Hub Hockey

Bruins Take Two at 2011 NHL Awards

^{(Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)}

The Bruins didn't clean shop at the 2011 NHL Awards Wednesday night, but they did leave with some extra hardware to add to their ever-expanding trophy case. In a night of great moments few and far between, Tim Thomas and Captain Zdeno Chara not only brought out their newly acquired Stanley Cup, much to the dislike of Ryan Kesler, who the camera directly shot for several disapproving seconds, but they both took home a pretigious award before the night was through.

Thomas was awarded his 2nd Vezina Trophy in the last three years, essentially making him the Vezina winner in consecutive starting seasons. Thomas beat out competitors Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators and Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks. Seemingly, Versus, the NHL, or whoever arranged the seating during the ceremony did so in spite of the entire Canucks team, as they were placed in camera shot, yet directly behind both Thomas and Chara, who sat in the first row. When Thomas was called to the podium, Roberto Luongo's widows peak could be seen from a mile away.

Chara didn't take home his 2nd Norris Trophy in the last three years, as that was debatably handed to Niklas Lidstrom.  It's Lidstrom's 7th career Norris Trophy, putting him just one behind the all-time leader, Bobby Orr. Big Z actually came in 3rd in the Norris voting, falling behind Shea Weber, who, in my opinion, rightfully deserved the award, based on his statistics and the talent (or lack thereof) that surrounded him. Instead, Chara was given the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, handed out by none-other than Messier himself. It was the first time Chara's been given the award, and after a season wrapped in debate and controversy about his leadership, playing style, and mental toughness, was a well-warranted honor.

^{Mr. Conn Smythe is now Mr. Vezina 2.0, in addition to Mr. Mustache.}

While Daniel Sedin did leave with the Art Ross Trophy (why they give out awards pre-determined months ago is beyond me) and Ted Lindsay Award, he was denied the Hart Memorial Trophy, much to Bruins' fans likings, as Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks rightfully took home the award. While Sedin and Martin St. Louis, the 3rd nominee, had great seasons, they also had the likes of Kesler & Sedin, and Stamkos & Lecavalier respectfully on their teams, while Corey Perry had, well, not a whole lot great talent to help him. Clearly, the Ducks wouldn't have made the Playoffs without him and his 50+ goal season.

Other winners included Ryan Kesler (Selke), Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider (Jennings), Mike Gillis (GM of the Year), Jeff Skinner (Calder), Dan Bylsma (Adams), Martin St. Louis (Lady Byng), Ian Laperierre (Bill Masterson), Doug Weight (King Clancy), and Dustin Brown (NHL Foundation Player Award).

The best moment of the night was not Jay Mohr's opening monologue, although his bit about Tim Thomas drinking metamucil out of the Cup was gold. It came when two of of the wives from The Real Housewives of Wherever came out to present the Lady Byng Trophy. Not only did they bomb their half-assed introduction, but when it all came down to the winner, they celebratorily shouted "Martin St. Louis," as in "Saint Lou-issss." As in, you needed to memorize three player names that you were presenting, and you bomb the winner. Way to go NHL. You couldn't have gotten any other C-list actors? You realize where the league really stands when the biggest star put out there is Cris Angel.

Will Ryder and Kaberle return?

Of  the 11 forwards, 5 defenseman, and two goaltenders listed on the Bruins' NHL roster, only five are listed as Free Agents following the 2010-11 season. Brad Marchand is presumably (hopefully) returning next season, as he's a Restricted Free Agent will need to be offered roughly a $1 million-dollar contract by the Bruins, or become unrestricted if such an offer is not made. If he denies the offer, he still remains restricted, a la what happened to Phil Kessel back in 2009. Mark Recchi is retiring on top after hoisting the Cup for his third time, and his $1.95 million will be coming off the table. Shane Hnidy, who is also heading towards free agency, will presumably not return, allowing room for the up-and-coming defenseman, Steve Kampfer. The real questions fall on the return of forward Michael Ryder and defenseman Tomas Kaberle, two pricey veterans each looking for that one final contract to carry them towards retirement.

Ryder is coming off a three-year, $4 million contract after coming over from the Montreal Canadiens for the 2008-09 season. Widely considered the "J.D. Drew" of the Boston Bruins, Ryder had been one of the Bruins' few, if not only, true snipers on the team. That is, if he was performing. Michael Ryder is a whole bunch of potential wrapped in mediocrity and coated with frustration. He has scored 20+ goals just once in his past four seasons, and his point-totals on average have been in decline since his final year in Montreal. That being said, Ryder did earned 14 points on the power-play, which is a fine statistic, as he was on a near-inept Bruins man-advantage.

Ryder has, however, been a different player entirely in the playoffs. With 334 points over 549 regular-season games, .608 points-per-game, No. 73 has had 35 points in 49 playoff games with the B's, with three game-winning goals. That's a .714 points-per-game average, comperable to superstars like Ryan Kesler (.702 over his postseason career). In this postseason alone, Ryder landed tied for fourth on the team in points, as his line nearly carried them through the last five games of the opening series against Montreal. He had two multi-goal nights during their run to the Cup, and three goals total in the Finals.

That being said, Chiarelli & crew may be looking to free up some funds space, even with the cap space expanding next year. And Jordan Caron's NHL development, along with his $1.1 million cap-hit, is very tempting, and looking all the more likely for a growing Bruins organization.

^{Will Tomas "The Evil Chef" Kaberle slice his salary for a taste of Bruins success?}

With the Bruins making it to [and winning] the Stanley Cup Finals, Tomas Kaberle was officially acquired for Boston's 2011 first-round draft-pick, 2012 second-round draft pick, and AHL prospect Joe Colborne. The bad news is, the unity of Black & Gold faithful considered Kaberle to be a bust upon his arrival. That, and Joe Colborne is already averaging a point-per-game in his NHL career; just so you all don't flip your shit, that was sarcasm--he's only played one career game, and earned an assist. The good news is, the 2012 conditional draft pick would've also been added if the Bruins were to re-sign Kaberle for next season, therefore making such a resigning less of a penalty.

