Projo Bruins Blog

May 2011 Archives

As you might expect, the Stanley Cup Finals are a very big deal in Vancouver.

The least expensive tickets at the Rogers Center are priced at $197 each, but resellers are said to be getting $500 on craigslist, according to the CBC.

Good seats are reportedly going for up to $4,500.

Giant video screens at four locations throughout the city will be showing the games.

Boston Pizza is a national chain in Canada with more than 340 restaurants across the country.

Now that the Bruins are in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Vancouver Canucks, all 62 of the Boston Pizza restaurants in British Columbia have changed their name to Vancouver Pizza during the Finals.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson approves. "I think it's great. I think it's fantastic to see business and community coming up with creative ways to support our Canucks and to respond to the fever for the cup right now. It's great to see that and I think they're going to sell a lot more pizza with the Vancouver brand on it," said Robertson according to The Globe & Mail of Toronto.

During the Bruins series with Montreal, Boston Pizza changed the name of its 26 restaurants in the Montreal area to Montreal Pizza.

Boston's Claude Julien and Vancouver Alain Vigneault are the first two French-Canadian coaches to face each other in the Stanley Cup Finals.

It seems fitting since Julien and Vigneault were teammates 30 years ago with the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the Centreal Hockey League, and have remained friends.

Neither had much of an NHL career. Julien, 51, played 14 games for Quebec, while Vigneault, 50, played 42 games for St. Louis.

Both coached Hull of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Both broke into the NHL head coaching ranks with Montreal.

"We talk all the time during the season and we see each other often in the summer, we're good friends. I guess all I can say is, may the best man win," said Julien said after beating Tampa Bay on Friday night.

"We kind of were cheering for each other because we felt that throughout our careers and what we're going through actually, here in Boston and him in Vancouver, expectations are high," Julien said Sunday. "And to be able to get through all of that and meet in the final is great. But right now that's where it ends ... I guess the next time we talk will be after it's all said and done."

The Stanley Cup Finals are always huge in Canada, and they are even bigger when a Canadian team is involved.

The 1993 Montreal Canadiens are the last Canadian team to win the Cup. Led by Patrick Roy, the Habs beat the Los Angeles Kings, whose star was Wayne Gretzky and who were coached by ESPN analyst Barry Melrose.

That was the series in which Marty McSorley got caught with an illegal stick, and cost the Kings a game.

Five Canadian teams have made the finals and lost since '93.

Vancouver was beaten by the Rangers in 1994

Calgary lost to Tampa Bay in 2004.

Edmonton fell to Carolina in 2006.

And Ottawa was beaten by Anaheim in 2007.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) -- The wait is over for Winnipeg hockey fans.
For Atlanta, it means saying goodbye to another NHL team.

True North Sports and Entertainment scheduled a news conference Tuesday at Winnipeg's MTS Centre to make "a significant community announcement."

True North has been in negotiations with the owners of the Atlanta Thrashers to buy the NHL team and move it to Winnipeg. The deal is reportedly worth $170 million, which includes a $60 million relocation fee that would be split by the rest of the league.

Winnipeg has been without NHL hockey since the Jets moved to Phoenix in 1996. The Thrashers entered the league three years later as an expansion franchise, but ownership problems, a losing team and dwindling attendance doomed the club. The team ranked 28th out of 30 teams this year with an average attendance of less than 14,000.

The Bruins have good health on their side heading into the Stanley Cup Finals, while Vancouver has some key players who are banged up.

Boston has no significant injuries.

Nathan Horton left briefly after taking a hard hit in the first period of Game Seven against Tampa Bay, but returned to score the winning goal.

The Canucks, on the other hand, have some health issues.

Before today, Ryan Kesler, perhaps the top two-way center in the NHL -- with apologies to Patrice Bergeron -- had skated just once since Vancouver's series with San Jose ended last week. Kesler has a groin strain.

If Kesler, who centers the second line, is less than 100 percent, the Canucks will be that much easier for the Bruins to handle.

Manny Malhotra (pictured), the third-line center, has been out since taking a puck in the eye on March 16, but it looks like he'll be ready to go on Wednesday.

Defensemen Christian Erhoff (shoulder) and Aaron Rome (head) both are expected to be good to go.

Mark Recchi is old.

Even if you just jumped on the Bruins bandwagon you probably know that.

But to put the length of his career in perspective, consider that the first time that Recchi raised the Stanley Cup over his head was on May 25, 1991, when he was playing for Pittsburgh. His current teammate Tyler Seguin wasn't born until eight months later.

Recchi is one of only two active NHL players who played in the 1980s. The other is Detroit's Mike Modano. And he is one of only 11 players to play in four decades ('80s, '90s, '00s, '10s).

Needless to say, Recchi at 43 is the oldest player in the Stanley Cup Finals. Once he steps on the ice on Wednesday night, he may be the oldest non-goalie to ever play in the finals.

There's no doubt that at times during the Bruins playoff run, Recchi has looked his age and then some. But his spot on coach Claude Julien's second line is safe. He's a leader and a strong presence in the Bruins dressing room.

