A quick post to talk over in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals tonight and make a choice. Game 1 was excellent, the edge of the seat type of action in the game scoreless nearly the entire race. Each team had an opportunity after opportunity, but the goalkeeper was world class.
Boston really dominated the first period, thanks in part to a lot of Power Play time. I thought the referees were a little 'bossy, and that the first season, but the nerves of the players are probably part of the calculations as well. The Bruins held a healthy shot in front of most of the game, but in Vancouver has started to change things in the third period. This brings me to a crucial game: Hansen, Torres, Lapierre line.
Of course, Rafi Torres scored the winning goal Hansen and Kesler, but it was a change early in the third period, the game swung. The whole passage seemed to occur in the Boston area and had two scoring chances and three checks monster Canucks. Maybe the tide has turned now, but at this point the audience was crazy, and the home team dominated the lead to play the winner after Torres a great player like Ryan Kesler.
Today, I expect the same close game in Boston really focused on stealing home ice advantage. Boston has done everything I wanted to do in Game 1 and still have not been to victory, but when you play strongly in favor of the Canucks in Canada, the goal is simply to be the end of the game and exploit. 1 and 2 Boston is always something third-line guys. They can not be beaten so badly Torres & Co., and expect to succeed. A power play that was so maligned showed how you earn your rep in the first game. Boston should have been the first break to go up a couple, but they are held back and it cost them the game.
I do not think the power play has been resolved tonight, but I think we can expect more people like Mark Recchi and Brad Marchand to the third line. Tim Thomas may be the same type of game one night and keep Boston close enough to even the series? I doubt it.
Boston will be hard to contain Sedin Kesler and again tonight. Having Alex Burrows, alignment of the bite that really helped too, but what can you do? I get up Canucks tonight.