Stanley Cup Finals 2011: 8 Is Great as Boston Bruins Blast Vancouver Canucks

As Apollo Creed got ready to spar with his friend Rocky Balboa in the closing moments of Rocky III, he had one simple message.  "Ding.......Ding"

When watching Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks, it was this image that kept coming back to my head.  And why not? 

After countless bone shuddering body checks, punches, face washes, taunts and yes, dirty hits, you would think this hockey series was turning into a prize fight or perhaps even professional wrestling.

The Bruins got knocked down in Games 1 and 2 and lost a star player in Nathan Horton tonight, but they were the ones delivering the knockout punch in Game 3, destroying their Western rivals 8-1. 

While the Bruins enjoyed toying around with Vancouver net-minder Roberto Luongo, sports fans who only look at the box score will have absolutely no idea the nastiness that was displayed in Boston from the opening drop of the puck.

The real ugliness came roughly five minutes in when Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome took a ridiculous run at Bruins winger Nathan Horton.  After passing the puck, Horton had taken several strides and was looking towards the offensive zone when Rome blindly hit his opponent while aiming at his head with his arms up while leaving his feet.

If the NHL wanted to define the perfect type of dirty hit they're trying to get rid of in their game, this play would have been a perfect example.  It's a hit that knocked Horton out cold to the point he's now laying in a hospital bed while Rome will hopefully be suspended for the rest of the series.

Though they had a five minute power play, the Bruins did not score and all the momentum shifted to Vancouver.  However, no matter who shot the puck, Bruins goalie Tim Thomas looked like a wall, like he has so many times this season.   The first period ended 0-0 and the game was very much up for grabs.

However, that score would not last long. In the second period  Boston scored just 11 seconds in with a goal by defenseman Andrew Ferrence.  43-year-old Mark Recchi scored minutes later to make it 2-0. 

A beautiful goal by Brad Marchand and another by David Krejci made it 4-0 by the end of the period.   What you won't see when reading stories about this game though is the continued beating both teams put on each other. 

While Daniel Paille made it 5-0, the hits kept on coming and no one was spared.  The Sedin twins were seen sprawling on the ice while Krejcki was on the receiving end of a slash by Jannik Hansen who scored Vancouver's goal only seconds later, narrowing the score to 5-1.

After that, it was all Boston who scored three goals in the final 2:21 by Recchi, Chris Kelly and Michael Ryder.  As the game ended, the Canucks left the ice having lost one of the bigger blowouts in Stanley Cup Finals history.

For the Boston Bruins, they grabbed the momentum they lost in the 3rd period of Game 2 and beat down Vancouver physically, emotionally and most importantly on the score board. 

As the two teams prepare for Game 4, fans are being treated by watching one of the meanest, most physical Stanley Cup Finals in recent memory.  It's not altogether uncommon to see rivals in the earlier rounds of the playoffs have this type of hatred, but it's rarely seen in a Stanley Cup Final.

Yet since the first puck dropped in Game 1, these two teams have showed a venom for each other you hardly see.  Between Alex Burrows biting Patrice Bergeron, the dirty hit by Rome tonight and the dozens of teeth chattering hits being delivered, this has been a very violent series and there is no sign of that letting up.

Despite the play becoming dirty sometimes, the NHL has to be happy seeing such an engaging series that will undoubtedly show up in the ratings.  At the same time, though, the NHL must show the world that it does not condone hits like the one Aaron Rome delivered tonight.

Moving forward to Wednesday, it's anyone's guess as to what we'll see.  Will Boston ride this new wave of momentum, or will Vancouver put this game past them and look like the same stylish Canucks we've become so accustomed to seeing? 

Either way, come Wednesday hits will be delivered, punches will be thrown and two teams that have developed an incredible hatred for each other will engage in Round 4 of their prize fight, except no belt is on the line.  It's a 36 pound silver trophy that is the quite possibly the most beautiful reward in professional sports. 

Ding ding indeed.