, his sole presence can change the outcome of a game. 

Against the Lightning in these Eastern Conference Finals, Chara hasn't been the dominating force in which we've come accustomed. 

On a team with a handful of great but not elite players, Chara is the leader at both ends of the ice. 

He is typically the facilitator on the Bruins power play, but Boston has struggled with the man advantage in the 2011 playoffs. 

The Bruins are 5-for-61 on the power play this postseason. 

He hasn't necessarily had a poor series, but Chara is minus-2 with no points in the Eastern Conference Finals.

MUST READ: 10 Reasons Why the Vancouver Canucks Will Win the Stanley Cup Finals

Special teams will be vital in Game 7, and a huge blast from Chara that gets passed Dwayne Roloson on the power play will energize TD Garden and the entire team.

Conversely, stopping the speedy Lightning from getting a lot of odd-man rushes and getting comfortable on their power play will be of the utmost importance.

More responsibility for Chara.  

If he can't inject life into the power play, Boston could be upset in an Eastern Conference Finals Game 7 for the second straight year. 

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NHL Playoffs 2011 Does Dwayne Roloson or Tim Thomas Have the Edge in Game 7?

Tim Thomas is the goalie with a pedigree. He led the NHL this season in goals against average and save percentage. 

The 41-year-old Dwayne Roloson, who had one of this best seasons in net this year, will be remembered more as a journeyman goaltender than a perennial Vezina Trophy candidate.

Initially, you'd have to give the edge to Thomas.

He's the more consistent net minder, who's playing at home with a sound defense in front of him.

But Roloson is 3-0 in his career when facing elimination, something that certainly shouldn't be overlooked.

MUST READ: 10 Reasons Why the Vancouver Canucks Will Win the Stanley Cup Finals

Also, as the "better" more accomplished goaltender, all the pressure lies squarely on Thomas' shoulders. He beat the Montreal Canadiens in the first round in a Game 7, but memories of last season's epic collapse against the Flyers could haunt him and the rest of the Bruins.

Lastly, the Lightning's offense seems to be clicking more than the Bruins' is right now. The power plays will be huge and much is to be said for a team like Boston that can't seem to find the back of the net with the man advantage.

With Tampa Bay, it's quite the opposite. They strike fear into the Bruins on the power play, especially after their 3-for-4 effort in Game 6.

Both goalies have had their good and bad moments this series, but I'd give the edge to Roloson. 

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NHL Playoffs 2011 The Power Play Will be the Difference in Game 7 For Lightning and Bruins

The Boston Bruins may have been favored heading into their Eastern Conference Finals showdown with the Tampa Bay Lightning because of their physical style of play and goaltending.

Boston has maintained the aggressive nature in which they play the game, but Tampa Bay has countered with speed, tape-to-tape passing and most importantly a dynamic power play.

The Lightning are scoring on 25.4 percent of their power plays in these playoffs including a 3-for-4 explosive that led them to victory in Game 6, while the Bruins have struggled mightily only scoring on 5 of their 61 man advantages this spring.

MUST READ: 10 Reasons Why the Vancouver Canucks Will Win the Stanley Cup Finals

David Krejci did light the lamp on the power play of the Bruins in the third period of Game 6, but Boston hadn't scored up a man since Game 2.

The Lightning's dominance on the power play shouldn't come as a surprise. During the regular season Tampa Bay was sixth in the NHL scoring on just over 20 percent of their power play opportunities.

Martin St. Louis is the leader of this club and provides the spark each time the Lightning have the man advantage.

The rest of their lineup is extremely offensively-gifted as well.

Vincent Lecavalier, Steven Stamkos, Sean Bergenheim and Simon Gagne are deadly with the man advantage.

If the Lightning score two or three power play goals in Game 7 and the Bruins continue their putrid performance with the mad advantage, Tampa could leave Boston with another road victory and the Prince of Wales Trophy.

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NHL Playoff Schedule 2011 Comprehensive TV Schedule for Stanley Cup Finals

Tonight, the Stanley Cup Finals will be set with either the Boston Bruins or Tampa Bay Lightning facing the mighty Vancouver Canucks. 

Game 7 could go down to the final horn, but there's no uncertainty when it comes to the Stanley Cup Finals schedule. 

Game 1: Boston or Tampa Bay at Vancouver Wednesday, June 1st 8:00 EST ( NBC )

Game 2: Boston or Tampa Bay at Vancouver Saturday, June 4th 8:00 EST ( NBC ) 

Game 3: Vancouver at Boston or Tampa Bay Monday, June 6th 8:00 EST ( NBC )

MUST READ: 10 Reasons Why the Vancouver Canucks Will Win The Stanley Cup Finals

Game 4: Vancouver at Boston or Tampa Bay Wednesday, June 8th 8:00 EST ( Versus )

Game 5: Boston or Tampa Bay at Vancouver Friday, June 10th 8:00 EST ( NBC )*

Game 6: Vancouver at Boston or Tampa Bay Monday, June 13th 8:00 EST ( NBC )*

Game 7: Boston or Tampa Bay at Vancouver Wednesday, June 15th 8:00 EST ( NBC )*

*if necessary