All opinions and disappointments aside, Kaberle did finish with 11 postseason points, tying Dennis Seidenberg for the defensive lead in such category. Not only that, but seeing as he never shoots... ever, Kaberle's 11 points/assists were 2nd on the team during the playoffs. His 5 powerplay assists during the playoffs were by far the most on the team, on a squad that ran one of the worst powerplays in NHL postseason history. Keep in mind, it was also Kabs' first playoff-appearance since 2003-04, so forgive him if he seemed a bit intimidated.

During the regular season, Kaberle earned a so-so 9 points over his 24 games following the trade. His 43 assists did put him in the Top 5 of the NHL for defenseman in the field, but his $4.25 million cap-hit may be hard to swallow, as guys like Keith Yandle--who is an unrestricted free agent following next season--make just $1.2 million. Kaberle's production has gone down significantly in recent years, as he hasn't surpassed 50 points in a season since 2007-08.

My guess is, bye-bye Ryder, hello cheap, cheap Kaberle. But who knows?

Who Should the Bruins re-sign?
Michael Ryder Tomas Kaberle Both Neither Shane Hnidy
	Results

Classifieds: New Alternate Wanted

With Mark Recchi finally hanging up his skates at the ripe age of 43, Claude Julien and the 2011-2012 Bruins will look to put the "A" on the sweater of one of the remaining Big & Bad left on the roster. While not all are worthy to be named a team leader, along with Patrice Bergeron and Captain Zdeno Chara, he's a look at the most realistic of possibilities.

Shawn Thornton
    This seems to be the majority consensus from Bruins fans. And why not? Thornton is a saucy veteran, who now has the most rings of any skater on the team. He led the team in penalty-minutes (122) and fighting majors (14) last season, with the team going 9-3-2 when he did trade blows with the opposition. Shawn had his best statistical season last year, with a career-high in goals (10), assists (10), and overall points (20), with a +8 rating and 141 hits, putting him fourth on the team. Needless to say, a true leader doesn't have to play much time on the ice, nor does he have to play particularly well. Thornton is a Bruin that embodies the "Big & Bad" mentality, and has shown that he won't back down to anyone. Also, that bottle of water Horton sprayed on Canuck ice? No. 22's idea.

Andrew Ference
    Often questioned for his price and performance in recent years, Ference really stepped up during the 2010-11 season, and became a true Bruin. Ference not only racked up a career-high +22 rating throughout the season, but he added his 2nd-highest regular season numbers, with 15 points (3G, 12A). During the postseason, he was even better, with 4 goals and 10 points total in the 25 games played. Not only did he purchase the now infamous Bruins locker-room jacket, handed out to the self-appointded player of the game after each win, but Ference stood up for his teammates all season long, something that was in question about this team after last years' Cooke-Savard incident and response, or lack there-of. His defining moment of the season probably came back in December, when Ference tried to take Atlanta Thrasher Freddie Meyer's head off following a high hit on Milan Lucic. And okay, this was pretty memorable too.

Milan Lucic
    Milan Lucic became the second-coming of, well.. Milan Lucic. After a disappointing and injury-riddled junior year in 2009-10, Lucic came back fearless and hungry. Eventually, he became the team's first and only 30+ goal-scorer since Phil Kessel, but also found himself leading the team in hits (167), and second on the team in PIM (121). Lucic, who just turned 23 years-old a couple weeks ago, still has some growing to do. However, his fourth season with Boston showed that he's more than just the fight-machine he was when he first came into the league. This season showed a lot of poise and maturity for Looch, and he'll certainly look to extend that confidence out to his teammates.

^{First fighting over fighting. Now fighting over Captainship?}
 

Dennis Seidenberg
    This year, Bruins players and fans really understood why the absence of Dennis Seidenberg during the 2009-10 Playoffs was such a massive loss. After his second-straight year tallying a career-high in points, Seidenberg really proved how strong and tough he can be. Sure, Zdeno Chara is the Captain, and by all means the most difficult defenseman in the league to get by. But I believe Seidenberg is the true defensive tone-setter on the team. He was 2nd on the team in hits during the regular season (161), and 3rd during the postseason (57). But we're talking big hits. His 74 blocked-shots during the regular season far and away led the team, and showed his will to sacrifice for the better of the team. He's has proven his leadership with his play more than his words.

David Krejci
    Krejci is not the biggest guy on the team, nor the strongest, fastest, or even most fearless. But there may not be another Bruin on the current roster that shows his calmness like David Krejci. Co-leader during the season in points, and leader during the Playoffs, Krejci became the go-to Bruin for offensive leadership. His vision of the ice is easily the best on the team. And his playing style doesn't change whether the Bruins are up by two goals, or down by one. No. 46 is extremely consistent and nearly mistake-free, whether on the power-play, during odd-man rushses, or working the puck behind the net. If his composure is half as solid off the ice as it is on the ice, Krejci could be worthy of an the alternate.

Nathan Horton
    He may be fairly new to the team, but you show me a guy that smiles more than Nathan Horton, and I'll show you an insane person. Horton really battled all season long, really putting out a great effort in a year where he absolutely had pressure hanging over him. He has his best goal-scoring year since 2007-08, and became a fan-favorite almost instantly. When he wasn't all smiles, he was throwing down the gloves with the toughest of sluggers, from Dion Phanuef to Evander Kane. And he hung with 'em. He was arguably the biggest motivating factor during the Stanley Cup Finals, and had a fantastic postseason--remember, it was his first appearance ever--when he was on the ice, with two Game 7 game-winning goals. Talk about someone who doesn't mind a little spotlight

Who Should Be the New Alternate?
Shawn Thornton Milan Lucic Dennis Seidenberg Andrew Ference David Krejci Nathan Horton Other
	Results

From "Believe" to Relieved

Different people had different hopes and expectations, and most because different reasons. 250 days ago exactly, the 2010-11 NHL season opened up, with the Boston Bruins and Phoenix Coyotes playing the first of two back-to-back games in front of a capacity crowd in Prague. 251 days ago, there were endless amounts of questions just waiting to be answered. How much better will Tuukka Rask be? When will Marc Savard come back? How will Tyler Seguin and Nathan Horton fare in Boston? Will Marco Sturm have another 20-goal year, or just another knee injury? Can Lucic bounce back after a letdown season? Who is Gregory Campbell? Why is Matt Hunwick's hair so long? When will they finally trade Tim Thomas for that much-needed sniper?

