June 15, 2011
by Jeff Ponder
After a 107-game season, the Boston Bruins proved that they are the best team in the NHL.
The Bruins, who played in three game-sevens during the 2011 playoffs, took control of game seven of the Stanley Cup Final and beat the Vancouver Canucks in their own building to win their first Stanley Cup since 1972.
Tim Thomas recorded his second shutout in the series, recording 37 saves in the 4-0 victory. Thomas only allowed eight goals in the Stanley Cup Final.
"It still hasn't kicked in, if I'm completely honest," he said after shaking hands with the Canucks. "I can't believe it's over. We've had our battle meter up so high for so long, it feels like we're moving onto the next series or something."
Thomas’ efforts were noticed by the NHL Writers Association, as he received the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs.
"If they got any chances, Timmy was there," Bruins forward Mark Recchi said, "and it was just scary how good he was."
Thomas was not alone in his efforts. Though being the backbone of his team, he had to get some goal-scoring up front to ensure victory.
That’s where Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand came in.
After losing the face-off in the offensive zone, Marchand, in his first NHL season, snuck in and took the puck away from the Canucks. He circled a few times and slid it in front to Bergeron who one-timed the puck from the slot, beating Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo stick-side at 14:37 of the first period.
The rookie Marchand was not finished there. At 12:13 of the second period, Marchand received the puck on his stick after a scramble in front and wrapped it around the net to stuff it in past a sprawled-Luongo.
That goal seemed to deflate the Canucks, as Bergeron added a goal on the breakaway and Marchand added his second of the game into an empty net with less than three minutes left to play in the game. Marchand ended his rookie season with three points on the evening and 11 goals and 8 assists in the playoffs.
Vancouver finished the 82-game season with the best record in the NHL but fell short by one game in the playoffs.
Henrik and Daniel Sedin were Vancouver’s go-to-guys in the regular season, but their point-production saw a strong dive in the final seven games of the playoffs. The twins combined for five total points against the Bruins. Ryan Kesler, who scored 41 goals in the regular season, added just one assist in the seven-game series.
Mark Recchi, who turned 43 in February, played in his last NHL game Wednesday night. He took home his third Stanley Cup, adding an assist on Marchand’s first goal of game seven.
Vancouver Head Coach Alain Vigneault could not help but praise the Bruins on their game-seven victory.
"Boston played a real strong game," Vigneault said. "They got great goaltending and they were able to score a couple of tough goals around our net. They deserved to win."
"They don't give up much and when they do they're goaltender makes the save," Luongo said.
"It's unbelievable," Bergeron said after the victory. "Words are hard to describe right now the feeling we are having."
"Winning the Stanley Cup is huge," Thomas said. "It's the biggest accomplishment of my career so far.”
Quotes courtesy NHL.com.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
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