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NHL Odds: Boston Bruins, Canucks Game 5

When the Vancouver Canucks left for Boston after beating the Bruins 3-2 in overtime in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday, they had all the momentum on their side to go along with a 2-0 series lead.

Upon their return home for Game 5 on Friday, the Canucks will be looking to regain that spark after losing two straight games in Boston by a combined score of 12-1.

Game 5 will be played at 5:00 p.m. (PT) and televised by NBC. Vancouver opened as a large 175 home favorite according to the Don Best odds screen with the total set at five goals for the fourth straight game in the series.

The Bruins gained an instant motivational edge when they lost winger Nathan Horton to a severe concussion in the first period of Game 3 on Monday. They carried over their dominant play from what turned out to be an 8-1 victory into Game 4 on Wednesday and got Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo pulled for the second time in the playoffs with a 4-0 win that tied the series at 2-2.

Boston won as a 120 favorite and saw the ‘under’ cash for the second time in four games thanks to goalie Tim Thomas, who has allowed only two goals combined in his past four home games and is coming off his third shutout of the postseason.

The most amazing part of Thomas’ performance is that he faced more shots in each of the last two games than Luongo yet stopped 78 of 79. In fact, the team with more shots is just 1-3 through the first four games.

Luongo was outstanding in the first two at home but absolutely dismal on the road. He surrendered all four goals in Game 4 on 20 shots before Cory Schneider replaced him and all eight in Game 3.

Luongo’s play in Games 3 and 4 was eerily similar to how he performed against the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference quarterfinals with a 3-0 series lead. The Canucks netminder gave up 10 goals in Games 4 and 5 as Vancouver was outscored 12-2, with Schneider relieving him each time and then starting Game 6.

Hockey fans wondered how the Bruins would replace Horton, who was their second-leading scorer in the playoffs heading into Game 3. But Rich Peverley stepped in nicely and scored two of their goals in Game 4 while skating with the top line.

The biggest concern for the Canucks going into Game 5 besides Luongo’s mindset is how to get twin brothers Henrik and Daniel Sedin to contribute more offensively. Henrik managed to get off his first two shots of the series in Game 4, ending a three-game drought without one that matched his longest of the year.

Meanwhile, Daniel has the duo’s only two points of the series, notching a goal and assist in Game 2. It is also worth noting that Vancouver has lost Game 5 at home in two of their previous three playoff series.

The two clubs will take the weekend off following Friday's clash before returning to Boston for Game 6 on Monday.

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Canucks sticking with Luongo for crucial Game 5

June 10, 2011


VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - The Vancouver Canucks' captain hasn't scored in the Stanley Cup finals, and his NHL scoring champion brother only has two points.

Their star goalie yielded 12 goals in their past two games, and several key players are hurting.

Given everything that went wrong for the Canucks in Boston this week, it's tough for some of their fearful fans to remember that this powerful club is still two wins away from an NHL title.

Vancouver returns home for a pivotal Game 5 in the finals on Friday night after the surging Bruins outscored them 12-1 in the past two games.

Unless the Canucks slow their slide on their home rink, where they haven't lost since May 7, Boston will get the chance to clinch the Cup at their own home Monday.

``If you ask anybody on our crew, we're not happy with the way we played last two games,'' embattled goalie Roberto Luongo said Thursday after the Canucks returned home. ``We're all pretty upset with ourselves and our performances, (but) at the end of the day, we're two wins away from reaching the ultimate goal. I don't think it's a time for us to be putting our heads down, or to not have any confidence. I think we're close.''

Although Luongo was pulled from Game 4 after giving up his 12th goal in just over five miserable periods in Boston, Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault is sticking with his Olympic gold medal winner when the Canucks attempt to get their title run back on track, even though Luongo's inability to match Boston goalie Tim Thomas' aggressive brilliance was the most eye-catching aspect of the Bruins' dominance in the past two games.

``Roberto is the guy, he's my guy, and he's playing,'' Vigneault said. ``It's that simple.''

Luongo allowed seven goals on the last 23 shots he faced in Boston.

Vigneault also wants his players to get out of their heads long enough to appreciate where they are.

``This is not a one-man affair here,'' Vigneault said. ``We all know that our whole group can play better and will play better in the two games. We're excited about the opportunity that's in front of us. Geez, we are one of the last two teams playing for the Stanley Cup final, playing with home-ice advantage in this great city with these great fans. Doesn't get much better than this.''

The Canucks needed just one win in Boston to earn the chance to parade the Cup around home ice. Now they'll need to win Game 5 just to stop the Bruins' impressive momentum behind Thomas, who looks increasingly unbeatable after giving up one goal in two home games.

He posted his third shutout of the playoffs in the Bruins' 4-0 victory in Game 4, and has quieted doubters of his aggressive style with an impressive 1.26 goals-against average and a .966 save percentage in the finals, stopping 141 of 146 shots in four games.

``I think it's important for us to play the same type of game that we played the last two games,'' Thomas said Thursday. ``That's what led us to the success that we had. The challenge is doing it. It's easy to say this is what we have to do, but it takes an extreme amount of effort and people laying their bodies on the line, and that's what we're going to need.''