Thank God fans don't run franchises.

That being said, the mounting concerns and approaches that came up during the off-season were felt by the Boston Bruins Front Office. A big part of that is why one year ago today, Cam Neely was named President of the team. Change was needed. Claude Julien's head was being called for after a historic collapse. What it deserved? Debatable. Actually, maybe. Despite being part of the reason why the Bruins' popularity had grown vastly in the previous three season, Julien also hadn't proved to be a great playoff coach, with his team losing three consecutive Game 7s, and not making it any further than the Conference Semifinals. Regardless, 250 days ago, he started the season as the head coach of the Bruins, and was reunited with his former assistant coach, Doug Houda. And Julien had a mission he set out to accomplish.

250 days later, the Bruins are Stanley Cup Champions.

Looking back on this season, it was frustrating as all hell. But at the same, that same roller-coaster ride made the result that much sweeter. Granted, I hated seeing the last piece of the Joe Thornton trade, Marco Sturm, get sent to the Los Angeles Kings for practically a bag of pucks and a sandwich. I rolled my eyes when they got another defensive prospect for Matt Hunwick. I doubted Chiarelli just a bit when he traded a high draft-pick for Chris Kelly. Wait, who? I hated seeing one of the biggest physical forces on the Bruins, Mark Stuart, get traded with Blake Wheeler (who I didn't mind seeing traded) for one of Atlanta's "Star Players," Rich Peverly. Because looking back at the recent history of Championship-winning teams, I didn't see that makeup in the Bruins for a large part of the season.

Going back in the last ten years, these hockey-household names had graced Lord Stanley's silver siding. Toews, Crosby, Zetterberg, Selanne, Brind'Amour, St. Louis, Brodeur, Lidstrom, Bourque. And while Chara and Thomas were known to the hardcore and even casual hockey fans, many felt that the Bruins lacked that star, that force that would push them to their ultimate goal. Largely, this felt like the same team that lost ten straight games a season ago. This felt like the team that lost four straight to Philadelphia, including blowing a three-goal lead in the series-clinching bout. This felt like another year of "better luck, next time."

And perhaps it was frustrating because there didn't seem to be that potential. But it was more disheartening knowing that this team had potential, and that it was being wasted. Since I began writing for Hub Hockey back when Chris Crawford brought me on through Twitter, back when the website ended in a .Com, I believed Tim Thomas had a next level. I knew in my heart that 2008-09's Vezina-winning season was not a fluke. But I also had a sinking feeling that his time was running out, and he would be the Dan Marino of the National Hockey League, albeit having played for much less at the professional level.

Then came February. The Bruins' character finely broke through in the shortest month of the year. First, it was their 6-3 win over Dallas, in a game that record four fights in the first three seconds of regulation. Then, it was a wild 8-6 win over Montreal, where the Bruins beat them on the scoreboard, and beat them up. Finally, February was capped off with a six-game road trip, in which the Black & Gold won all six games. They came back to the Garden on March 3rd, and won a hard-fought, gritty game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, not letting down their faithful fans on home ice. They embarassed the Montreal Canadiens in defense of their Captain, Zdeno Chara, following the Max Pacioretty incidient. Mark Recchi announced that if the Bruins hoisted the Cup, he would retire after this season. This is when I first started to believe this team was different.

Maybe it was because of the win-streak that I felt this way. But I believe it was more than just wins or losses. The trade deadline had passed, and it was clear that if the Bruins were going to make a run for the Cup, this was the team they were going to do it with.

The Bruins finished the regular season going 7-4-1 in their last twelve games, and landed as the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference standings. Going into the Playoffs, fate and destiny began to take over. First, they simply wanted to defeat the Montreal Canadiens. Then, they needed to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers. And finally, they were the better team, and rightfully so, overcame their biggest challenge yet, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in an overpowering Game 7 performance, a 1-0 victory that was the essence of Bruins hockey.

The Bruins earned their first Finals appearance in twenty years. They did so with grit, will, and honor. They believed. They believed they could win the Cup. They believed there was no team in the NHL that could take them in a seven-game series. Even as they fell behind two games to the Canucks, because of the fashion they lost those games in, I wasn't worried. At no point in Games 1 & 2 did Vancouver's play overwhelm the Bruins. When they came back, and scored 12 goals despite being short of their (at the time) lead-scorer in Nathan Horton, I believed even more. And when the Bruins lost to Vancouver in Game 5, it was then that I knew they'd win the Cup.

To many, it was felt that despite playing their best, the Bruins simply couldn't beat the Canucks on the road. But they were wrong. That was the glass half-empty approach. Few believers understood that in fact, Vancouver was playing their best hockey, and barely leaving their home ice with a victory, three times in a row. As the Bruins had done all season, they came up big on the largest of stages, and would not let the Stanley Cup be won by another team on their ice. Boston pounded the Canucks in Game 6, and as they flew back to Vancouver, it was already sealed.

