BOSTON – What began as a best-of-seven Stanley Cup final is now a best-of-three.
The Canucks still have home-ice advantage as the series shifts back to Vancouver for Game 5 on Friday night (CBC, Team 1040), but that would appear to be all they have going for them.
The Boston Bruins clearly have momentum on their side after Wednesday night’s 4-0 win at the TD Garden evened the series at two games apiece.
The Bruins outscored the Canucks 12-1 in the two games in Boston and the Canucks now seem to have a decision to make in goal.
Roberto Luongo was yanked and replaced by Cory Schneider early in the third period after surrendering Boston’s fourth goal and did not look good on Boston’s first two goals. And of course he surrendered eight goals in Game 3.
Will coach Alain Vigneault go to Schneider as he did after the Canucks were blown out in Games 4 and 5 of their first-round series against the Chicago Blackhawks?
To be fair, it certainly wasn’t all Luongo’s fault. The Canucks defence, minus regulars Dan Hamhuis and Aaron Rome, had trouble all night moving the puck out of their own zone.
Tim Thomas, meanwhile, continued his strong play in the Boston goal as he turned aside 38 shots to record his third shutout of the playoffs. The Canucks have managed to score just five goals in four games against Thomas.
Rich Peverley put a shot through Luongo’s legs midway through the first period and Michael Ryder and Brad Marchand scored goals just over two minutes apart midway through the second as the Bruins picked up where they left off in Game 3. Peverley, filling in on Boston’s top line for injured winger Nathan Horton, added his second of the night early in the third.
Peverley scored off the rush at 11:59 of the first after Vancouver defenceman Alex Edler gambled and lost on the play as he attempted to check centre David Krejci at the Vancouver blue line. Krejci was able to chip the puck to a streaking Peverley, who had a clear path to the goal and put his shot between Luongo’s pads.
The Canucks pledged that their power play would be better Wednesday night. It wasn’t on their first opportunity when Ryder was sent off at 6:58 for a trip on Ryan Kesler. The Canucks didn’t get a shot on Thomas during the power play.
And it was terrible again when Marchand was sent off at 16:10 for a cross-check on Vancouver defenceman Kevin Bieksa. The Canucks couldn’t gain the Boston zone and their only shot came from well outside the blue line by Christian Ehrhoff.
Ryder hit the post short side on Luongo in the final minute after going by Ehrhoff. Shots were 12-6 in Vancouver’s favour in the first period.
Luongo gave up a real stinker at 11:11 of the second when Ryder beat him high glove side with a wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle. Tyler Seguin and Chris Kelly picked up the assists on Ryder’s seventh goal of the playoffs.
Marchand made it 3-0 at 13:29 after Keith Ballard and Henrik Sedin played the part of Keystone Kops behind their own net. Bergeron stripped the puck off Henrik and got it in front to Marchand, who beat Luongo glove side – notice a pattern here? – from close range with a backhand shot.
Peverley’s second of the night came at 3:39 of the third after Milan Lucic went around Bieksa and threw the puck in front. It bounced off Luongo’s stick and then appeared to hit Peverley’s leg before getting by Luongo.
Things got chippy near the end of the game when Alex Burrows whacked the stick of Thomas and the Boston goalie responded by slashing Burrows.
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