Stanley Cup finals Game 4: Boston 3, Vancouver 0 after two periods

The Bruins scored twice and extended their lead to 3-0 in the second period. Goalie Roberto Luongo looked bad on the first of those goals but everything went wrong for the Canucks on the latter goal, which was scored while the teams were skating four on four.

Boston made it 2-0 at 11:11 on a fluttering shot by Michael Ryder. Vancouver defenseman Sami Salostuck out his stick just as Ryder was shooting but Luongo should have had the shot, which knuckled beneath his glove. 

Brad Marchand, continuing a strong performance, made it 3-0 on a short backhander at 13:29. The Canucks couldn’t handle the puck behind their own net and gave it away twice before Patrice Bergeron passed to Marchand, who took full advantage of the gift.

Through two periods, the Bruins had outscored the Canucks, 11-1, in the two games at TD Garden.

There was far less of the nasty, post-whistle nonsense that had marred the previous three games, but each team got its fair share of unpenalized hacks and whacks.

Check back for more at www.latimes.com/sports.

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-- Helene Elliott reporting from Boston

Photo: Boston's Michael Ryder, second from right, celebrates with teammates Chris Kelly, far left, Tyler Seguin, second from left, and Adam McQuaid after scoring in the second period during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals on Wednesday. Credit: Charles Krupa / Associated Press

 

Stanley Cup finals Game 4: Boston 1, Vancouver 0 after one period

To start Game No. 4 the Bruins brought in iconic No. 4, Hall of Fame defenseman Bobby Orr, to start their ritual pregame passing of a Bruins banner around the lower level. Orr, the greatest defenseman to ever lace up a pair of skates, drew a roaring ovation from the pumped-up crowd at TD Garden.

The only goal of the first period was scored by Rich Peverley, who replaced the injured Nathan Horton on the Bruins’ top line. Zdeno Chara began the play with a fine passout to David Krejci, who threaded a terrific pass to Peverley without any challenge from Vancouver defenseman Alexander Edler. With Raffi Torres out of position Peverley skated in alone and sent a shot through Roberto Luongo’s leg pads at 11:59.  

The Canucks had two power plays in the period but couldn’t capitalize, leaving them one for 18 with the manpower advantage in the Cup finals.

The Canucks had a 12-6 edge in shots, including the first shot on goal of the finals by center Henrik Sedin.

Check back for more at latimes.com/sports

RELATED:

Keeping the ice (and tempers) cool will be key in Game 4 of Stanley Cup finals

NHL general managers recommend expanding rule on hits to the head

-- Helene Elliott reporting from Boston

Photo: Bruins forward Rich Peverley scores on Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo during the first period of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals on Wednesday. Credit: Charles Krupa / Associated Press

Stanley Cup finals Game 4: Keeping the ice and tempers cool

Predictions of record heat in Boston have caused some concern about the quality of the ice for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals Wednesday night at TD Garden.

As the NHL playoffs have extended deeper into June, the condition of the ice has become a problem in many cities. Throw in the fact that most arenas are occupied by concerts and other events between games and you have a lot of work for the ice maintenance crew and can expect a lot of odd bounces during games.

At least this isn’t the old Boston Garden, which had no air conditioning. It turned into a sauna in the springtime and suffered power outages in the 1988 and 1990 playoffs.

Bruins Coach Claude Julien told reporters the ice was fine for his team’s morning skate Wednesday.

“Well, I know I was flying. I don’t know if you guys noticed,” he said, drawing laughter from the assembled media horde.

Vancouver’s Henrik Sedin said the ice would be manageable for the 5 p.m. Pacific time start. “It’s the same for both teams,” said Sedin, whose team will take a 2-1 series lead into Wednesday's game. “We’ve been on this ice before.”

The aftermath of Vancouver defenseman Aaron Rome’s hit on Boston winger Nathan Horton in Game 3 led both teams to make lineup adjustments, though neither would specify its plans. Rome was suspended four games Tuesday for what the NHL termed a late hit that caused serious injury to Horton, who was diagnosed with a severe concussion. Horton isn’t expected to play again in the finals.