The Bruins had equalled the Canucks, if not out-played Vancouver, all series long. Counting their regular season meeting, the Bruins had already won four of seven games played against them this season. And they won that game at Rogers Arena. Their offense, while not flashy or quick, was too effective and skilled to score only two goals in four games. They would not be shut out again, as they'd gotten to Luongo for 25 goals to this point in the series. It came down to Tim Thomas, who by this point, was the last worry in the minds of Bruins fans.

No team had ever won three game-sevens in one postseason. No team had ever erased a two-game deficit in the Finals. Road teams were 3-12 in Stanley Cup Finals Game 7s. People started to believe that the word of EA Sports' NHL 11 was gospel. Literally every statistical fact was stacked against them. But the same way this team made history last season, losing a 3-0 series lead, they would make history. They were too good, too proud, too sure of their own abilities to come this far, and not perform. They wanted it more than the Canucks. They had earned it. They went out there, and they took it from the city of Vancouver. And with little resistance. The Canucks may have more talent on paper. But the Boston Bruins were the better team in the series. They are the better team.

As Game 7 went on, the 1-0 and 2-0 leads the Bruins held didn't scare me. The 3-0 lead they took into the locker room after the 2nd Period didn't make me worried about another disappointment. By this point, the Bruins had proven that they had the ability to finish games. Boston was a different team, because they had been there before. They knew the feeling, and the thought of failure resided in their hearts and minds the same way it did each and every person back in Boston. There was 20 minutes left of their season, and they were determined to give every fiber of their being until the final horn sounded, because they believed that would result in victory.

That is why they killed off a Vancouver power-play to open the 3rd. That is why Milan Lucic got a breakaway opportunity near the end of the period. That is why Brad Marchand got an empty-net goal just seconds after the Canucks pulled Luongo. Vancouver wasn't supposed to let up. By their track record, everyone expected Boston to lay back, and play prevent defense. But they didn't. They pushed the Canucks, and they maintained the control of play. The Canucks didn't lose the Stanley Cup. The Bruins won it.

This team is different. They stand up for each other. They battle back. They win when they should, and even sometimes when they shouldn't. This is the team we've come to love and believe in. This is the team we call our own. And the best part is, the core of this determined team is here for years to come. They represent the Big & Bad. They represent our city. And now, they represent Boston's winning ways. These are our Bruins. These are our Stanley Cup Champions. And I've never felt prouder to say so.

Parade This Saturday @ 11 AM

^{(Photo by Jeff Vinnick / Getty Images)}

Mayor Thomas Menino and the City of Boston have announced that the Stanley Cup Championship Parade will be held this Saturday at 11 AM. Menino told WCVB this morning that the parade route will begin at TD Garden, and work its way through Government Center and Park Street, eventually stopping at Copley Square.

A detailed map of the parade route can be seen here.

Thomas "Kaberle" Menino (his nickname can be changed from Mumbles for just this weekend) made the announcement outside TD Garden this morning, as the city welcomed back their Stanley Cup Champion Bruins on Causeway Street. Originally assumed to be held on Friday, Menino noted "We want to do what the players want. This is the players' rally."

Bruins President Cam Neely spoke at the event, as well as Conn Smythe winner Tim Thomas. "It's hard to say how you feel right now. All's I can tell you is I'm incredibly happy," said Neely, as he addressed a crowd of delighted fans outside the Garden. Thomas, smiling as always, spoke to the fans and the media, adding "When you get here and see the fans, it begins to sink in a little bit. We won the Stanley Cup last night but in a part of my mind I still can't believe it... It's very hard to get your mind around it."

Menino also noted that due to the parade, the start of the Red Sox game is now postponed, being pushed back from 1:10 PM to 7:10 PM.

WELCOME HOME LORD STANLEY! 4-0 W

^{(Photo: Jeff Vinnick / Getty Images)}

	1	2	3	F
Bruins	1	2	1	4
Canucks	0	0	0	0

THE BRUINS ARE STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS. With two goals each from Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, and Tim Thomas' career-making performance, the Boston Bruins shutout the Vancouver Canucks on their home ice in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The Bruins become the first team in NHL history to come back from down 0-2 to win the Finals, and also are the first team to shutout their opposition on the road in a Game 7, and the first team to win three Game 7s en route to a Cup. They are just the fourth road team in Stanley Cup history to win Game 7. From Prague to Vancouver, no Cup-winning team has played this many games in one season.

Tim Thomas is the Conn Smythe trophy winner, and he showed why during Game 7, stopping all 37 of Vancouver's shots on net. Thomas made some key saves in the 1st and 2nd period to hold the Bruins momentum, and is now the first goaltender since 1975 to win the Conn Smythe, Stanley Cup, and Vezina Trophy [pending] since 1975. His 2nd Vezina will inevitably be handed to him at the NHL Awards, next Wednesday, June 22nd. Following the game, Thomas was showered with beer and champagne, reporting that he "smells like I'm in high school." This was Thomas' night, and no one in the league was more deserving of a title than Timmy.

^{Mr. Vezina. Mr. Conn Smythe. And now, Mr. Stanley Cup.}

"It's something I'm gonna look back on forver, and you know and be proud of," Thomas told CBS Sports after the game. "Now I have to keep the dvd and show the grandkids when they don't believe I could've ever played a professional sport." Oh, Timmy.. You're obviously not akin to the new wave of digital media. DVD, I mean..

The Bruins' 2nd line carried the team on their shoulders for the entire game. Brad Marchand led the charge, with 2 goals and a game-winning assist, setting the league record for points by a rookie in the Stanley Cup Finals. Patrice Bergeron was phenomenal once again, as he put two pucks in the net on his way to a Stanley Cup in the same building in which he won a Gold Medal last year. Bergy grabbed the game-winning goal in the 1st period, and really put the game away with his shorthanded goal at the start of the 3rd period, finishing the game +4. This guy is only 25 years old, and he is the epitome of class and sportsmanship.

After being shutout and shutdown in the first two games of the Finals, Brad Marchand out-scored the entire Canucks team in the final five games, with 5 goals to Vancouver's four. What's so exciting is that "Marchmont" just turned 23 years-old last month, and combined for 32 goals between the regular season and postseason.