For the third consecutive season, the home teams have won the first four games of the Stanley Cup finals - but the Bruins earned both of their wins emphatically, while the Canucks squeaked out two one-goal victories. Vancouver believes it all starts with its approach against Thomas, who has emerged as the favorite for the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP.

``I think we're giving Thomas too much respect,'' Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa said. ``He's leaky. Pucks go through him. We've seen it all year. We just need to put more pucks on him.''

The Canucks' problems in front of Luongo stem from injuries that forced them to mix-and-match defensemen into three new pairings this series. Although teams refuse to discuss injuries at this point in the season, the Canucks also are running out of healthy players.

Center Ryan Kesler, a stellar playoff performer and the leader of Vancouver's shutdown defensive line, has played with a fraction of his usual disruptive force in the finals while apparently nursing an undisclosed problem. Puck-moving defenseman Christian Ehrhoff has an injured shoulder that's preventing him from shooting the puck with his usual vigor.

And those are just the players healthy enough to suit up. The Canucks' biggest loss has been Dan Hamhuis, the versatile veteran defenseman who hasn't played since hurting himself delivering a check in Game 1.

Without Hamhuis and suspended defenseman Aaron Rome, the Canucks' offense was hampered in Game 4 by an inability to move quickly up the ice in transition. Vancouver's aggressive offense is built on its cadre of mobile, puck-moving defensemen, but the Canucks no longer have the manpower to do everything they desire.

``We didn't expect to sweep these guys,'' Bieksa said. ``We have to focus on the positives, and can't hang our heads. If we come out the next game and score three (goals) in the first, no one will remember these games.''

Vancouver still isn't getting much from the Sedin twins, who have largely disappeared at the biggest moment in their careers. Boston defensemen Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg deserve much of the credit for preventing the Sedins from passing and shooting with their usual fluid teamwork, holding the NHL's past two scoring champions to two points - both from Daniel Sedin - in four games.

``It's playoff hockey. Not always one line that decides it,'' Luongo said. ``If we have to win a game 1-0 like we did in Game 1, then that's what we'll have to do.''

At least the Canucks have experience in coming back from embarrassing losses during this postseason. After taking a 3-0 lead on the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks in the first round, they lost the next two games by a combined 12-2.

Vancouver hung on to win Game 7 in overtime, and the Canucks don't expect this breakthrough to be any easier.

``Lou is going to be fine,'' Vigneault said of Luongo. ``He's one of the best goaltenders in the league. We've got a lot of trust and faith in him, in his ability to play well.''

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Playoff Results - Stanley Cup

June 9, 2011

Stanley Cup Final Results

Favorites are 4-0

Favorites that won are 2-2 on the puck line

Home teams are 4-0

The 'under' is 2-1-1


Visitor Home Final Score ATS OVER/UNDER

Wednesday June 1, 2011
Bruins Canucks (-200) 1-0 FAVORITE UNDER 5.5

Saturday June 4, 2011
Bruins Canucks (-200) 3-2 (OT) FAVORITE PUSH 5

Monday June 6, 2011
Canucks Bruins (-135) 8-1 FAVORITE OVER 5

Wednesday June 8, 2011
Canucks Bruins (-125) 4-0 FAVORITE UNDER 5

Friday June 10, 2011
Bruins Canucks

Monday June 13, 2011
Canucks Bruins

Wednesday June 15, 2011
Bruins Canucks

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Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

06/08/11 1-*1-*0 50.00% -*50 Detail
06/06/11 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail
06/04/11 0-*1-*1 0.00% -*500 Detail
06/01/11 1-*1-*0 50.00% 0 Detail

Totals 4-*3-*1 57.14% +450


Friday, June 10

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Boston - 8:00 PM ET Vancouver -164 500

Vancouver - Over 5 500

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Canucks try to hoist first-ever Stanley Cup Monday

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

at BOSTON BRUINS


NHL Playoffs – Stanley Cup Finals
Game 6 – Vancouver leads series 3-2
Puck drops: Monday, 8:05 p.m. EDT
Line: Boston -150, Vancouver +130, Total: 5

Facing elimination for the third time this postseason, the Bruins will look to extend their season again on Monday when they host Vancouver in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Boston won both Game 7s it played in this postseason, defeating the Canadiens in the first round and Tampa Bay in the Conference Finals, so the team is accustomed to performing under pressure. The B’s will look to get back the form that saw them outscore the Canucks 12-1 in winning Games 3-4 at home.

The Canucks fell to 2-6 all-time on the road in the Stanley Cup Finals after they were beaten 4-1 in Game 4. However, Vancouver recovered to win Game 5, 1-0, behind an incredible performance by Roberto Luongo, who stopped all 31 shots after allowing 12 goals on 58 shots (.793 Save Pct.) in Games 3-4. Luongo has now allowed just two goals on 97 shots (.979 Save Pct.) faced in the three home games this series. With his second 1-0 win of the series in Game 5, Luongo became just the second goalie in Stanley Cup Final history to win two 1-0 shutouts in a single series, joining Frank McCool of Toronto, who did it in 1945 against Detroit (Games 1 and 3). He is also the first goalie with multiple shutouts in a Stanley Cup Final since Chris Osgood had two in 2008.

