Raffi Torres Video: Watch Vancouver Canucks Forward Score Game 1 Winner

The 2011 NHL Finals kicked off in grand style Wednesday night.

After over 59 minutes of scoreless hockey between the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins, Game 1 was decided by a Raffi Torres goal with 18.5 seconds remaining to seal the Canucks 1-0 win.

Ryan Kessler set everything up with a terrific steal. It appeared as if he was offsides after controlling the puck but the refs swallowed their whistles. Kessler dished it off to Jannik Hansen whom held the puck until the last moment as he approached goalie Tim Thomas.

Hansen flicked the puck to Torres and a simple flick of the wrist elevated the puck over the outstretched Thomas and into the net for the game-winning goal.

The Canucks and their fans immediately erupt in celebration knowing they were all but certain to take the 1-0 series lead.

It was a brutal ending for Thomas, that had saved all 33 shots on Vancouver before that. Ryan Luongo was just a bit better as he rejected all 36 shots by the Bruins.

Boston killed six Canucks power plays in a great defensive game by captain Zdeno Chara and Co., but Torres' goal ended the 37-year-old Thomas' shutout streak at just under 129 minutes. It was the first goal allowed since Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Vancouver has never hoisted the Stanley Cup after four decades of existence, losing its only two trips to the finals in 1982 and 1994. Boston has lost five straight finals since winning in 1972.

If the rest of the series is anything like Game 1...this could be one of the greatest Stanley Cup Finals of all time.

Game 2 in Vancouver will be on Saturday night.