Another Cup -- he also won with Carolina in 2004 -- would be the capstone of Recchi's career. He has said repeatedly that he'll retire if the Bruins win.

"If we win, I'm going to walk away, absolutely. There'd be no better way to go out,'' Recchi told The Boston Herald on Monday.

BOSTON (AP) -- The Bruins held one final practice in Boston on Monday before departing for Vancouver and their first Stanley Cup final appearance since 1990.

A couple of thousand fans chanting "We want the Cup'' attended a rally for the team outside the TD Garden. Players signed autographs before the team's buses left for Logan Airport.

Boston, the No. 3 seed out of the Eastern Conference, had just one glimpse of the dominant Canucks in the regular season: a 3-1 win in Vancouver in which goaltender Tim Thomas made 26 saves.

But that doesn't mean the Bruins will take the league's No. 1 seed lightly. Vancouver, after all, cruised to a Northwest Division title, and led the NHL with 117 points, 10 more than any other team.

"Obviously, they're a President's Trophy winner, they're a great hockey team, deep and well coached, and we'll look at things we have to do," Bruins forward Mark Recchi said. "Any key to your team's success is how you play personally. I think we focus on what we do ourselves. Our coaching staff will give us their tendencies, and their coaching staff will give them our tendencies. It's who's going to want it more and who's going to play to their abilities the best."

Game 1 is on Wednesday night.

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Boston Bruins' Game 7 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning drew the most viewers for a conference finals game on cable since 2002.

Boston's 1-0 win in the Eastern Conference finals Friday on Versus averaged 2.55 million viewers. That's the most since the Detroit-Colorado Western Conference finals Game 7 nine years ago.

BOSTON (AP) -- Nathan Horton scored with 7:33 left in Game 7, sending the Boston Bruins to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in more than two decades with a 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference finals on Friday night.

The right wing on Boston's top line cleanly beat goalie Dwayne Roloson by deflecting a pass across the slot from David Krejci. That set off a loud celebration among Bruins, who have waited a long time for a trip to the finals.

Tim Thomas made 24 saves in his third career playoff shutout and second this season.
Boston will open the Stanley Cup finals in Vancouver against the Western Conference champion Canucks on Wednesday.

The Bruins won their most recent championship in 1972 and hadn't reached the finals since 1990, when they lost to the Edmonton Oilers.

Can't lose when you don't give up any goals.

The second shutout of the series for Bruins netminder Tim Thomas.

And the first trip to the Stanley Cup finals for the B's since 1990.

Bring on the Canucks!

They couldn't have drawn it up any better.

Talk about pinpoint passing.

Andrew Ference, to David Krejci, to the stick of Nathan Horton, and then into the back of the net.

Bruins 1. Lightning 0. Game Seven. Less than seven minutes left to play.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos was hit in the face by a puck and left Game Seven of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Bruins early in the second period on Friday night with blood pouring from his face. About six minutes later, Stamkos was back with his face stitched up and a cage protecting his face.

Stamkos was hit on the left side of the head off a hard shot from the right point by Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk and he immediately dropped to the ice. The referee waved for the trainer, but Stamkos got off and skated quickly to the Lightning bench, holding his face. There was some blood on the ice.

The No. 1 overall draft pick in 2008, Stamkos tied for the NHL lead in goals last season and was second this season. He has six goals and seven assists in the previous 17 games this postseason.

BOSTON - The Bruins and Lightning both took to the TD Garden ice in preparation for tonight's Game Seven.

All hands were on deck for the Bs (save for veteran Mark Recchi, who saves his 43-year-old legs for the games) while Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher gave his group an optional twirl.

Injured Lightning winger Sean Bergenheim, who hadn't been seen since he was injured (lower body) early in Game Five, skated for about 15 minutes in full gear.
Boucher, however, was pessimistic about the return of his club's second-leading playoff goal scorer.

"It's better," said Boucher. "He might try the warm up. There's been some improvement. To what extent we'll have to wait and see. But it's doubtful."

Meanwhile, Bs coach Claude Julien remained mum as to any lineup changes or line juggling.

"We will have 23 guys out there tonight (for warm up) and you'll have to wait until game time."

Puck drop is set for precisely 8:12 p.m.

-Dan Hickling

The NHL has not released the official schedule for the Stanley Cup Finals, but NBC has released a broadcast schedule:

Wednesday, June 1
Stanley Cup finals Game 1: Boston or Tampa Bay at Vancouver, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)

Saturday, June 4
Stanley Cup finals Game 2: Boston or Tampa Bay at Vancouver, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)

Monday, June 6
Stanley Cup finals Game 3: Vancouver at Boston or Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. ET (Versus)

Wednesday, June 8
Stanley Cup finals Game 4: Vancouver at Boston or Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. ET (Versus)

Friday, June 10
Stanley Cup finals Game 5 (if necessary): Boston or Tampa Bay at Vancouver, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)

Monday, June 13
Stanley Cup finals Game 6 (if necessary): Vancouver at Boston or Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)

Wednesday, June 15
Stanley Cup finals Game 7 (if necessary): Boston or Tampa Bay at Vancouver, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)

History hangs heavily over Our B's as they take to the ice Friday night in the new Garden for the deciding game of their conference finals series with the Lightning.