On the negative side for the Canucks, they continued to struggle offensively as they have scored just two goals in their past three games, and six goals total in the series. Their power play continues to be non-existent, going 0-for-3 in Game 5, which puts them at 1-of-25 with the man-advantage this series. The Brothers’ Sedin also continue to be invisible, as they have combined for just two points (1 G, 1 A), both coming from Daniel. After totaling 12 points against the Sharks in the Conference Finals, Henrik has zero points and is a minus-2 this series.

Despite allowing just two goals in the past three games, and six total goals this series, the Bruins find themselves on the brink of elimination. Like the Canucks, Boston’s power play has been nearly invisible this series, going 3-for-21 with the man-advantage. Tim Thomas has been incredible, stopping 102 of 104 shots (.981 Save Pct.) in his past three games. If the Bruins want to send this series back to Vancouver, they need to do what they did so effectively in Games 3-4, which is pressure Vancouver up and down the ice, and try to create more turnovers that can be turned into odd-man rushes that will turn into goals. David Krejci has 11 points (3 G, 8 A) at home this postseason, tying him for the NHL lead for most points at home this postseason. All his 11 points have come in his past seven home games after being held scoreless in the four home games against the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

The Canucks will attempt to win their first ever championship on Monday, despite being outscored 14-6 so far this series. In the history of the Stanley Cup Final, this is the first occasion on which, at any point of any series, the team leading the series has been outscored, to that point, by greater than a 2-to-1 margin. In fact, it’s happened only once in any preliminary playoff round: in the 1966 semifinals, the Blackhawks took a 2-1 lead despite having been outscored by the Red Wings, 9-4. (Detroit won the next three games and took the series, four games to two).

Tim Thomas currently owns a .938 save percentage this season, including playoffs. It would be the highest save percentage in any season including playoffs since 1982-83 when it was first officially tracked. Because Thomas has been so great, I like him and the Bruins to outlast Luongo and the Canucks in a tight, gut-wrenching game that will be decided late. I like Boston to force Game 7, which it will lose, back in Vancouver.

The FoxSheets provide two more trends backing the Bruins on Monday night.

BOSTON is 21-9 ATS (70.0%, +9.8 Units) against explosive offensive teams - scoring 3+ goals/game - 2nd half of the season this season. The average score was BOSTON 3.4, OPPONENT 2.1 - (Rating = 2*).

BOSTON is 33-17 ATS (66.0%, +9.4 Units) after playing a road game this season. The average score was BOSTON 3.1, OPPONENT 2.2 - (Rating = 1*).

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NHL Betting: Boston Bruins, Canucks Game 6

Home ice has played a major role in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final so far with the host team winning all five games. Of course that means the Boston Bruins will have the edge in Game 6 on Monday back at TD Garden as they try to tie the NHL’s championship series at 3-3 and force a Game 7 against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday.

Monday's matchup is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. (PT) and will be televised by NBC.

Game 5 saw the Canucks blank the Bruins 1-0 for a second time in the series to move within one win of their first-ever Stanley Cup. Vancouver closed as a 160 home favorite after opening at -175. Maxim Lapierre scored the game-winning goal 4:35 into the third period to give his team a 3-2 series lead.

Boston opened as a 130 favorite for Game 6 according to the Don Best odds screen. The Bruins outscored Vancouver 12-1 in Games 3 and 4 on their home ice, but Monday's total remains steadfast at five goals for the fifth straight game, with the ‘under’ going 3-1-1 in the first five.

The Bruins will be depending on their home crowd to be a factor and help boost their offense which has scored just two goals in three road games. Boston goaltender Tim Thomas continues to be outstanding in this series despite losing all three of those games away from home, but the team’s power-play unit must find a way to support him by cashing in on more scoring chances.

Both teams have been abysmal on the power play in the series, with the Bruins converting on just 3-for-21, including 0-for-8 in the last two games after scoring three goals with the man advantage in the previous two.

The Canucks have been even worse despite possessing the league’s top power-play unit during the regular season, going a pathetic 1-for-25.

Scoring opportunities have not really determined who wins the games either. This has been proven by the team with more shots sitting 1-4 in the series.

The goalies quite simply have been the main story of this series with Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo struggling mightily on the road and playing lights out at home. Luongo gave up all 12 goals in the previous two games and even got benched before blanking Boston in Game 5, but he has stopped 95 of 97 shots at home, which bodes well if there is indeed a Game 7.

Meanwhile, Thomas has stopped an amazing 165 of 171 shots in the series yet finds his team needing a victory at home to keep the dream of winning the Stanley Cup alive. He has allowed only two goals combined in his last four home games with the team winning nine of 10 there.

The Bruins were able to feed off the frenzy that ensued following a vicious hit to the head of Nathan Horton by Aaron Rome in the first period of Game 3, but now they have their backs up against the wall and will need to use that as motivation.

Neither Horton (severe concussion) nor Rome (suspension) is available for the rest of the series.

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Canucks don't want to wait for Cup-clinching win

June 13, 2011


BOSTON (AP) - Daniel and Henrik Sedin have been anticipating this moment ever since the Vancouver Canucks drafted them in the same building where they'll try to win the Stanley Cup on Monday night.

The Swedish twins joined the Canucks at TD Garden in 1999, simultaneously pulling on Vancouver's old Orca sweaters. Nearly a dozen years later, they've got their first chance to win Vancouver's first championship in Game 6 of the finals against the Boston Bruins.

