Stanley Cup Finals: Gut Check Time, Boston Bruins Force a Game 7 in Vancouver

The Vancouver Canucks were looking to finish this at the Garden in Boston.

The Boston Bruins were looking to extend this to Vancouver and avoid the Canucks from winning the prize in their barn.

The Game

First Period

The Bruins had a slow start in the opening frame but began to pour it on after the Canucks missed some golden opportunities to get onto the board, but the bouncing puck wouldn't settle down for Vancouver.

Early in the game, Mason Raymond got tangled up with Bruins defence man Johnny Boychuk.  With Raymond stooped down, they both went into the boards and Raymond got the worst of it.  He had to be helped off the ice and was sent to Mass General to be evaluated.

The scoring was opened up by Brad Marchand as he gathered speed into the attacking zone.  He skated up Luongo's left side and wristed a laser top glove and on the short side.  1-0 Bruins.

Just 35 seconds later, Milan Lucic scored on a shot through Luongo's five hole.  Lucic got all alone in the slot and skated closer to open Luongo up as he seemed leery to go down too soon and it put the B's up 2-0.

Andrew Ference ripped a laser on Luongo on the power play goal...yes...a Bruin power-play goal.  The goal came 2:29 after the second goal.

Canucks coach Alain Vigneault had seen enough and pulled Luongo to place Cory Schneider in the pipes in hopes to stop the bleeding.

The Bruins kept pouring it on and a Tomas Kaberle shot from the point was redirected up and in on Schneider by Michael Ryder to put the Bruins up 4-0 in 4:14.  That broke a 55-year-old record when the Montreal Canadiens scored four goals on the Detroit Red Wings back in the 1956 Finals.

Second Period

No scoring in this period and the Canucks had three power-play opportunities to get on the board.  All penalties were incurred by Patrice Bergeron.  At the end of the second frame, the Canucks still had the man advantage of 1:02.

Thomas has been outstanding and he turned aside some great breakaways by the Canucks.  At the same time, with a little puck luck, the Bruins have played great puck support.

Third Period

Henrik Sedin got his first goal with the Bruin net all crowded and Thomas down and out.  4-1 Bruins.  The goal was the first point for Henrik in the Finals and the first goal in.

Dennis Seidenberg fell awkwardly into the net and went straight to the dressing room.  He returned later and completed his shifts.

Shortly after Hansen thought he got the Canucks within two, but the replay showed the puck went off the right post.  No goal.

The Bruins quickly settled the game down and Raffi Torres gets the call for tripping effectively, killing the current momentum.

Andrew Alberts was called for the cross-check on Tyler Seguin and the Bruins made them pay.

David Krejci got the feed from Mark Recchi as he one-timed it past Schneider's low right side and regained the four-goal lead with the five-on-three power play....yes...another power play...5-1 Bruins.

On that play, Alex Burrows took a whack and Bergeron, Bergeron gave him a cross-check, Burrows returned a hack and both were sitting in the Sin Bin. 

Daniel Sedin passed the puck the Maxim LaPierre and he buries the shot on Thomas' right side.  5-2 Bruins.

Kaberle and Alberts were tangled up a bit and both came crashing back first into the boards.  Alberts left and returned to skate a shift but returned to the dressing room, which can be costly as yet another Canuck could be injured.

After a Shawn Thornton breakaway that was stopped by Schneider, the Canucks ended up on the power play.

Seidenberg ended up in the box, and it was a six-on-three in the final minute of play in hopes that a message is sent but the Canucks could not convert.

The Cup will be presented in Vancouver as the Bruins and the Canucks will play for Lord Stanley's Mug in a decisive Game 7.

Will the Canucks keep the home-ice trend going or will the Bruins make history by winning three Game 7s in one playoff run for the first time in NHL history?

Till Wednesday, I leave you with good thoughts and may the best team win.

This is Cory Ducey saying "Hit Hard, But Keep It Clean"