The last two years, the Bruins have been eliminated from the playoffs by losing a Game Seven at home -- to the Flyers in the semis last year, after winning the first three games, and then taking a 3-0 lead in Game Seven; and to Carolina, also in the semis, in 2009, when Boston was the No. 1 seed.

On a more encouraging note, after losing the first two games of their opening round series with the Canadiens this year in Boston, the B's bounced back and advanced by winning the Seventh Game in the Gah-den.

As all fans of Hub Hockey know, including those who just recently jumped on the Bruins Bandwagon, the B's have not won the Stanley Cup since 1972 and haven't been in the finals since 1990.

Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. -- Martin St. Louis and Teddy Purcell each scored twice, resilient goalie Dwayne Roloson weathered a hat trick by Boston's David Krejci, and the Tampa Bay Lightning stayed alive in the Eastern Conference finals with a 5-4 win over the Boston Bruins in Game Six on Wednesday night.

Game Seven is Friday night in Boston. The Bruins are seeking their first trip to the Stanley Cup finals in 21 years, and the Lightning will try to clinch their first appearance on hockey's biggest stage since they won their only NHL championship in 2004.

The Western Conference champion Vancouver Canucks await the winner in the finals.

Prior to the faceoff of Game Six, I posted the following:

"Perhaps it's pessimism born of the B's not having won The Cup since 1972, but I'm worried that Tampa's twice-pulled, veteran goalie, 41-year-old Dwayne Roloson, will come up big tonight for the Lightning and force a Game Seven in Boston."

Roloson wasn't exactly the second coming of Jacque Plante, but the Lightning won anyway, scoring three power play goals on their way to a 5-4 win that sends the conference finals series back to Beantown.

Feel free to call me Mr. Hockey.

For the first time since the Eddie Shore-era, the Bruins have scored a power play goal on the road in the playoffs.

OK, it hasn't quite been that long.

But it sure seems that way.

David Krejci's goal off a nifty pass from Nathan Horton was the first the B's have scored in a man-up situation on the road in these Stanley Cup playoffs.

So amazed were the B's by that rare occurrence that they forget to play defense and allowed a 2-on-1 break that resulted in Tampa regaining a two-goal advantage.

Make that three power-play goals for Tampa Bay, which took a 4-2 lead by scoring in a man-up situation in the first minute of the third period.

The Bruins' ineptitude in power-play situations has been the difference in the game so far.

Tampa Bay is 3-for-3 on the power play. The B's are 0-for-4.

The Bruins, trailing 3-2 heading into the third period in Tampa, are 0-for-4 on the power play tonight.

They now are a truly woeful 0-for-25 on the power play on the road.

And it's not as if they've been a powerhouse at home, where they're only 4-for-35.

That's a combined 4-for-60 -- a conversion rate of just 6.7 percent.

The Lightning already have two power play goals in Game Six. They came in 14-for-63 in the playoffs, 22.2 percent.

The Montreal Canadiens beat the Bruins, 4-1, on May 25, 1978, to clinch the Stanley Cup.

Brad Park gave Boston an early lead at the Boston Garden, but the Habs responded with goals by Steve Shutt, Mario Tremblay (2) and Rejean Houle to take the series in six games.

Houle's goal was set up by Doug Jarvis, who is now a Boston assistant coach.

Tonight's game in Tampa will mark only the second time in Boston's 87-year history that they have played on May 25.

May 26 is the latest that the Bruins have ever played a game. Edmonton clinched the Stanley Cup with a 6-3 win over Boston on May 26, 1988.

The Boston Bruins are in Tampa Bay with visions of a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals dancing in their heads. A day after the Vancouver Canucks wrapped up the Western Conference championship, the Bs would like to do the same thing and avoid a Game Seven.

"It's a great day," head coach Claude Julien said. "An even better day with the opportunity that's in front of us. Our goal is to seize that moment. That's basically how we've approached today."

Forward Daniel Paille spoke about the Canucks' victory celebration after last night's victory. "I got to see the highlights today," he said, "so it would be nice to get that feeling."

Still, the players vowed that they are not looking past the Lightning.

"I can't speak for everybody," said forward Shawn Thornton. "But my mentality is that you never look past what's going on here."

In other news, defenseman Johnny Boychuk -- who suffered a head injury in Game Five -- made it through the morning skate without incident and will play tonight.

Tampa Bay head coach Guy Boucher announced on Tuesday that Dwayne Roloson will be the starting goaltender for the Lightning in Game Six on Wednesday night.

Roloson, 41, was pulled in Game Four after he allowed three first period goals. Mike Smith entered the game and held the Bruins scoreless the rest of the way as Tampa Bay rallied for a 5-3 win.

Smith started Game Five and only faced 19 shots but Tampa Bay lost to Boston, 3-1.