And if the NHL's highest-scoring duo can manage to score more than the single goal they've produced in the entire series against dominant Boston goalie Tim Thomas, it would help the Canucks' cause immensely. The Canucks might be on the brink of a title, but they still see ample room for improvement in their sprint to the finish.

``We're still confident,'' captain Henrik Sedin said Sunday. ``You lose confidence when you're cheating or doing things wrong, but this is a tough team. ... We're battling hard. They're a good team. We know we aren't going to get the chances maybe we get usually. That's the way it is. We have to bear down and get chances, and find a way to beat Tim Thomas.''

The confounding struggles of the NHL's past two scoring champions - Henrik has been shut out, and Daniel scored his two points in an 11-minute span of Game 2 - are just one strange aspect of these compelling finals, which began with a bite and grew to include taunts, a devastating late hit and plenty of media sniping from both dressing rooms.

They'll go to Game 7 in Vancouver on Wednesday if the Bruins defend the Garden ice again in a series dominated by the home teams.

``We don't want to see anybody raising the Cup on our home ice,'' Boston defenseman Dennis Seidenberg said. ``We can't focus on the future or on the past. We have to be in the moment in Game 6.''

Boston has outscored Vancouver 14-6 in the series, and Thomas has flummoxed the Canucks with a performance that seems likely to win him the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs MVP even if the Bruins lose the series.

The 37-year-old veteran sees ample reason to believe the Bruins can extend their season to its limit.

``You try to get the same focus that you had as a kid when you were out playing on the pond and you're just enjoying the game,'' Thomas said. ``Really, if you approach it like that, it can be really fun.''

But all spring, Vancouver has shown a resourcefulness borne out of years of playoff failures for the Sedins, who have spent a decade working to get the Canucks to the brink of the first title in their 40-year history.

After racking up the regular season's best record and then surviving several playoff scares, the Canucks don't want to wait another day for their first Cup.

``We're in a great spot,'' Henrik Sedin said. ``We're one win away from winning it, so we're excited. But we know if we get out of our comfort zone and start getting overly excited, it's going to take away from our game. That's a key for us, to come in here tomorrow and play the way we have all year.''

Although New England has rallied behind the Bruins in their quest for their first Cup since 1972, the streets of downtown Boston are unlikely to be filled Monday night with more than 100,000 screaming hockey fans and revelers, as Vancouver was last Friday when the Canucks moved to the brink with a 1-0 victory in Game 5.

Vancouver might be ready for a party that will make last year's Olympic festivities look like a high school prom, but nothing in the series' first five games suggests anybody will be dancing before Wednesday.

The home teams are unbeaten in the finals, and Boston has won nine of its past 10 at the Garden after losing its first two to Montreal in the first round.

Defenseman Kevin Bieksa said the Canucks have tried to avoid thinking about the pressure on their shoulders as they attempt to close out a landmark championship for Canada's westernmost franchise. Vancouver has persevered despite key injuries, a brutal travel schedule and a fan base that's both adoring and hypercritical.

``When they say it's the hardest trophy to win, they're absolutely right,'' Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said. ``It's so taxing physically on the players, so demanding with the travel, that it makes it a challenge. But our group, we said all along since Day One that we were ready for this, and we're trying to prove it.''

But can the Canucks prove it without going to Game 7? Boston outscored them 12-1 in the series' first two games at the Garden - and nobody exemplifies Vancouver's road struggles better than goalie Roberto Luongo, who turned in three stellar performances at home and laid two eggs in Boston.

The Canadian Olympic star is just 5-5 in the postseason with a 3.49 goals-against average and an .885 save percentage away from Vancouver, compared to a 10-3 mark with a 1.70 GAA and a .943 save percentage at Rogers Arena. All four of Luongo's playoff shutouts were at home, too.

``I don't want to start making excuses for what happened here in the first two games,'' said Luongo, who gave up 12 goals in just over four periods before getting pulled from Game 4. ``Maybe they got the first goal, a couple of lucky bounces, whatever it was, and as a team we got away from the game plan, myself included.''

Although the series has been a fascinating contrast of styles on the ice, it also has featured more than its share of bad sportsmanship, posturing and questionable behavior - from Alex Burrows' bite in Game 1 and the ensuing taunts to Aaron Rome's late hit on Nathan Horton in Game 3.

Luongo sparked another minor fire after Game 5 while explaining that his goaltending style might have given him a better chance than Thomas to stop Maxim Lapierre's game-winning goal.

The Bruins mostly brushed it off, and Luongo didn't apologize Saturday while noting he had been praising Thomas throughout the series - ``pumping his tires,'' Luongo called it - while Thomas hadn't said anything complimentary about him.

``I know we're in the Stanley Cup final, and everything is under the microscope and going to get blown out of proportion,'' Luongo said. ``My whole comment, I don't think was a negative comment if you take the whole comment. But at the end of the day, you know what? I'm one win away from winning the Stanley Cup, and that's all I really care about right now. All the other stuff is noise to me.''

The 37-year-old Thomas chuckled Sunday about the entire brouhaha.

``I didn't realize it was my job to pump his tires,'' Thomas said. ``I guess I have to apologize for that.''

The Canucks blew three straight chances to close out the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks in the first round, but they're 3-1 in closeout games since, finishing off San Jose on their first try in the Western Conference finals.