^{Size doesn't matter.}

Their linemate, Mark Recchi, played in the final game of his career, announcing after the game that he will indeed retire. Rex was handed the Cup from Captain Zdeno Chara, and his 3rd cup win--his 2nd in a game 7--is the ideal way to go out. In a fitting end to a 22-year career, Recchi tied for the series-lead in points, with 3 goals and 4 assists, including one final assist in Game 7.

"You know, it's the end for me, this the last time I get the chance. I'm going out on top. And, you know, I couldn't be happier with this group of guys." said Recchi. "Regardless of what happened tonight, this was going to be one of the best groups I've ever played with. And we're very fortunate to win, and we're gonna enjoy this."

Claude Julien stuck with his guys. That meant playing Shawn Thornton, Daniel Paille and Gregory Campbell more in this game than any other in the entire playoffs. Fact was, in the postseason, the Bruins finished 12-3 when the fourth/merlot/energy line played over eight minutes. Thornton, in a post-game interview, told Julien and Merlot nay-sayer Mike Felger to "Suck it" after his greatest performance since becoming a Bruin. The entire line of Thornton, Paille and Campbell played an average of five minutes in the opening period alone, and set the tone for the effort and physicality throughout the rest of the game.

^{Campbell and the Merlot Line were incredible in this game.}

Tomas Kaberle looks like an evil chef, in what may be my favorite photo from the evening. Kabs played another great game, which is surprising seeing that he was so noticably effective in less than ten minutes of ice-time, the shortest of all the Bruins. Needless to say, due to seniority in the league, Kabs was the fifth Bruin to hoist the cup.

Fellow defenseman Dennis Seidenberg has been great all postseason, and was a mammoth again in Game 7. Seidy earned two assists in the 2nd period, and added 4 hits with 2 blocked shots.

Vancouver may have been the best team in an array of statistics during the regualr season. But those statistics fell far short in the Playoffs, and especially in the Finals. Their goal differential during 82 regular season games was a league-leading +77. During the Playoffs, it plummeted to a -9, and was a -15 during the Finals alone. Vancouver's powerplay was nearly 30% coming into this series, but finished the Finals below 10%, going just 2-for-24. In fact, their power-play finished the series with a minus, as Boston scored three times shorthanded, including Bergeron's in Game 7.

The Sedin Twins, along with an ailing Ryan Kesler, weren't invisible on the night, but it didn't matter whether they were good or bad, because absolutely nothing was getting by Thomas. Both Sedins were on the ice for all four Bruins goals. Kesler, who was in on a few great scoring chances, finishes the Finals with just one assist after an outstanding Conference Finals.

Roberto Luongo had a less-noticable, but still terrible game in net. While Bergeron's first goal was not on Luongo, the Marchand wrap-around goal and Bergeron's shorthanded goal were completely at his fault. After stopping Marchand's somewhat weak wrap-around, Luongo-al kicked the puck across the line, trickling into the net. And all he needed to do was hold that line against Patrice Bergeron, laying out flat. Tim Thomas would've made that save. I mean, how many times have we seen opposing players barrel into Timmy full speed, yet he still holds his position, and keeps the puck in the crease and out of the net? Needless to say, when you're in Game 7 of a Stanley Cup Finals, those are two saves you need to make. "Lebron-go" stopped just 17 of 20 shots faced.

^{"No need to pump my tires. 'Cause I just ran train on your team."}

Game Notes:

• Vancouver out-shot the Bruins in every period, finshing the night with a 37-to-21 advantage.
• Only three penalities were called in this game, with there being no powerplay goals. The only goal scored on special teams came by Bergeron, who was hooked on the play, but had the penalty negated once the puck found its way past Luongo.
• This years' team became the first Bruins squad to erase an 0-2 series deficit when they came back against Montreal. They did it again in the Finals, become the first team to do so in Stanley Cup Finals history.
• You know, EA Sports, 13 out of 15 still ain't bad..
• The Bruins and Canucks became the first teams since 2003 to combine for 4 shutouts in the Stanley Cup Finals, and just the 3rd time in leauge history since the Finals expanded to a seven-game series in 1939.
• Nathan Horton pulled his best Harry Potter, with a little black magic or pouring melted Garden ice in front of the Bruins' bench before the game. An idea given to him by teammate Shawn Thornton, many players, including Captain Zdeno Chara, didn't even know about the water-bottle incident until he what asked about it after the game. This is one squirting of a water bottle that Horton will not be ridiculed for.
• Vancouver fans started to riot just fifteen minutes after the game ended. Those who didn't stay to boo the everloving life out of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman were found outside, flipping cars, tearing down barriers, and setting everything in sight on fire. In all likelihood though, this would've happened regardless of a Cup or not.

Your Boston Bruins are the 2010-11 Stanley Cup Champions!

2011 Cup Finals: Game Seven

^{8:00 PM    |    TV: NBC (HD), RDS (HD), CBC (HD)    Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub FM}

Boston		Vancouver
15	W	15
9	L	9
1	O	2
n/a	PTS	n/a
3.21	GPG	2.42
2.21	GAA	2.71
11.5%	PP	20.9%
84.0%	PK	80.6%
52.0%	FO%	50.0%

Forget the 2004 Canadiens. Forget the 2008 Canadiens. Forget the 2009 Hurricanes, and the 2010 Flyers. Forget the Quarterfinals and being down 0-2. Forget sweeping the Flyers in utter poetic justice. Forget Tyler Seguin's 4-point night against Tampa, and Nathan Horton's game-winner in the 3rd period of Game 7. None of those moments matter, for just one day. That is because tonight, win or lose, is the final game of the 2010-11 season. It is Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, and the Boston Bruins are pushing this as far as they can go. Forget 39 years, and forget losing twice to a stacked Oilers team with Neely & Bourque. Because right now, the Bruins are sixty minutes away from winning the Stanley Cup. It's not about the past, it's not about the future. It's about one game, three periods. It's about being champions.