Roloson entered the Boston series as one of the top goaltenders in the playoffs. He led the postseason with a 2.01 goals against average and a .941 save percentage. In this series, Roloson is 0-2 in his past three games with a 5.64 GAA and an .820 save percentage.

By Dan Hickling
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- It seems ridiculous to even think about it now.

Who would pull Tim Thomas for any reason.

Whispers could be heard after the Bruins' collapse in Game Four that a switch to backup Tuukka Rask might have been just the ticket.

Not now. Not after Thomas all but stole Game Five with his 33-save gem and put the Bruins to a win away from the Stanley Cup finals.

"We need to focus on getting one win," Thomas said after the game. "Not look at it like it gets us to the Stanley Cup finals, but approach it the way we have most of there playoff games."

It wasn't the number of saves the 37-year-old netminder made on Monday night, although there were plenty of them.
It was the timing of them.

His theft of Steve Downie midway through the third period, when he
knocked away Downie's sure goal inside the post with his stick will be the stuff of highlight reels.

"My recollection might not be exactly what the video is," Thomas said.

No matter. All of New England saw it.

It was vintage "Timmy."

JIMMY GOLEN
Associated Press

BOSTON -- Tim Thomas stopped 33 shots after allowing another early goal, and Brad Marchand scored the game-winner to lead Boston to a 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night and put the Bruins one win away from the Stanley Cup finals.

The victory gave Boston a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals, with a chance to clinch Wednesday night in Tampa Bay. The Lightning would need to win Game Six to force a seventh game in Boston on Friday.

Nathan Horton scored to tie it in the second period, 17 seconds after returning from the penalty box. Marchand scored with 4:04 left in the period to give Boston a 2-1 lead.
Boston managed just 19 shots on Mike Smith as he made his first career playoff start in place of Dwayne Roloson.

Tampa Bay finally managed to pull the goalie with 42 seconds left, but Rich Peverley scored an empty-netter with 12.1 seconds left to clinch it. The Lightning left the extra skater on the bench for the ensuing faceoff, but they couldn't come through with anything more than some shoving after the final whistle.

Thomas bounced back after allowing four straight goals in Game Four and may have saved the season when he stopped Steve Downie with about 11 minutes left, reaching out to put his stick in front of the open net and protect a 2-1 lead. The crowd cheered each time it was shown from a different angle on the scoreboard.

BOSTON -- Bruins wrapped up a brief morning twirl at the TD Garden in preparation for tonight's pivotal Game Five clash with the Tampa Bay Lightning. All hands appear healthy and accounted for, although graybeard Mark Recchi sat out the skate, as is his custom (and option).

By appearances, it will be Shawn Thornton sitting this one out, along with defensemen Shane Hnidy and Steven Kampfer.

Those calling for the benching of struggling d man Tomas Kaberle will be disappointed, as Bruins coach Claude Julien was strong in his defense of the veteran. "I think people are a little hard on this guy," Julien said. "I'm one of those guys who is going to support him. And I'm one of those guys who's going to keep him in the lineup. In case you want to know."

Although "New York, New York," was one of Frank Sinatra's most popular songs, he also crooned that Chicago was his "kind of town."

There are many kinds of towns in the world of sports, and what Atlanta most definitely is not is a Hockey Town.

The city is on the brink of losing its NHL franchise for the second time.

First, it was the Flames, who abandoned the city for Calgary. Now, it's the Thrashers, apparently headed for Winnipeg.

Shouldn't it be a blow to Atlanta's civic pride to lose teams to such cities as Calgary, which is in Alberta, and Winnipeg, which is Manitoba.

In contrast to Boston and its sporting suburbs that extend from Bar Harbor to Block Island, where tonight's Game Five of the Stanley Cup conference final series with the Lightning is eagerly anticipated, the folks in "Hotlanta" obviously aren't all that hot about hockey.

Or any other pro sport for that matter, although, now that the Falcons are flying high, they usually draw close-to-capacity crowds for games at the Georgia Dome.

Not so the baseball Braves, who were 13th in attendance last season, despite making the playoffs, or the basketball Hawks, who ranked 22nd of 30 NBA teams.

Contrast that with the fervor in Greater Boston over the perennially sold-out Red Sox and Patriots, as well as the Celtics and Bruins.

Where Atlanta does have it all over Boston -- and just about every other major city in the U.S. of A. -- is in its fanaticism over college football.

The city is the epicenter of the football-crazed Southeastern Conference, with Georgia's beloved Dawgs just up the road in Athens, and Auburn and Alabama within easy driving distance, along with South Carolina and Tennessee, too. Georgia Tech is, of course, in the heart of the city, and ACC rival Clemson is only a couple of hours away.

College football is in the news just about every day, year-round, in Atlanta, and often is the lead story.

The Thrashers are leaving town?

Bye-bye, bubba!

And how 'bout them Dawgs?!

After two impressive wins by their team, Bruins fans had to have been discouraged to see Boston squander a 3-0 first-period lead en route to a 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Ligthning on Saturday in Game Four of the Eastern Conference finals.