Times guest blogger Bobby Ryan discusses Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals

Well, there is a lot to talk about from last night’s game!

If there was a single turning point Monday, I thought it came late in the first period. I thought when Vancouver killed the five-minute major the Canucks were going to go on a rally. Boston had some good chances on the long power play but Roberto Luongo stonewalled them and made some big saves. Then it looked like after that, Vancouver took control for the last few minutes. Tim Thomas held them in there and did a great job.

Mason Raymond made a great move and got robbed point-blank by Thomas. I thought if Vancouver could have capitalized late in the first it could have been a different game.

As far as the hit goes, having played [in the AHL] a little bit with Romer [Aaron Rome] I know he’s not a malicious type player. Things happen so quickly, I’m sure Romer was counting one-Mississippi in his head with the intention of finishing a check. Knowing Romer, I know it wasn’t his intention to hurt someone. Obviously he is concerned for him and he reached to Nathan Horton today.  I’m sure Romer knows now, looking back, that Horton was vulnerable, and I’m sure he would take it back if he could.

Bruins' Nathan Horton out for rest of Cup finals; Aaron Rome suspended [Updated]

The Boston Bruins took the unusual step Tuesday of announcing that forward Nathan Horton would miss the rest of the Stanley Cup finals because of a “severe” concussion, the result of a hit by Vancouver defenseman Aaron Rome the night before in the first period of Game 3.

Rome was summoned for a hearing with Mike Murphy, the NHL’s senior vice president of hockey operations, at 8 a.m. Pacific time Tuesday. The Bruins’ willingness to disclose the nature and seriousness of Horton’s injury is probably their way of lobbying for a long suspension for Rome, who got a five-minute major penalty for interference and a game misconduct.

[Updated at 9:53 a.m.: Rome was handed a four-game suspension following the hearing Tuesday morning.]

Game 4 will be played Wednesday at Boston’s TD Garden, so a ruling from Murphy was expected Tuesday afternoon, Boston time.

The Bruins, who went on to rout the Canucks, 8-1, and cut the Canucks’ series lead to two games to one, were not scheduled to practice Tuesday. The Canucks were scheduled to practice at Boston University’s Walter Brown Arena.

The guess here is a two-game suspension for Rome.

We’ll have more coverage later, at www.latimes.com/sports

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-- Helene Elliott in Boston

Photo: Vancouver defenseman Aaron Rome is escorted off the ice by linesman Pierre Racicot as medical personnel tend to Boston right wing Nathan Horton in the first period during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals on Monday. Credit: Winslow Townson / Associated Press

 

Stanley Cup finals: Boston destroys Vancouver, 8-1, in Game 3

The Stanley Cup finals took a turn toward ugly with a detour through frightening in Game 3 on Monday, as a vicious hit by Vancouver defenseman Aaron Rome sent Boston winger Nathan Horton to the hospital on a stretcher and the simmering tension between the teams boiled over.

Despite his absence the Bruins scored four times in the second period and four times in a contentious third period to skate off with an 8-1 victory at TD Garden that cut the Canucks’ series lead to two games to one. Jannik Hansen’s goal with 6:07 left in the final period was the Canucks’ only success in 41 shots against Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas.

Before the teams meet in Game 4 on Wednesday in Boston, the NHL will have the chance to state how serious it is about punishing blindside hits to the head, a topic it has focused on the last year.

Horton was crossing the Canucks’ blue line when Rome slammed his left shoulder into his head nearly a second after Horton had passed the puck. Horton fell backward and hit his helmeted head hard on the ice, remaining motionless on his back for several minutes while medical personnel tended to him. Rome was given a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct.

Horton was said to be resting at Massachusetts General Hospital and was able to move all of his extremities. That news triggered roars when relayed to the sellout crowd of 17,965.

The rap sheet is lengthening for the Canucks. In Game 1, winger Alexandre Burrows bit the gloved fingers of Boston center Patrice Bergeron; in Game 2, center Maxim Lapierre thrust his fingers in Bergeron’s face and taunted him, daring Bergeron to bite the fingers.

