Chase for the Cup: 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs Gameday Look-in

The Vancouver Canucks come in to tonight looking to put a strangle hold on the Stanley Cup Final by going up 3-0, while the Boston Bruins look to stay alive and do something they’ve done all playoffs: win Game Three. The Bruins are undefeated in Game Threes in the playoffs this year, and they’ll need to keep that streak going if they don’t want to make their path to the Stanley Cup the most difficult it can be.

Simply winning Game Three may not be enough however. This is the second time in these playoffs that Boston has fallen behind 2-0 in a series and the only team to win the Stanley Cup after having that happen two times in the playoffs is with Pittsburgh in 2009. Along with that, while 3-0 is the hole that everyone wants to avoid, down 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Final isn’t a hole a team wants to be faced with either. Just two teams (Pittsburgh and the 1971 Montreal Canadiens) have ever rebounded from a 2-0 hole to win the cup.

While many want to concentrate on the miscues from Game 2’s winning goal, whether it was Andrew Ference’s neutral zone turnover, Tim Thomas over-committing, or Zdeno Chara getting beaten, there were positives that the Bruins could take from that victory. The first was that they scored their first power-play goal of the series when Mark Recchi tipped home Zdeno Chara’s point shot. To go along with that goal, the Bruins may have found a way to beat the Vancouver Canucks’ defensive zone coverage, and it’s simply done by going to the net. Both goals Saturday night were scored from the ‘garbage area’ in front of the net, and with Vancouver’s defense getting banged up (Dan Hamhuis is questionable for tonight’s game while Kevin Biekas took a slash to his knee in Game Three but should be good to go), Boston’s big bodies have their opportunity.

For Vancouver, despite many assuming Roberto Luongo just has to “show up” he’s done that and more in these playoffs and needs to continue going save-for-save with Tim Thomas. Along with that, the Canucks have gotten production out of the different sources they needed it from in this series in Raffi Torres and Alex Burrows. Some may think that Vancouver has the mental edge as well with agitator Max Lapierre getting on Patrice Bergeron’s case with his finger in Game Two and how they’ve stood up to Boston like no one else these playoffs. Along with that, you also have the return of Manny Malhotra—the biggest storyline and motivating factor in these playoffs, but Malhotra’s practicality is just as important: 6/7 on faceoffs in Game Three.

The Injury Bug:

-Nothing new here. Boston hasn’t reported anything new, while Dan Hamhuis’ status is still up in the air for Game Three.

What’s on Tonight?

Game Three gets underway in Boston at 8:00pm tonight.

News and Rumours Around the League:

-While relieving Rick Dudley of his General Managers duties, True North seems to have their man in sight: Chicago Blackhawks Assistant GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. Cheveldayoff spent the last two seasons in Chicago and has also been a General Manager with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.

-Craig Hartsburg has stepped away from his job as Head Coach of the Everett Silvertips (WHL) in hopes of securing a job in the NHL. Rumour has it that Hartsburg is getting set to join the Calgary Flames’ coaching staff.

-It’s also being reported that the St. Louis Blues and forward T.J. Hensick have come to an agreement on a new two-year contract. He had three points in 13 games with St. Louis and 69 points in 59 games with Peoria (AHL).

You can follow Bryan on Twitter at BryanThiel_88.