But goalie Tim Thomas remains confident.

"We're going to win," he told reporters after the game, in Joe Namath style.

Teammate Mark Recchi, when asked about Thomas' comment on Sunday, gave it a positive spin.

"That's great he believes in it," Recchi said. "You've got to believe in the dressing room, and you've got to believe you're going to win the series."

Thomas and the Bruins host the Lightning in a pivotal Game Five at 8 o'clock Monday.

In other news, Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher would not say whom he planned to start in goal on Monday night.

Dwayne Roloson, who was brilliant for Tampa Bay in the first two rounds of the playoffs, was yanked on Saturday after surrendering three first-period goals. His replacement, Mike Smith, shut the Bruins out the rest of the way.

Smith told reporters after Saturday's game that he did not expect to be the Game Five starter, but Boucher didn't give reporters any hints of his thinking on Sunday.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Mike Smith was perfect in relief of goalie Dwayne Roloson, and Simon Gagne snapped a tie in the third period for the Tampa Bay Lightning, who erased an early three-goal deficit and evened the Eastern Conference finals with a 5-3 win in Game 4 over the Boston Bruins on Saturday.

Roloson was pulled in the first period after he allowed three goals on nine shots. Smith came on and made 21 saves as the Lightning avoided dropping into a big hole against the surging Bruins. Boston will host Game 5 on Monday.

Teddy Purcell scored twice in the second period when the Lightning tied it at 3. Tampa Bay also got a goal from Sean Bergenheim, who leads the NHL with nine playoff goals after scoring 14 times during the regular season.

Martin St. Louis sealed the win in the final minute with an empty-net goal.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Tim Thomas made 31 saves for his first playoff shutout this season and second overall, rookie Tyler Seguin scored his fourth goal in the last three games and the Boston Bruins beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals Thursday night.

Thomas, the favorite to win the Vezina Trophy as the top regular-season goalie, gave up nine goals in the first two games of the series that the Bruins lead 2-1.

Seguin made it 2-0 from in-close at 8:12 of the third as the puck trickled between the legs of Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson and into the net. After sitting out the Bruins' first two playoff rounds, the 19-year-old Seguin was inserted into the lineup to replace an injured Patrice Bergeron in Game 1 and has seven points overall. David Krejci also scored for the Bruins.

Game 4 is Saturday in Tampa.

Bergeron was back in the lineup after missing two games because of a concussion sustained when he was hit by Philadelphia's Claude Giroux in the final game of the second round.

Krejci was alone in the low slot and opened the scoring on a backhander just 1:09 into the first. Boston is 7-0 during the postseason when scoring the first goal of the game.
Krejci was briefly shaken up late in the first when he was hit in the neutral zone by Tampa Bay defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron, who received a minor penalty for elbowing.

Both teams were looking to play tighter defense after combining for 18 goals in the first two games.

Tampa Bay center Steven Stamkos said before the game that the Lightning wanted to avoid "run and gun hockey." Boston center Brad Marchand added that both teams hoped to "buckle down" on defense.

Stamkos had three shot as the Lightning outshot Boston 10-8 during the first. Bruins captain Zdeno Chara made a nice defensive play during the period to break up a Tampa Bay 2-on-1.

Thomas made a strong save in the first on Martin St. Louis' shot from the low right circle. The goalie stopped 15 shots in the third.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron was in the lineup for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals after missing two games because of a concussion. Shawn Thornton was a healthy scratch.

The team re-evaluated Bergeron's status for the game against Tampa Bay on Thursday night following the pregame skate, in which the alternate captain took part.

Bruins coach Claude Julien said Bergeron is "feeling pretty good." Bergeron had been sidelined since getting injured in the finale of the second-round series against Philadelphia when he was hit by Claude Giroux.

Bergeron had two goals and 10 assists in 11 playoff games this season before getting hurt.

"He brings a lot to the table, offensively and defensively," Boston captain Zdeno Chara said.

Also, Lightning defenseman Pavel Kubina was scratched for Game 3. Kubina, out since the first game of the conference semifinals against Washington, when his head went into the glass on a hit, has not resumed practicing.

Whether or not Patrice Bergeron plays tonight for the Boston Bruins in Game Three against Tampa apparently will be a game-time decision.

Claude Julien this morning did not disclose whether Bergeron, who suffered a concussion on May 6, will be in the lineup, but said that if he skates in pregame warmups, he will play.

Said Julien: "If you see him out there for warmups, I'm not just sending him out there for a skate. He's going to be playing."

Bergeron did suit up for the morning skate today.

SportingNews.com released its NHL awards on Wednesday and Boston's Tim Thomas was named Goalie of the Year.

Thomas, 37, set an NHL record with a .938 save percentage and is a Vezina Trophy finalist.

Here's what a few players said about Thomas.

Atlanta's Mark Stuart: "Playing with him for a few years, the thing I noticed most and respected most was his compete level. Even in practice. He's not too happy letting in pucks -- in practice, in games. He'll jump from one end of the net to the other to save pucks. You can't question his compete level game in and game out."