Both teams lost their poise in the third period and earned an array of 10-minute misconducts. Bruins winger Milan Lucic was seen pointing his fingers toward Burrows’ mouth and taunting him during a post-whistle scrum at 11:16 of the third period as hostilities erupted at nearly every stoppage.

The Bruins didn’t score on the five-minute power play they gained on Rome’s interference penalty but they broke the game open in the second period.

Times guest blogger George Parros on Game 2 of Stanley Cup finals

What a game last night! Just when I thought Boston was going to tie the series, Vancouver comes back and wins it in dramatic fashion. This must be tough to take for Boston. They had a heartbreaking loss in the first game in the last couple of seconds, which is tough to come back from. But they came out and played physical and had a great chance to win it. After Vancouver scored that second goal, I was surprised to see Boston come back . . . they really carried the play for the rest of the third period. When the home team ties the game up like that, I thought Boston would play pretty tentative. But they definitely had the upper hand in the second half of the third period.

The Bruins' Milan Lucic was a really physical player out there, which was awesome to see. I just love watching him play –- I think he’s an incredible force out there and he’s been playing some great hockey, too. Their top line has really impressed me too.

Obviously there was some debate as to whether Alexandre Burrows should have been suspended for his altercation with Patrice Bergeron. The league made their decision and obviously it's been a big story. He ends up being such an impact player in Game 2. So whether or not the right call was made, I thought Burrows was the star of the game. Scoring the first, assisting on the second and scoring the OT goal . . . he has really shined in the series.

It was great to see Manny Malhotra come back to play in Game 2. Anytime a character guy like that is back in the lineup –- and Manny is a great guy –- it’s going to bolster your team. You’re looking at an already potent Vancouver lineup, so to have someone come back like that, it’s definitely a moral victory and it certainly played a role in their win. I think Vancouver is just clicking right now. They’ve been the only team that’s been dominant all year.

If I’m playing for Vancouver, you obviously have to make a statement with the next game to keep the confidence. Going up 3-0 would be very hard for Boston to come back from. It would be huge for the Canucks to take that first game on the road. But I think Boston is playing very well and going home, they’re finally going to get some breaks. I don’t think this series is over by any means. It’s no time to play it safe if you’re Vancouver, especially on the road.

I think Boston is definitely going to fight back –– they’ve got too good of a team not to. It’s been an exciting series for sure and I’ll definitely be watching the rest of the way.  If they can win at least one of the next two, I won’t be surprised to see the series go back to Boston for Game 6. I think Boston wins Game 3, Vancouver takes Game 4, Boston wins Game 5 and Vancouver ices it in Game 6.

Enjoy the rest of the series! Over and out!

--GP

The Times is pleased to have Ducks enforcer George Parros blogging for us during the Stanley Cup finals. Parros has blogged in the past about life in the NHL.

Photo: George Parros skates during warmups before a game this winter. Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / US Presswire

Stanley Cup finals: Canucks defeat Bruins, 3-2, in overtime to take 2-0 lead in series

Alexandre Burrows can be a world-class player when he’s not biting opponents’ fingers or going on head-hunting missions.

He proved it Saturday in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals by scoring the first and last goals and assisting on the second goal of the Vancouver Canucks’ 3-2 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins at Rogers Arena.

The Canucks will take a two games to none series lead to Boston’s TD Garden for Game 3 on Monday.

Burrows’ superb individual effort in overtime capped a comeback by the Canucks and set off celebrations in the arena and around the city. He pursued the puck behind the net and tried a wraparound shot with goaltender Tim Thomas out of position, only to be foiled when the puck hit the outside of the net. But he stayed with it, fending off Zdeno Chara to tuck the puck into the net 11 seconds into sudden-death play.

With their opening-night jitters out of the way, both teams aggressively dished out teeth-rattling hits in the first period. The Canucks, already drawing on the crowd’s energy, got an additional lift with the return of center Manny Malhotra from a severe eye injury.