Vancouver are on their heels, physically and mentally. After another shallacking at the hands of the Bruins on Monday night, the Canucks will again have to play their worst defenseman, Keith Ballard. Ballard had an atrocious game in Game 4, and with the absence of Hamhuis, Raymond and Rome, and concerns about the health of Edler and Alberts, he'll see some more action tonight. To add to that, Ryan Kesler, who still has just 1 point in the series with a -4, has been virtually shut down, and is assumed to be playing through a substantial injury.

Mentally, Roberto Luongo will be the Canucks' number one concern. Luongo let in three goals on eight shots, and was pulled from Game 6 in less than eight minutes. In a game that could have clinched the Stanley Cup, Luongo not only came up short, but completely embarassed his team--this coming after his questionable comments towards Tim Thomas over the previous weekend. That being said, Luo has given up just two goals in three games when playing at home. He's stopped 95 of 97 shots faced at the Rogers Center, and has bounced back fairly well after crapping his pants twice in Boston. Luongo, however, is the epitome of a front-runner, so if the Bruins can score early, or at least score first, Roberto will likely be shaky in what is to this point the biggest game of his career.

The Sedin twins had Finals career-high in Game 6, as they tallied for a whopping 3 points. Sure, all three points came while Dennis Seidenberg was off the ice with a minor knee injury, but so what! It's not like Bruins coach Claude Julien has been trying to pair Seidenberg and Zdeno Chara against the wins all series. Plus, Daniel Sedin (or was it Henrik?) already guaranteed victory in Game 7. A tall statement, considering he's contributed as many points to his team in the series as Tyler Seguin did for the Bruins against the Tampa Bay Lightning... in one period.

^{Marchand, on the other hand, is not a tall statement, nor is he tall.}

Tonight, we'll likely see Mark Recchi's last game on NHL ice. While that would be a sight to see regardless of the occasion, the fact that it comes in a Game 7 of the Cup Finals is going to be extraordinary. Recchi has been in a Game 7 previously, and fell on the winning side as the Tampa Bay Lightning won their first championship. Earlier this season, Rex stated that he would retire if the Bruins won the Cup. At the time, many considered it a shot-in-the-dark statement. Others considered it to be a little extra motivation for the team. Now Recchi, who has 6 points in the series, tying Krejci for most among any skater for either team, will be skating like it's the last game of his life. Because it very may well be.

Milan Lucic hailed from Vancouver, and earlier this season had his number retired in the Giants' arena, just a few blocks away from the Rogers Center. Lucic was celebrated for years in Vancouver, and even when he scored twice against the Canucks in their only regular season meeting, was cheered. He is still a hometown hero, and tonight could be the game of his career. Looch has played for the Bruins through his entire NHL career, and has played in 7 series-clinching games. In those appearances, he's scored 5 goals, and added 4 assists. Needless to say, he's a big-game player.

Sure, it's a great story. But it terms of character alone, I can't think of many atheletes, inside and outside of the NHL, more truely deserving of a championship than Tim Thomas. The man is 37 years-old, and has played just five seasons as a starting goaltender. He was barely given a chance by the Bruins, who opted for friggin' Manny Fernandez before 2008-09, until Fernandez got injured. Thomas has rewarded the Bruins with two [one pending] Vezina Trophy-winning seasons, and a [pending] Conny Smythe trophy. Tonight will solidfy him as undoubtedly the greatest goaltender in the NHL.

The key to success? Be the best at what you do. Milan Lucic shouldn't try to make needle-threading passes. David Krejci shouldn't take the body and start scrums after the whistle. Brad Marchand shouldn't work the point and resort to slap-shots. Gregory Campbell shouldn't try to become a dangler. Do what got you here. Play physically, win battles, out-skate and out-muscle your opponent. The Bruins are a team of few superstars, but a ton of role players. Excellent role players. If they know their roles, know their positions, and skate hard, they should win this game. A team that's risen to the occasion when they've had to all season long, they should win this game. A team of underdogs with their backs against the wall, they should win this game. A team with statistics piling up in the oppositions favor, they should win this game. The 2010-11 Boston Bruins will win this game.

Players to Watch:

1. Tim Thomas
2. Zdeno Chara
3. Roberto Luongo

First Bruins Goal: David Krejci
First Bruins Assist: Milan Lucic
First Bruins Penalty: Brad Marchand

"It's coming down to one game," Recchi said. "This is what we dream of, when you're little kids playing street hockey, you know, you're in Game 7. We're going to go up there and we're going to go lay it on the line like they are, and I think it's going to be an exciting game. We're going to do whatever we can." - Mark Recchi

Hub's Best Guess:

BOS 3 - VAN 1

Bruins Chase Luongo... Again! 5-2 W

^{(Photo: Bruce Bennet / Getty Images)}

	1	2	3	F
Canucks	0	0	2	2
Bruins	4	0	1	5

• The Bruins finish their 2010-11 season at TD Garden with a decisive 5-2 win on Causeway St., chasing Roberto Luongo from the net and defeating his Vancouver Canucks to force the first Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 in Bruins franchise history. Boston scored four goals in a 4:14 span in the 1st period, staving off an early push by Vancouver, and finished the game strongly, adding an exclamation point by killing off a 6-on-3 Vancouver powerplay for the final 48 seconds.
• Brad Marchand must have scouted Chris Kelly after his shot in Game 5 rang the post. Marchand mimced Kelly to a tee, except this time roofed it over Roberto Luongo short-side. Luongo has shown he has a cement-filled glove during this series, and No. 63 exploited it to grab the first goal of the game, and his 9th of the Playoffs--a new postseason record for a rookie.
• Just 35 seconds later, Milan Lucic put in his 5th of the postseason, as he went five-hole and trickled a puck over the line. Boychuk and Peverly were credited with the assists on the well-executed breakout.
• Andrew Ference's career-high for goals in a season is 4, which he's achieved four times in his 11 seasons. Ference, in just 24 games this postseason, has matched that amount, as he grabbed his 4th goal of the Playoffs on powerplay. I would never dub Ference as an offensive-defenseman, but it says something about him that he's 2nd only behind Tomas Kaberle for points by a defenseman for the Bruins.
• Mark Recchi is showing that he's been here before, and he's showing it at the time it matters most. Rex grabbed 3 assists on the night, tying him with David Krejci for leading-scorer for either team in the Finals. Two of his tallies came on the power-play, as he now has 4 points in the postseason on a once-aenemic powerplay unit.
• Tomas Kaberle looked like he was unafraid for the first time in awhile, as he had one of his best games as a Bruin. Kabs earned two assists for the B's, and carried the puck into the zone himself on several occasions to create setups for Boston's offense.
• Michael Ryder is quietly reemerging to the offensive threat that he was for the Bruins back in 2008-09, and for much of his earlier career. Ryder tipped in a Kaberle slapper, perfectly angling a puck top-shelf passed 'Nucks replacement Cory Schneider. It was Ryder's 2nd point in 1:10 in the 1st period, and it puts him tied for 3rd on the team in points at 17.
• David Krejci added some padding late in the game with a 3rd period powerplay goal. Krejci is now neck-and-neck with Henrik Sedin for league-lead in playoff points. Krech has 12 goals in the Playoffs, after having just 13 goals in 75 games during the regular season.
• Along with Henrik earning his first point of the series, brother Daniel Sedin did tally two assists in the losing effort, and now leads the Canucks with 4 points in the Finals. Know who else has four points in the Finals? Rich Peverly--aka the guy who started this series on the fourth line. That's perspective.
• Roberto Luongo-al was chased from net after allowing 3 goals on just 8 shots. The highest-paid goaltender in the league gave up 15 goals in less than 7 periods during his three games in Boston, and now must play in his second Game 7 in these Stanley Cup Playoffs; the first of which came back in the Western Quarterfinals, where Roberto came out with an overtime win, stopping 31 of 32 Chicago shots on net. The only goal came shorthanded via Jonathan Toews late in the game.
• The Big Bad Bruins out-hit the Canucks 43-to-38, and even after Brad Marchand got in Daniel Sedin's face, the Canucks would not retaliate in the slightest. Why did Marchand repeatedly give taps to the twin's chin? "Cause I felt like it." Maybe brother Daniel is still scared of the Boston rookie after he got upended by him in Game 4.
• All antics aside, Tim Thomas played another outstanding game. It says something about your goaltender that he's still not allowed more than two goals in regulation through six games of a Stanley Cup Finals--in most cases, that would spell victory. Still, Thomas and his 36 saves on 38 Vancouver shots allow the Black & Gold to live and play another day. Timmy's numbers are nearly identical to what they were during the regular season, with a 2.06 GAA and .937 save-percentage in the postseason, and even better during the Finals.
• Boston will take the 2,500+ mile trip out to Vancouver for the last time, and will return on Thursday either Stanley Cup Champions, or having fallen just sixty minutes of hockey short of what every player in the league plays for. It all comes down to this. Game 7 is Wednesday night in Vancouver, and the puck drops just after 8 PM.

2011 Cup Finals: Game Six

^{8:00 PM    |    TV: NBC (HD), RDS (HD), CBC (HD)    Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub FM}

Vancouver		Boston
15	W	14
8	L	9
2	O	1
n/a	PTS	n/a
2.44	GPG	3.13
2.61	GAA	2.22
21.2%	PP	9.8%
81.7%	PK	84.1%
50.6%	FO%	51.5%

For the Bruins, it's win or go home. For the Canucks, it's win and go home. Boston welcomes the Canucks to Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals, as they look to even the series and forced Game 7 on Wednesday night back in Vancouver. The Bruins 9-1 in their last 10 home games, and in that span have absolutely embarassed their opponents, out-scoring them 40-to-18. Vancouver has lost three of their last four road games in the postseason, and have averaged just a goal-per-game in this series. If it weren't for Roberto Luongo, the Canucks could be facing a 3-2 deficit, if not having already been eliminated. That being said, Luongo also gave up 12 goals over two games the last time he played in TD Garden. We'll see if Boston can repeat their play at home, or if Luongo can steal the series for good, and make the Canucks the first Stanley Cup Champions to tally less than 10 goals through a Cup Finals series since 1968, when the Canadiens did so in a sweep. Note: The last team to score less than ten goals in a 6+ game Finals series was the 1945 Toronto Maple Leafs, scoring 9 goals in 7 games.

Vancouver scored more than any other team in the league during the regular season, and their top-line houses two of the top-four points-scorers in the NHL during the regular season. However, the Sedin Twins/Sisters, Thelma & Louise, Laverne & Shirley, whomever you want to dub them as... They haven't done much of anything in the Finals. Daniel Sedin has two assists, both of which came back in Game 2. Henrik, who led the league in playoff-points coming into the series, is still looking for his first point. Oh, and the pair are a combiend -13 in the postseason. Ryan Kesler, who was 3rd on the team and 15th in the league for regular-season points, has just 1 point during the series.

Largely, Vancouver has been carried by their depth. Raffi Torres, of all people, is tied for the team-lead in points for the series, with a goal and 2 assists. Right behind him sit Jannik Hansen and Maxim Lapierre, who are tied with 2 points each. Amazingly, just 10 of the Canucks skaters have earned a point during the series. For comparison, 12 different Bruins skaters earned points... in Game 3 alone. Still, the Lapierres and Torreses of the world, while not doing much, have done just enough to put their team just one win away from a Stanley Cup.