Washington's Marco Sturm: "He competes. That's what he's so good at. He never gives up."

Two weeks ago -- you could look it up, if you scroll down through these blog postings -- I wondered why, with the biggest games of the season being played, the only time Bruins fans saw highly-touted rookie Tyler Seguin was on Dunkin' Donuts commercials, and not on the ice.

Despite being the second player taken in the 2010 draft, the just-turned-19-year-old forward's playing time in the playoffs was a dead ringer for the hole in a donut.

Plausible reasons -- defensive shortcomings, in particular -- were being put forth for holding the young star-in-waiting out of the lineup, although, as the Bruins power play remained powerless throughout the Montreal series, and into their second-round set-to with the Flyers, one had to wonder why conservative coach Claude Julien wouldn't give the offensively-gifted Seguin a shot in man-up situations.

Just to see if, you know, the Bruins might actually put a few shots on goal.

Had Patrice Bergeron not suffered a concussion against Philly, Seguin might still be sitting out, and so Bruins fans would not have seen the dazzling offensive outburst they saw Tuesday night, when the kid scored two goals and had two assists -- all in the second period.

His game-tying goal in the first minute of the second session was an electrifying combination of speed, slick moves, and deft scoring touch that few -- if, indeed, any -- Bruins possess.

And may we point out that, after scoring his second goal of the period, he also picked up an assist -- on the power play, mind you -- when the rebound of his slap shot was put back into the net by Michael Ryder, giving the B's a 5-3 lead in a game they would hang on to win, 6-5, evening their conference finals series with the Lightning at one apiece heading into Thursday night's game in Tampa.

Associated Press

BOSTON -- Tyler Seguin had two goals and two assists and the Boston Bruins fed off the energy of the recently promoted rookie to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, 6-5, and tie the Eastern Conference finals at one game each on Tuesday night.

Boston earned a split at home and snapped the Lightning's eight-game winning streak that began when they were down 3-1 to Pittsburgh in the first round. Game Three is at Tampa Bay on Thursday.

The shifty, 19-year-old Seguin, the second pick in last year's NHL draft, was benched for the first 11 playoff games because of perceived defensive shortcomings. He rejoined the lineup for the series opener, getting a goal and an assist, when Patrice Bergeron sat out because of a mild concussion.

BOSTON - The question being asked throughout New England - will Patrice Bergeron play tonight against Tampa Bay - remained unanswered following the team's morning skate at TD Garden.

It will likely stay that way until about 7:30 p.m., when the teams take the ice for the pregame twirl, so says Bs coach Claude Julien.

"As far as Bergeron is concerned," Julien said, "I think if he's in you're going to see him in warm up tonight."

The Boston Globe reported this morning that Bergeron would not play, citing an unnamed source close to the player.

Bergeron took part in all of the shooting drills, and didn't appear to be holding anything back, skating wise.

But no one outside the Bruins' camp knows for certain whether he's been cleared to return to action following an 11-day concussion enforced layoff.

Neither wingers Milan Lucic or Mark Recchi were on hand, but Julien said there were no issues, there.

Puck drop is set for 8 p.m.

-Dan Hickling

BOSTON (AP) -- Patrice Bergeron was back on the ice for a full practice on Monday as the Boston Bruins prepared for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Bergeron has not played since May 6 because of a concussion. That was the finale of the second round, when Boston swept the Philadelphia Flyers. He missed the opener of the Lightning series on Saturday night, when Tampa Bay won 5-2.

Game 2 is Tuesday in Boston. Coach Claude Julien said no decision has been made on whether Bergeron will play.

Bergeron took the ice and skated in front of general manager Peter Chiarelli before participating in special teams drills.

BOSTON (AP) -- Sean Bergenheim began a stretch of three Tampa Bay goals in 1:25 in the first period and the Lightning beat the Boston Bruins 5-2 in the opener of the Eastern Conference finals Saturday night.

Bergenheim, who scored just 14 goals in the regular season, got his NHL-high eighth of the playoffs at 11:15. Brett Clark connected at 11:34 and Teddy Purcell wrapped up the onslaught, both with unassisted goals.

The two goals in 19 seconds and three in 1:25 are club records.

Tyler Seguin, the No. 2 overall draft pick last year, scored for Boston with 4:01 left in the first period in his playoff debut.

Tampa Bay scored twice in the last 7 minutes -- Marc-Andre Bergeron on a power play and Simon Gagne into an empty net -- before Chris Kelly made it 5-2.

The EA Sports NHL 11 simulation engine has predicted that the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins will advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.

The simulation engine has both the Bruins and Canucks winning their conference final series in six games. Boston plays Tampa Bay and Vancouver plays San Jose.

Last year, The EA Sports simulation engine predicted that the Chicago Blackhawks would win the Stanley Cup. This year, it predicted that the Vancouver Canucks would win the Presidents' Trophy, which is awarded to the team with the most points during the regular season.

The simulation engine has predicted the winner of 11 out of 12 playoff series this year. The sole incorrect prediction thus far was that the Detroit Red Wings would beat the San Jose Sharks in a seven game series in the conference semifinals.