Boston had two chances to close out series in Game 6 during the postseason, but failed both times. They're playing their third elimination game at the Garden this spring.

The Bruins won Game 7 matchups with Montreal and Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but they can't rely this time on Horton, who scored the winning goals in both games.

Horton is out for the series with a concussion, but he showed up in the Bruins' locker room after Game 4 last Wednesday to give a boost to his teammates. Boston's first line looked good with Rich Peverley in Horton's place that night, but did relatively little in Game 5.

``We've always believed in ourselves, or we never would have made it to this position,'' Peverley said. ``We still believe we can win.''

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Boston hopes to force Game 7 at Vancouver

June 12, 2011


BOSTON (AP) - The Boston Bruins know their hopes of getting back to Vancouver and a chance to win the Stanley Cup ride largely on how they play in front of the Canucks' net.

Get traffic in front of goalie Roberto Luongo and start launching pucks his way. It's a simple formula that helped the Bruins go 2-0 at home in the Stanley Cup finals, but hasn't translated north of the border.

``Our net-front presence definitely caused problems for them in our two games here,'' Boston center Gregory Campbell said. ``Even before that, it's worked for us in the last three rounds, too. If he can't see the puck, he can't stop it, so we want to keep doing it.''

Luongo has been a stalwart at home but suspect on the road in the series, which Vancouver leads 3-2 entering Game 6 Monday night in Boston. Two of his three wins in the finals have been shutouts, but he allowed a dozen goals in games 3 and 4 in Boston last week.

One of them was on the power play when Michael Ryder scored on Luongo with Campbell providing a great screen in front during Boston's 8-1 rout that cut Vancouver's series lead to 2-1.

``Obviously he's proved that he's a great goalie his whole career and he's going to stop the puck if he sees it,'' Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron said. ``I think traffic in front is something that needs to be a lot better.''

The Bruins spent part of Sunday's practice digging pucks out of the corner and jostling in front of the net, preparing for Monday night as they try to avoid seeing the season end at home with the visitors skating off with the puck.

No matter how well Boston goalie Tim Thomas has been playing, he needs at least a little offensive support. The margin of each of Vancouver's wins in the series has been just one goal.

``We need to get to the front of the net and win battles,'' Boston coach Claude Julien said. ``If you're going to score goals, you have to win those battles and you have to put the pucks in the net and be there.''

That's not exactly a new strategy in hockey. Teams - especially ones such as Boston that struggled early in the playoffs on the power play - often speak of getting more shots on net and having people in front while trying to generate offense. It was a focus for all three games in Vancouver, too, and the Bruins scored just twice in three games there.

Vancouver's 1-0 win in Game 5 put Boston on the brink of elimination instead of just one win from claiming its first Stanley Cup since 1972. Just one goal could have changed the outcome, but the Bruins could get nothing past Luongo.

``We did some good things, but we need to get back to creating traffic and creating problems for them in front,'' forward Rich Peverley said.

Bruins fans will be ready to deride Luongo once again Monday. He was pulled after the final goal of Boston's 4-0 shutout to tie the series after allowing eight in the previous game.

Luongo wasn't sure what caused him to miss so many saves in those games, but said he knows he will see plenty of black sweaters trying to block his view and rattle his psyche however they can.

``That's the way you score in this league. You've got to get gritty. You've got to the hard areas, whack away at rebounds, tips, screens, all that kind of stuff,'' Luongo said. ``Especially when a team plays good defensively. You've got to get your noses dirty to get some goals. So for me, nothing changes.''

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Playoff Results - Stanley Cup

June 13, 2011

Stanley Cup Final Results


Favorites are 5-0

Favorites that won are 2-3 on the puck line

Home teams are 5-0

The 'under' is 3-1-1


Visitor Home Final Score ATS OVER/UNDER

Wednesday June 1, 2011
Bruins Canucks (-200) 1-0 FAVORITE UNDER 5.5

Saturday June 4, 2011
Bruins Canucks (-200) 3-2 (OT) FAVORITE PUSH 5

Monday June 6, 2011
Canucks Bruins (-135) 8-1 FAVORITE OVER 5

Wednesday June 8, 2011
Canucks Bruins (-125) 4-0 FAVORITE UNDER 5

Friday June 10, 2011
Bruins Canucks (-170) 1-0 FAVORITE UNDER 5

Monday June 13, 2011
Canucks Bruins

Wednesday June 15, 2011
Bruins Canucks

[StarDust Bum]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record
06/10/11 1-*1-*0 50.00% -*50 Detail
06/08/11 1-*1-*0 50.00% -*50 Detail
06/06/11 2-*0-*0 100.00% +*1000 Detail
06/04/11 0-*1-*1 0.00% -*500 Detail
06/01/11 1-*1-*0 50.00% 0 Detail
Totals 5-*4-*1 55.56% +400

Monday, June 13

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Vancouver - 8:00 PM ET Boston -140 500

Boston - Under 5 500

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NHL Odds: Vancouver, Boston Bruins Game 7

For the second time in three years and the sixth time over the past 10 seasons, a Game 7 will decide the winner of the Stanley Cup Final when the Boston Bruins visit the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. The Canucks will lean on home ice in hopes of winning their first-ever Stanley Cup and becoming the first Canadian team to win the NHL title since Montreal in 1993.

