.png)
Sponsor
Like Our Facebook Page
Podcasts
| Game 4 diary: Stupid penalties and 50's names |
 |
| Headlines |
| Written by Curtis Zupke |
| Thursday, June 09, 2011 00:01 |
PREGAMENeither side unveiled their lineup adjustments after the Aaron Rome-Nathan Horton incident subtracted both players from the rest of the series, but it is expected that Keith Ballard will replace Rome on the blue line for Vancouver while Boston rookie Tyler Seguin will take Horton’s place. At this point, Seguin shouldn’t be considered a rookie anymore, even though he was benched for the much of the playoffs. He brings offense and Boston needs to draw on it to defend its home ice. The big question: How will the teams react after an emotional Game 3, perhaps a flashpoint in the series? This is either moving to 3-1 or 2-2. FIRST PERIOD19:04 Boston puts Rich Peverley with Milan Lucic and David Krejci on the top line.18:59 Henrik Sedin chips a puck on net for his first official shot on goal of the series. You read that right – his first shot of the series. That’s even more remarkable considering Vancouver has had 16 power plays. 15:03 Daniel Sedin gives Tim Thomas his first test with a chance down low, and the Canucks get some pressure in the Bruins’ end. It looks like they’re champing at the bit to get that first goal and take the crowd out of it. 13:02 Michael Ryder puts his stick in the skate of Ryan Kesler – a needless infraction with no other Canucks near Kesler – to give Vancouver its first power play. 11:10 Brad Marchand hops over the boards for a faceoff and continually bumps Daniel Sedin, who doesn’t respond. This pretty much is a metaphor for the teams: Boston with its East Coast no-glitz grit and Vancouver with its slick, dare we way finesse, offense that’s indifferent to whacks on the shin. 10:28 Vancouver can’t get its power play set up and falls to 1 for 17 in the series. Not surprisingly, Boston comes back with a couple of chances on Roberto Luongo. Both goalies have seen plenty of action to get in rhythm. 7:53 Peverley ignites the crowd when he breaks in on Luongo and gets a wrist shot between his pads for a 1-0 lead. Krejci made it happen with a poke pass. 4:15 Marchand is called for cross-checking on Kevin Bieksa, who might have made it look bad. You get the feeling Boston would do just fine to get out of the first with a 1-0 lead. 0:00 Not only did Boston kill off the Marchand penalty, it gets a chance of its own and nearly makes it 2-0 when Ryder hits the post. Vancouver ‘s PP slump is a stunning 1 for 18. Give credit to Boston’s penalty kill, which is closing gaps and attacking at the blue line. SECOND PERIOD16:02 Boston hems in Vancouver and gets several shots to make Luongo work. Despite his penalty, Marchand is having a solid game. The Luongo-Thomas dynamic really has been fun to watch in this series.12:19 Mason Raymond catches Andrew Ference with a high stick and Boston gets its first power play. The Bruins are actually producing at 23.1 percent thanks to Game 3. If they get a goal here you’ve got to think Vancouver is frustrated. The Canucks hold a 20-9 shot advantage at this point. 10:19 Surprise! Boston comes up empty on the power play. The way this is going, the next goal is coming on a fluke bounce.  8:49 We spoke too soon. Ryder’s wrist shot catches Sami Salo and wobbles under Luongo’s glove to give Boston a 2-0 lead. The shot is almost reminiscent of Andrew Ladd’s softie last year for Chicago against San Jose. The Sharks fell apart after that. How will Vancouver respond?6:21 Boston smells blood and simple pressure behind the net results in a 3-0 lead. The Sedins turn it over and Patrice Bergeron gets it to Marchand for a backhand over Luongo’s shoulder. Ballard isn’t having the greatest game. 1:11 Johnny Boychuk sends the puck over the glass for a delay-of-game penalty as Boston cracks the door open for Vancouver. By the way, doesn’t Johnny Boychuk sound like a great 1950s hockey name? 0:00 The puck is bouncing like a tennis ball and passing is precarious, which would not seem to favor Vancouver. With a 3-0 lead, Boston can play even more conservative but can’t just sit back, either. THIRD PERIOD19:08 A curious slashing penalty on Henrik Sedin gives Boston a power play, but the Bruins essentially use it to kill time. 16:21 Boston outworks Vancouver and gets a lucky bounce for a 4-0 lead. Lucic goes by Bieksa and centers the puck, which ramps up and hits Peverley and goes into the net. Alain Vigneault wisely pulls Luongo for Corey Schneider.9:34 Vancouver’s fourth power play ends prematurely when Kesler takes a slashing penalty. The frustrated Canucks are now 1 for 20. 5:25 Maxim Lapierre is effective when he’s getting under the opponent’s skin, but when he’s not doing that he’s not doing much. His slashing penalty gives Boston its fifth power play. 2:27 Some questionable play by Marchand, who collars Ballard and upends Daniel Sedin. 0:00 Thomas survives a final disadvantage and hugs Boychuk after a 38-save performance gives him his third shutout of the playoffs. He’s clearly outplaying Luongo, who comes under scrutiny yet again. POSTGAMEThe Canucks have dropped two straight for the first time since it lost three in a row to Chicago in the first round. What’s more, their two victories came with 18.5 seconds to go in Game 1 and on a rare miscue by Thomas in overtime of Game 2. It would be easy to say that this is karmic justice for Horton and Boston, but the Bruins, with their sarcastic finger wagging and late-game histrionics, aren’t exactly choir boys here. But to steal a Ronald Reagan quote, facts are stubborn things: Boston has outscored Vancouver 12-1 since Rome laid out Horton.Photos by Getty Images
Set as favorite
Bookmark
Email this
Comments (0)Subscribe to this comment's feedShow/hide comments Write comment |
| Last Updated on Thursday, June 09, 2011 00:31 |