The EA Sports NHL 11 simulation engine predicts the winner of each playoff series on a round-by-round basis, simulating each series once the match-ups have been set for the next round.

The computerized simulation is conducted using artificial intelligence that uses real-life data from each team, such as player ratings and line combinations, and includes variances such as injuries and hot streaks to predict a realistic outcome of each game and series.

After seven full days off, the Boston Bruins will finally resume their quest for the Stanley Cup on Saturday night at 8 o'clock when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first game of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals series.

The Bruins last played on Friday night, and they'll be facing a Tampa Bay team that will be returning from an even longer layoff. The Lightning completed their second-round sweep of Washington on Wednesday, so they're looking at nine full days in between games.

Here is the full schedule:

Game One: Saturday, 8 p.m., at Boston (Versus)
Game Two: Tuesday, 8 p.m., at Boston (Versus)
Game Three: Thursday, May 19, 8 p.m., at Tampa Bay (Versus)
Game Four: Saturday, May 21, 1:30 p.m., at Tampa Bay (NBC)
Game Five: Monday, May 23, 8 p.m., at Boston (Versus)
Game Six: Wednesday, May 25, 8 p.m., at Tampa Bay (Versus)
Game Seven: Friday, May 27, 8 p.m., at Boston (Versus)

Simon Gagne scored the winning goal in Game 7 last year, capping Flyers' comeback from 0-3 deficit


No way.

Never happens.

Not going to happen.

Bring out the brooms.

There's no stopping the Bruins, now that they've actually scored a power play goal.

The only Lightning the streaking B's have to worry about now is Tampa Bay.

Bruins veteran Mark Recchi appeared this morning on WEEI's Dennis and Callahan show, and rejected the suggestion by Flyers coach Peter Laviolette that the pressure is on Boston because of its two-games-to-none lead.

"The pressure's on them," Recchi said. "They have to come in here and win. We went and did our job. They had home ice. The pressure's all on them. If they don't win, they're down 3-0. They can talk all they want about last year and all that, [but] the pressure completely is on them right now."

Recchi said that the team will certainly discuss last year's playoff collapse against Philadelphia, but will try not to focus on anything other than the game at hand once the puck is dropped.

Click here to listen to the full interview.

BOSTON - The Bruins and Flyers have both wrapped up their morning skates in preparation for tonight's Game 3 at TD Garden.

Injured defenseman Adam McQuaid was not on the ice for the Bruins and appears to be very doubtful for tonight, although the line from B's coach Claude Julien is that he is still "day to day".

Into the anticipated breech will go veteran Shane Hnidy, who made one appearance - Game 2 in place of the dehydrated Zdeno Chara - in the opening round against Montreal.

"It's like every other game," said Hnidy. "You prepare to play, (because) you never know what's going to happen. My preparation doesn't change."

On the Flyers side, top defenseman Chris Pronger (broken hand) was nowhere to be seen and barring some sort of miracle, will miss his second consecutive game.

Ditto center Jeff Carter (knee), who was injured during the Flyers' opening set with Buffalo.

Carter skated for the first time, Monday, and took part in the morning twirl, but as of yet, has not been cleared to play.

By all appearances, Brian Boucher (Woonsocket; Mount St. Charles H.S.) will be in the Philly net.

-Dan Hickling

The word on Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid is cautious but encouraging.

"He's got a sprained neck," said Bruins coach Claude Julien, during a noon time scrum at TD Garden. "Everything so far has come up negative, so he's a day to day player, right now."

McQuaid took a face-first tumble into the boards late in the first period of Monday's Game 2, while attempting to check Philadelphia's Mike Richards.

Richards sidestepped the impending hit and the impact left McQuaid dazed.
After a brief trip to a Philadelphia hospital, McQuaid returned to Boston with the team Monday night.

Veteran Shane Hnidy is ready to step in if the former P-Bruins captain is unable to play in Wednesday's Game 3.

Rookie defenseman Steven Kampfer, who suffered a knee injury four weeks ago while playing for the P-Bruins, began skating Tuesday.

"He's still a ways away," said Julien.

-Dan Hickling

Do you suppose the Flyers will purposely drop Game Three in Boston, so they can say they have the Bruins "right where we want 'em?"

Just like last year, when Philly came roaring back from an 0-3 deficit to send the B's home for the summer, winning Game Seven in the Garden after falling behind, 3-0.

While Bruins fans certainly should be pleased to see their team win the first two games in Philly, they also should remember that the B's just came back to beat Montreal in seven games after losing the first two games of that series on home ice.

On the subject of strange . . .

It borders on the unbelievable, as well as being almost inconceivable, that the Bruins could have won six of nine Stanley Cup games -- four of them in overtime -- without scoring a single, power-play goal.

They're now a woeful, 0-for-28 in man-advantage situations.

Also . . .

That was a Scary Moment when defenseman Adam McQuaid went head first into the boards after missing a check late in the first period Monday night. Huge sighs of relief were an appropriate response when he was able to get up and skate slowly off the ice.