The Bruins forced Game 7 with a 5-2 rout in Game 6 on Monday as 150 favorites. They hope to hoist the Cup for the first time since 1972 and end a drought of five consecutive losses in the league’s championship series.

The team has outscored Vancouver 19-8 through the first six games but will need to find a way to break through on the road as the host has won every game so far.

The Canucks opened as 150 favorites to win Game 7 according to the Don Best odds screen with the total set at 5 for the sixth straight time in the series. Game time is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. (PT) with television coverage provided by NBC.

The ‘under’ is 3-2-1 in the first six games, including 2-0-1 in Vancouver.

Boston is 2-0 in Game 7's this postseason but has had the luxury of playing both of them at home. Each was a one-goal game much like the first three games of this series played at Rogers Arena.

The Canucks have already confirmed that embattled goalie Roberto Luongo will start Game 7 after getting chased for the second time in the series. Luongo was benched in the third period of Game 4 and relieved again by Cory Schneider in the first period of Game 6, with both combining to surrender a Stanley Cup Final record four goals within 4:14.

While Luongo has certainly struggled on the road – giving up 15 goals in three games – he has been stellar at home and gets one more opportunity to win in front of his fans. He posted 1-0 shutouts in Games 1 and 5 and looks to top his gold medal performance in the same building that saw him lead Canada past the United States 3-2 in overtime a little more than a year ago.

Ironically, Luongo’s play has been topped by his counterpart for the Bruins in Tim Thomas, who is the favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the NHL playoffs. Thomas has stopped an amazing 201 of 209 shots in the series (.962 save percentage). It is ironic though in the sense that Team USA goalie Ryan Miller also outplayed Luongo in the 2010 Winter Olympics yet walked away as the runner-up, which could very well be the same fate for Thomas.

Vancouver won its lone previous Game 7 of this postseason in the Western Conference quarterfinals, edging defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago 2-1 in overtime. As devastating as the team’s three road losses have been in this series against Boston, all may not have been lost if the Sedin twins can build off their third-period performance from Game 6.

Henrik Sedin had gone scoreless in the series until he lit the lamp 22 seconds into the third on the team’s second successful power-play attempt in 31 tries. Brother Daniel assisted on the goal and then later assisted on Maxim Lapierre’s second score in as many games.

The Canucks will likely need more production from the Sedins if they are going to become just the second Presidents’ Trophy winner in eight seasons to win the championship. It is worth noting that Pittsburgh beat Detroit in Game 7 on the road two years ago for the Stanley Cup, but the home team had won the previous six times under that scenario in the final round.

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Stanley Cup Game 7 Results

June 14, 2011


June 12, 2009 - Pittsburgh Penguins 2, Detroit Red Wings 1

June 19, 2006 - Carolina Hurricanes 3, Edmonton Oilers 1

June 7, 2004 - Tampa Bay Lightning 2, Calgary Flames 1

June 9, 2003 - New Jersey Devils 3, Anaheim Mighty Ducks 0

June 9, 2001 - Colorado Avalanche 3, New Jersey Devils 1

June 14, 1994 - New York Rangers 3, Vancouver Canucks 2

May 31, 1987 - Edmonton Oilers 3, Philadelphia Flyers 1

May 18, 1971 - Montreal Canadiens 3, Chicago Blackhawks 2

May 1, 1965 - Montreal Canadiens 4, Chicago Blackhawks 0

April 25, 1964 - Toronto Maple Leafs 4, Detroit Red Wings 0

April 14, 1955 - Detroit Red Wings 3, Montreal Canadiens 1

April 16, 1954 - Detroit Red Wings 2, Montreal Canadiens 1, OT

April 21, 1950 - Detroit Red Wings 4, New York Rangers 3, 2OT

April 22, 1945 - Toronto Maple Leafs 2, Detroit Red Wings 1

April 18, 1942 - Toronto Maple Leafs 3, Detroit Red Wings 1

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Bruins hope to shake road woes, win Cup

June 14, 2011


BOSTON (AP) - The hockey sticks were loaded on the plane. The goalie pads were placed in the baggage compartment. The skates were stowed on board.

What about the aggressive playing style that brought three dominant victories at home?

The Boston Bruins hoped that also made the 2,500-mile journey to Vancouver in search of hockey's biggest prize in a stirring Stanley Cup finals.

``We have to play the same way as we do at home,'' center David Krejci said after the Bruins forced Game 7 with a win on Monday night and before they left on their coast-to-coast flight Tuesday.

But the road team has lost all six games. The Canucks' victories have been by a single goal - 1-0, 3-2 and 1-0. The Bruins' wins have been blowouts - 8-1, 4-0 and 5-2. The totals: Boston 19, Vancouver 8.

Somehow, the Bruins must unpack the energy and physical play that were missing from the Game 5 shutout loss in time for Wednesday night's finale. In other words, play like a packed house is screaming for them and against the Canucks.

``Our guys have responded well and now we have to make sure we don't get comfortable with our game,'' Boston coach Claude Julien said. ``We're willing to bring it to Vancouver with us, because that's what it's going to take to win.''

The fans will be their enemies, rooting for the first Stanley Cup in the Canucks' 40-year history and against the Bruins' quest for their first in 39 years.

