2011 Stanley Cup Finals: 5 Things the Boston Bruins Need To Change To Win Game 2

The Boston Bruins lost a heartbreaker to the Vancouver Canucks in Game 1 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals Wednesday night. 

A Raffi Torres goal with under 20 seconds left in regulation was enough to give the Canucks a 1-0 win and a 1-0 series lead. 

Amid the positives for the Bruins, and there were many, there are several things the Bruins must change in order to win Game 2 and go back home with the series tied at 1-1. 

The power play needs fixing, but what aspects of it must change to finally get the historically abysmal unit going? 

And should rookie forward Tyler Seguin get more ice time in this series?

Let’s look at five things the Bruins need to change to win Game 2.

Nicholas Goss is a Boston Bruins featured columnist, follow him on Twitter for the latest NHL and Bruins news.

Take Veteran Mark Recchi off the Power Play

Elsa/Getty Images

BOSTON, MA - MAY 27: Mark Recchi #28 of the Boston Bruins and Steve Downie #9 of the Tampa Bay Lightning vie for the puck in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on May 27, 2011 in Boston, Mass

Mark Recchi is a veteran, a leader and a great teammate.

However, he offers nothing to the Bruins on their power play, which has been among the worst in NHL playoff history. 

Recchi is not a goal scorer and is not a great playmaker either, and at age 43, he cannot give you the speed and energy that several other younger players could offer on the power play. 

With the Boston power play performing so poorly, it’s time to reduce Recchi’s minutes on it and replace him with players who are more offensively skilled, such as Tyler Seguin, Brad Marchand and Rich Peverley. 

Rookie Tyler Seguin Must Play More Minutes

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

BOSTON, MA - MAY 27: Tyler Seguin #19 of the Boston Bruins reacts in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on May 27, 2011 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Ji

In Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, Bruins rookie forward Tyler Seguin played 15 minutes, his most ice time in a single game during the 2011 NHL playoffs. 

But in Game 1 of the Cup Finals against the Vancouver Canucks, Seguin got only 6:12 of ice time. 

Only Daniel Paille played fewer minutes, but he’s a fourth-line player who gets most of his minutes from penalty kill shifts. 

Seguin is the Bruins' best offensive player, but his inexperience and sometimes questionable defense has made Bruins coach Claude Julien play his veterans over Seguin. 

Seguin is young, has amazing speed and can shoot the puck effectively in any way, so there is no reason not to give him more ice time.

He had a great Eastern Conference Finals and will be one of the few fresh guys on the ice, since at this point in the season, nearly everyone is tired. 

Julien needs to put Seguin on the power play and increase his overall ice time, because the Bruins need goals, and the only way to beat a great goaltender like the Canucks' Roberto Luongo is to throw quality scorers at him.

Zdeno Chara Must Return to the Point and Not Screen the Goalie on the Power Play

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 01: Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins takes a shot against Roberto Luongo #1 of the Vancouver Canucks during game one of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Rogers Arena on June 1, 2011 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennet

Zdeno Chara is a mammoth skater at 6'9", and it is nearly impossible to move him or check him with force.

Using this thinking, Bruins coach Claude Julien put Chara in front of the net on Boston's power plays to disrupt the opposing goaltenders so they cannot locate the puck very well.

This strategy started in the East Finals, but hasn't made that much of a difference. The Bruins' power play still is terrible, and nobody on the point is doing anything.

With Chara back to his normal position at the point of the power play, he can use his 100-plus mph slap shot to fire pucks on net for goals or deflections.

His long reach will also help stop pucks from clearing the blue line and going into the neutral zone.

Chara must return to the point during power plays, and if the Bruins want another big presence in front of the net, they can put forward Milan Lucic there instead.

Bruins Defenseman Johnny Boychuk Must Make Better Decisions, or Lose Ice Time

Elsa/Getty Images

BOSTON - APRIL 01: Johnny Boychuck #55 of the Boston Bruins checks Victor Oreskovich #65 of the Florida Panthers on April 1, 2010 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Boston Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk is a good player, but he has made some really poor decisions at critical times during these playoffs. 

In Game 6 of the Tampa Bay series in the Eastern Conference Finals, Boychuk pinched when he wasn’t supposed to and left his defensive partner alone with the Tampa forwards coming at them with speed. 

Tampa scored on the play to win the game and force a Game 7. 

In Game 1 of the Cup Finals, Boychuk was again out of position during the buildup to Raffi Torres' goal, which gave the Canucks the win in the final minute. 

Boychuk cannot afford to be out of position against a team with the offensive talent that Vancouver has. He has gotten burned and will continue to if he doesn’t smarten up.

If he continues to make mental mistakes, Claude Julien must take some of his ice time away.  

Boston Needs To Score More Goals; What Can They Change To Put Pucks in the Net?

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 01: Tim Thomas #30 of the Boston Bruins makes a save against Daniel Sedin #22 of the Vancouver Canucks during game one of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Rogers Arena on June 1, 2011 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/

The Bruins must score more goals and not rely too much on world-class goaltender Tim Thomas to save them every night.

The Bruins cannot score on the power play, but are the best 5-on-5 team in hockey. 

Here are some changes to help the Bruins increase their chances of scoring more goals:

• Put pucks on net. The Bruins too often look for the perfect pass, shot and play. If they just throw pucks on net, they could look for deflections and rebounds, and in the process create some luck.
• Tyler Seguin must play on the power play. His vision, passing and scoring ability ignites the offense, and his speed can turn a simple play into a breakaway opportunity.
• Take Mark Recchi off the second line. Recchi is a solid veteran, but he's giving the Bruins very little offensively. Putting Seguin, Rich Peverley or Chris Kelly on the second line with playmaker Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand may increase scoring opportunities.
• Enter the offensive zone by carrying the puck into the zone, not by dumping it in the trapezoid by the goalie. The Bruins don't win enough battles to win the puck when they dump it in the offensive zone. If they carried the puck in they could enter the offensive zone easier and set up the offense.

As good as Tim Thomas is, you cannot expect him to shutout or allow one goal every game against an offensively stacked team like the Canucks.