Roberto Luongo was certaintly chatty over the weekend. Despite giving little credit to the opposing goaltender, Luongo still managed to complain about the lack of media attention given towards him and his two shutouts this series. Possibly it's because he wants to touch your feet. Or it could be because he's thinking about his next race. Maybe Luongo is just hungry, and wants some breakfast cereal. The fact remains, however, that even with his 2.97 GAA and .910 save-percentage, he's posted two shutouts in the Stanley Cup Finals against a team that averaged 3.22 GPG coming into the series. He now has just sixty minutes of solid hockey to play before he can shut the critics and naysayers up. Unless, that thought scares him into folding like Adolfo Gonzalez's stomach, and he has another terrible outing and is forced to a Game 7 back home, where he won the Gold Medal for his country last year.

^{If only Tim Thomas could play offense, the team would be all set.}

The Bruins are dangerously close their 13th Cup Finals elimination. In their 18 Finals appearances, they've never once forced a Game 7. Now Boston is faced with the task of winning out. Regardless of what happens Wednesday night, this will be their last game on Garden ice. They've gone 9-3 at home during the playoffs, playing outstandingly well. That fact, along with how Thomas is playing in this series, should spell victory for Boston.

Tim Thomas doesn't care about another Vezina, although he'll be awarded with one. He doesn't care about earning the Conn Smythe Trophy, although he'll likely win that, too. Thomas wants the Stanley Cup, perhaps more than anyone else on the Bruins, as he'll be able to establish himself as the best goaltender in the league, once and for all, proving all of his former coaches and critics wrong for the last time. Timmy, who's a ripe 37 years of age, is 2-2 in Game 6's in his career, while the Bruins are 0-2 this postseason. If he can simply give them the average Thomas outing, which recently has been a mere goal-per-game, the Bruins will be in fantastic shape.

Boston's offense has been Jekyll & Hyde this postseason, and none moreso than in this series. That is the case, despite David Krejci leads the Playoffs in points and goals in the NHL. Krejci has 5 points (1 G, 4 A) in this series, and has been their best player by and large. Patrice Bergeron, who was on Conn-Smythe-contending pace before his concussion, has just 4 points in his last 10 games since he returned from injury. His line hasn't done a great deal either, as Mark Recchi and Brad Marchand also have 3 points in the Finals. Michael Ryder and Zdeno Chara tie for 2nd on the team, with 4 points in the series.

The Bruins need to take the body and run with it tonight, or they may be staring at another defeat. Boston out-hit Vancouver 66-to-59 in their two wins in the series, but have been manhandled away from Garden ice, being out-hit 117-to-89 on the road. What was baffling in Boston's two wins was that their faceoff numbers, which have been solid throughout the playoffs, were down around 42%. Perhaps the Bruins have worked better on the rush, as opposed to maintain possession and setting up plays in the offensive zone. Certaintly, if it helped put 12 goals on the board, it can't be a bad thing, right?

Player to Watch:

1. Tim Thomas
2. Zdeno Chara
3. David Krejci

First Bruins Goal: David Krejci
First Bruins Assist: Milan Lucic
First Bruins Penalty: Shawn Thornton

Hub's Best Guess:

VAN 2 - BOS 4

Luongo's 'Nucks Blank B's, 1-0 L

^{(Photo: Harry How / Getty Images)}

	1	2	3	F
Bruins	0	0	0	0
Canucks	0	0	1	1

• After scoring 12 goals in two games on the East coast, the Bruins go goal-less through 60 minutes of play, as they fall in a 1-0 to Roberto Luongo and the Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver now leads the best-of-seven series 3-2, as the two teams have the weekend off before Game 6 back in Boston.
• It was a pretty slow game for the most part, as the Canucks largely out-played the Bruins for the majority of the game, despite Boston racking up the better scoring chances. Vancouver came out as if they were shot from a cannon, hitting everything in sight and flying up and down the ice in the first period.
• The Canucks killed off three enormous penalties in the 1st period to keep the game at 0-0 going into intermission. Chris Kelly may be forever known as "Iron Man," after his wrister high glove-side on Luongo rang the crossbar less than five minutes into the game, a goal that would've undoubtedly changed the outlook of the rest of the game.
• Both teams went 0-for-3 with the man-advantage, and each team got some 4-on-4 time, as both Milan Lucic and Alexandre Burrows went to the box for tripping and being a pussy, respectively. Vancouver out-shot the Bruins with the extra attacker, with 7 shots to their 5 during their powerplays. However, Boston out-shot the Canucks for the game, 31-to-25. The Canucks' 25 shots were a series low for the team.
• Vancouver out-hit the Bruins 47-to-27 for the game.
• The game's lone goal came just over four minutes in the 3rd period, as Maxime Lapierre, who was apparently nearly fatally stabbed by Zdeno Chara in the 1st period, was able to rebound and grab a rebound off the boards, and put in a goal literally off of a sprawling Tim Thomas. The puck would've gone wide of the, but like the initial shot, took a Vancouver bounce and trickled into the net. Kevin Bieksa and Raffi Torres were credited with assists.
• Tim Thomas' play is going widely to waste in these finals, as the Bruins are down 3-2 in the series despite Thomas average just 1.00 goal-allowed per game. Thomas made 24 saves on the night, as has stopped 102 of the last 104 shots faced. In Thomas' last six starts, going back to Game 7 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, he's given up just five goals.
• The Bruins created some good scoring chances, but ultimately could not get past Luongo, who stopped some great chances, and the mediocre ones as well. Boston created next to no pressure for the Vancouver goaltender, who saw nearly every puck that came towards him. That being said, Luongo did play a good, technically sound game, and even stoned Patrice Bergeron point blank in the 2nd period to keep the Bruins from taking the lead.
• The Bruins will need to go home and win, or simply go home, as they look to tie the series once again on Monday night, as they play Game 6 at TD Garden. Puck drops just after 8 PM.