``It's kind of the same thing as here,'' said Krejci, the NHL playoff leader with 12 goals and 23 points. ``Every hit they do, or every shot, the crowd's pretty loud there. So, like I said, try to get the first goal and go from there.''

Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, so assured on the ice, can't figure out why the road team hasn't won.

``I can't really explain it,'' he said. ``It just seems we play better at home. On the road, we have some lapses, do some things wrong and do some things right. You have to pay attention for 60 minutes.''

Another oddity: during the regular season the Bruins had a better record in opposing arenas than in their own building.

There has been one constant as the finals have shifted from one side of North America to the other several times.

Bruins goalie Tim Thomas has been outstanding in every game - roaming from the crease to cut down angles, diving forward to pounce on pucks, even whacking Alexander Burrows on the leg with his stick when he thought the Canucks forward had hit that stick one too many times.

Thomas is the front-runner for the Conn Smythe Trophy given to the player most valuable to his team throughout the playoffs. He has allowed just eight goals in the finals. The Bruins scored that many in just two periods of Game 3.

``He's been in the zone for the whole playoffs and you can barely count on one hand how many bad goals he's given up,'' Julien said. ``That speaks volumes for him. He's come in and decided just to focus on his play and nothing else. He's been outstanding for us and we all know the teams that normally win the Stanley Cup usually have unbelievable goaltending. We feel like we've got that.''

The Canucks' goaltending has been unpredictable. The same goalie who has two shutouts at home was pulled from two games in Boston and allowed eight goals in the one he finished.

So which Roberto Luongo will show up Wednesday night?

``He's able to shake games off like it's nothing,'' said Brad Marchand, who started Boston's onslaught of four goals in 10 minutes Monday night. ``You know he's bounced back so many times and he's so tough to play against in Vancouver.''

In the first three rounds before the finals, both teams were 5-3 on the road and 7-3 at home. The Bruins clinched their three series at home. The Canucks wrapped up two of theirs at home and one in Nashville.

And the Bruins will be playing a seventh game in the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in their history.

The Canucks have played one potential elimination game in the playoffs, an overtime win over Chicago in the first round. The Bruins have had three - seventh games against Montreal and Tampa Bay and Monday's game against Vancouver. They won both Game 7s by one goal each.

They'd gladly take that again.

``We've created ourselves another opportunity and it's up to us to take advantage of it,'' Julien said, ``but we've got to be hungrier than we have been the last three times in Vancouver.''

If they succeed, they can set aside a seat for an extra passenger on the trip back home.

The Stanley Cup.

``It's the last game of the season. This is what you play for,'' defenseman Johnny Boychuk said. ``Obviously, it's a little kid's dream to win the Stanley Cup. And to do it on the road, it doesn't matter where as long as you win it.''

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NHL season concludes in Wednesday's Game 7

BOSTON BRUINS

at VANCOUVER CANUCKS


NHL Playoffs – Stanley Cup Finals
Game 7 – Series tied 3-3
Puck drops: Wednesday, 8:05 p.m. EDT
Line: Vancouver -160, Boston +140, Total: 5

For the 16th time in Stanley Cup history, there will be a seventh and deciding game to crown a champion. The Bruins held off elimination by defeating the Canucks 5-2 in Game 6, becoming the 10th team to force a Game 7 after trailing in the series two games to none. This is the seventh time in Stanley Cup history that the home team has won each of the first six games with the last time occurring in 2009. That year the Penguins defeated the Red Wings in Detroit to become the second road team to win a Game 7 after the first six games were won at home (the other time occurred in 1971 when the Canadiens defeated the Blackhawks in Chicago).

The Bruins head back to Vancouver after thoroughly dominating the Canucks in the three games they played in Boston, outscoring them 17-3. The Bruins scored four goals in a 4:14 span in the first period of Game 6, the fastest four goals in Stanley Cup Final history. The Bruins became the first team since the 1996 Avalanche in Game 2 to score four 1st-period goals in a Stanley Cup Final. After going 3-for-21 on the power play in the first five games of the series, the Bruins went 2-for-5 with the man-advantage on Monday. Brad Marchand scored his 9th goal of the postseason, breaking the Bruins rookie record for goals in a postseason. Forty-three-year-old Mark Recchi assisted on three goals in Game 6, becoming the oldest NHL player ever to record three points (or more) in a playoff game, breaking the standard set by Igor Larionov when he scored four points for the Red Wings at age 41 in a first-round game in 2002. Before Recchi, no player age 36 or older had ever scored more than two points in a Stanley Cup Final game. Boston goalie Tim Thomas actually showed he was human in Game 6, allowing two third-period goals after giving up just two goals in the previous 11 periods. Thomas made 36 saves in the Game 6 victory, and 26 of those saves were held without a rebound or controlled by the Bruins.

In losing Game 6, Vancouver tied an NHL record by losing for the fifth time this postseason when it had a chance to eliminate an opponent. The dubious record is shared by Detroit in 1942 and Boston in 2010. Roberto Luongo was once again awful in Boston, allowing three goals on eight shots before being removed in the first period on Monday. He also allowed 12 goals on 58 shots in Games 3-4 in Boston. But Luongo now heads back home for Game 7 where he has shut out Boston twice and owns a .979 save percentage this series, compared to the .773 save percentage he has on the road. After going 1-for-25 on the power play in the first five games, Henrik Sedin finally scored another PPG for the Canucks in the third period. However, Vancouver is still a pathetic 2-of-31 with the man-advantage in the Stanley Cup Finals. For Henrik, it was his first point this series after not recording one in the first five games. Brother Daniel Sedin, also got on the scoreboard in Game 6, earning assists on both of the Canucks goals after registering just two total points (1 G, 1 A) in the first five games.