When, we wonder, did rough, tough hockey players start turning into soccer players, flopping in anguish at the slightest hit, trying to draw a penalty?

It was bad enough when Les Canadiens indulged in such dramatic excesses, but to see the lads wearing the uniforms of the one-time Broad Street Bullies do likewise is sad, indeed.

And, finally, not that one had to be Scotty Bowman to figure this out, but, as noted in today's Journal column, which was written Monday afternoon: "You have to figure that the presence of Tim Thomas in Boston's net could very well be the difference for the Bruins in this series."

The stalwart -- and, we should add, sensational -- Thomas stopped 52 of 54 shots in Game Two, including 22 in the third period, when the Bruins were outshot, 22-7,. He then made 10 more saves in overtime. After giving up two early goals, Thomas stopped the last 46 Philly shots on net.

The Flyers, on the other hand, changed goalies for the fifth time in nine playoff games, having to pull former Mt. St. Charles star Brian Boucher in the second period when he appeared to injure his hand. Boucher was, however, able to return for the third period and o.t.

One More Thing, if you please...can we all agree that Philly's James van Riemsdyk is Pretty Darn Good?

If you've been watching the Bruins in the playoffs, the only time you've seen Tyler Seguin is in his Dunkin' Donuts commercial.

Now, if the the Patriots had the second overall pick in the NFL draft, and the player they selected was put on the Inactive list for a playoff game, even though he was healthy, they would be criticized for incompetence from coast-to-coast.

But hockey, as we know, is A Different Game.

So it's no shock that the just-turned-19-in-January Seguin isn't suiting up for the Bruins in the playoffs.

While disappointing, his absence doesn't draw the same level of ire and angst it would in the NFL.

On the one hand, it's hard to believe that a kid picked second overall in the draft isn't considered by B's coach Claude Julien to be one of his top 12 forwards.

Clearly, Julien does not have enough confidence in young Seguin to suit him in up in pressure-packed, playoff situations.

But it's also understandable to this extent -- Seguin's forte is offense. He tied for the scoring lead last season in the Ontario Hockey League, racking up 106 points in 63 games for the Plymouth Whalers while scoring 48 goals.

As a young rookie for the Bruins this season, he had 11 goals and 11 assists.

To make best use of his offensive skills, Julien probably should skate him with one of the B's top two lines. He's clearly not willing to do that, in large part because Seguin is deemed defensively deficient, especially in a situation where one "rookie mistake" could make the difference between victory and defeat.

In Julien's case, defeat could cost him his job. The coach almost certainly would have been fired had the Bruins lost their opening series to Montreal, in which they dropped the first two games on home ice.

And he may still get the ax if the Bruins somehow blow their hard-earned, 2-0 lead in their second-round series with the Flyers.

So Seguin sits.

It would be a good thing, it seems, to get the kid some playoff experience. But it's clearly not something Julien, whose future depends on what is happening right now, is willing to do.

But don't you wonder what New England fans would be saying about Bill Belichick in a similar situation?

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- David Krejci scored 14:01 into overtime and the Boston Bruins beat Philadelphia 3-2 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Tim Thomas was phenomenal in net, stopping 46 straight shots after the Flyers took a quick 2-0 lead.

Game 3 is Wednesday in Boston.

Krejci fired a one-timer from one knee that ricocheted off the back off the net and back onto the ice. Play continued until officials could review the call. But the goal was clearly good.

James van Riemsdyk had a breakout game for the Flyers. He scored two goals and was all over the ice trying to help the Flyers win at least one at home.

Instead, they have to rally from another deficit.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Flyers goalie Brian Boucher returned for the start of the third period of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Boston after leaving because of an injury.

Boucher appeared to hurt his left wrist and crouched in pain midway through the second period of Monday night's game. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped six shots the rest of the period.

It was the fifth time in nine playoff games the Flyers made a goalie switch. The score was 2-2 when Boucher left and when he returned.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Flyers goalie Brian Boucher left Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Boston because of an injury.

Boucher grabbed his left side and crouched in pain midway through the second period of Monday night's game. He left with the score tied 2-all.

It was the fifth time in nine playoff games the Flyers made a goalie switch.

The Bruins lost defenseman Adam McQuaid in the first period after he crashed headfirst into the boards. McQuaid tried to throw an elbow at Mike Richards, but the Flyers captain sidestepped him, and McQuaid went down in a heap. He was on the ice for several minutes and needed help back to the locker room.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Flyers fans heard the usual stirring rendition of "God Bless America," live by Lauren Hart and on video by Kate Smith, before Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The song has been a rallying anthem for the Flyers since Smith began singing it in the mid 1970s. Hart started the song, then looked up to the big screen and passed it off to Smith before Monday night's game. They finish in a split-screen duet.

Fans chanted "U-S-A! U-S-A!" after lineups were introduced and again after the song was finished.

The Flyers asked that fans paused to salute the men and women of the military who serve the United States at home and abroad. Members of local Philadelphia police and fire departments joined the color guard to present the American flag.