Malhotra, who has undergone several surgical procedures since he was struck in the left eye by a deflected puck on March 16, got a standing ovation when he came out for his first shift, at 1:48 of the first period. He won his first faceoff, against Boston’s Chris Kelly, and played 2:52 in the period. He lost the only other faceoff he took.

The Canucks scored the only goal of the first period, during a power play. Ryan Kesler, who seemed wobbly after taking a hard hit from Boston defenseman Johnny Boychuk about three minutes into the period, looked just fine when he tried to get the puck through the legs of Chara in the Bruins’ zone. Chara impeded him and was sent off for interference at 10:24.

The Canucks made their own luck to set up the goal. Defenseman Sami Salo made a good play along the boards to keep in an attempted clearing pass by Boston’s Andrew Ference and then got the puck toward the net. Chris Higgins touched it before Burrows took a meek-looking shot that trickled past Thomas at 12:12.

Stanley Cup finals: Boston 2, Vancouver 1 after two periods in Game 2

The Bruins, who were shut out by the Canucks in Game 1, finally solved Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo in the second period. After being stymied on 36 shots in Game 1 and their first 20 on Saturday in Game 2, they got the better of him twice and took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission.

Boston pulled even at the nine-minute mark, as East Vancouver native Milan Lucic converted the rebound of a shot by defenseman Johnny Boychuk.

The Bruins continued to exert pressure, which led the Canucks to take a penalty, which led to -- gasp -- a power-play goal for the Bruins, their first in the finals and only their sixth in 69 advantages during the playoffs. Mark Recchi scored it by deftly redirecting a shot by Zdeno Chara past Luongo at 11:35.

Boston goaltender Tim Thomas helped preserve that lead with a spectacular, sliding save on Jannik Hansen, sliding from his left to his right to get in front of Hansen’s close-in attempt.

The Canucks had a couple of other good chances, mostly from third-liners Hansen, Maxim Lapierre and Raffi Torres, but Thomas was up to the challenge.

Check back later for more at www.latimes.com/sports

-- Helene Elliott in Vancouver, Canada

Photo: The Bruins' Mark Recchi redirects the puck past Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo for a goal in the second period of Game 2 on Saturday night in Vancouver. Credit: Andy Clark / Reuters

Malhotra practices, Hamhuis doesn't as Canucks prepare for Game 2 of Stanley Cup finals

Greetings from Vancouver, where for the first time in several days it isn’t raining. Even the locals have been complaining about the wet weather lately but the sun was shining Friday when the Canucks took to the ice at the University of British Columbia’s Thunderbird Arena for practice.

The big news: Center Manny Malhotra, recovering from a devastating eye injury, practiced with his teammates but defenseman Dan Hamhuis, who suffered an undisclosed injury during the Canucks’ 1-0 win over the Boston Bruins in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals, wasn’t on the ice.

Malhotra, a faceoff specialist and skillful penalty killer, has come a long way from his March 16 injury to even be considered for duty in Game 2, to be played Saturday at Rogers Arena. He was expected to miss the rest of the season and his recovery has had its ups and downs: He was on the ice last week and had to take three days off because “I didn’t feel it proper to go on the ice,” he said.

He also said he was cleared for full contact Friday but wouldn’t predict if he will play Saturday.

Times guest blogger Bobby Ryan discusses Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals

 

Hello Times readers!

I thought Game 1 was most notably a battle of goaltenders. I thought it came down to them in the first game – which I guess is obvious with only one goal in 60 minutes!

I think a major determining factor in the series will be which goaltender is hotter. It was nice to see both of them play well. Tim Thomas was great last night even in a losing effort – he stonewalled them quite a bit. He kept them in the game, and I thought he was the best player on the ice.

The Bruins missed a couple of opportunities. They had a real good chance early in the game 5-on-3 to get a lead in a tough building, and that’s a real missed chance. The biggest concern I have for them is that their power play is running at like 7 or 8%. It’s a tribute that they have made it this far, but I don’t think they can win without a stronger power play. They aren’t going to beat Vancouver 5-on-5, they are just a stronger, deeper team.