The NHL season now comes down to a final game in one of the best and most exciting postseasons in recent league history. For the Bruins, this is their first-ever Game 7 in a Stanley Cup final, while Vancouver will be playing in its second, having lost at Madison Square Garden to the Rangers in 1994. This is the third seventh game for the Bruins this postseason, as they join the 2001-02 Avalanche and 1992-93 Maple Leafs as the only teams to compete in three Game 7s in a single postseason. The good news for the Canucks is that the home team is 12-3 all-time in Game 7s of the Stanley Cup Finals, but the bad news is that one of those losses occurred the last time the NHL went to a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup when the Penguins defeated the Red Wings in Detroit in 2009.

I have said all along that this would be a tight series that would go seven games. While Boston has dominated the series on the scoreboard outscoring the Canucks 19-8, Vancouver still has a chance to be crowned champions. I picked Vancouver to win the Stanley Cup when the playoffs began, and even though they were thoroughly outplayed in Boston, I like the Canucks to win Game 7. I’m picking Vancouver to become the eighth Presidents’ Trophy team to win the Cup since the NHL began the award in 1985-86 (and the first since the 2007-08 Red Wings), and the first Canadian team to win the Cup since the 1993 Montreal Canadiens.

The FoxSheets provide another reason to expect the Canucks to lift the Cup for the first time in franchise history.

VANCOUVER is 22-4 ATS (84.6%, +14.6 Units) in home games after having lost 2 of their last 3 games over the last 2 seasons. The average score was VANCOUVER 3.7, OPPONENT 2.0 - (Rating = 2*).

The FoxSheets also expect Game 7 to be low-scoring and finish Under the total.

Play Under - Any team against the total (VANCOUVER) - good closing team-outscoring opp. by 0.2+ goals/game in third period - 2nd half of the season, after a blowout loss by 3 goals or more in their previous game. (83-39 over the last 5 seasons.) (68%, +41.2 units. Rating = 3*).

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NHL Odds: Vancouver, Boston Bruins Game 7

For the second time in three years and the sixth time over the past 10 seasons, a Game 7 will decide the winner of the Stanley Cup Final when the Boston Bruins visit the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. The Canucks will lean on home ice in hopes of winning their first-ever Stanley Cup and becoming the first Canadian team to win the NHL title since Montreal in 1993.

The Bruins forced Game 7 with a 5-2 rout in Game 6 on Monday as 150 favorites. They hope to hoist the Cup for the first time since 1972 and end a drought of five consecutive losses in the league’s championship series.

The team has outscored Vancouver 19-8 through the first six games but will need to find a way to break through on the road as the host has won every game so far.

The Canucks opened as 150 favorites to win Game 7 according to the Don Best odds screen with the total set at 5 for the sixth straight time in the series. Game time is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. (PT) with television coverage provided by NBC.

The ‘under’ is 3-2-1 in the first six games, including 2-0-1 in Vancouver.

Boston is 2-0 in Game 7's this postseason but has had the luxury of playing both of them at home. Each was a one-goal game much like the first three games of this series played at Rogers Arena.

The Canucks have already confirmed that embattled goalie Roberto Luongo will start Game 7 after getting chased for the second time in the series. Luongo was benched in the third period of Game 4 and relieved again by Cory Schneider in the first period of Game 6, with both combining to surrender a Stanley Cup Final record four goals within 4:14.

While Luongo has certainly struggled on the road – giving up 15 goals in three games – he has been stellar at home and gets one more opportunity to win in front of his fans. He posted 1-0 shutouts in Games 1 and 5 and looks to top his gold medal performance in the same building that saw him lead Canada past the United States 3-2 in overtime a little more than a year ago.

Ironically, Luongo’s play has been topped by his counterpart for the Bruins in Tim Thomas, who is the favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the NHL playoffs. Thomas has stopped an amazing 201 of 209 shots in the series (.962 save percentage). It is ironic though in the sense that Team USA goalie Ryan Miller also outplayed Luongo in the 2010 Winter Olympics yet walked away as the runner-up, which could very well be the same fate for Thomas.

Vancouver won its lone previous Game 7 of this postseason in the Western Conference quarterfinals, edging defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago 2-1 in overtime. As devastating as the team’s three road losses have been in this series against Boston, all may not have been lost if the Sedin twins can build off their third-period performance from Game 6.

Henrik Sedin had gone scoreless in the series until he lit the lamp 22 seconds into the third on the team’s second successful power-play attempt in 31 tries. Brother Daniel assisted on the goal and then later assisted on Maxim Lapierre’s second score in as many games.

The Canucks will likely need more production from the Sedins if they are going to become just the second Presidents’ Trophy winner in eight seasons to win the championship. It is worth noting that Pittsburgh beat Detroit in Game 7 on the road two years ago for the Stanley Cup, but the home team had won the previous six times under that scenario in the final round.