“All you can do is worry about yourself and your own preparation. All we can do is control what we can control and that’s us.“-Andrew Ference pre-game

That was the mentality of Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference prior to the start of Game 4 against the Chicago Blackhawks. Unfortunately, the Bruins played catch-up the entire game and ended up at the short-end of the stick as Chciago got the final go-ahead goal in overtime for a 6-5 final and 2-2 series tie.

Patrice Bergeron and J. Toews take the face off (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

The first period of Game 4 proved to be a mirrored image of Game 2 for Boston in the sense that the Chicago Blackhawks came out with fire under their skates as they contained the Bruins to no shots on goal through the first 7 minutes of the frame. As Johnny Oduya found himself in the ox for an interference call on Tyler Seguin, the Bruins attempted to get the momentum swinging in their favor. As Seguin battled along the boards for the puck Brandon Saad got the upper hand and raced towards Rask. As he neared closer he handed the puck off to Michael Handzus who placed the puck perfectly behind Rask for a 1-0 Chicago lead. The goal comes as Chicago’s first shorthanded goal of the series against the Bruins. Immediately following the goal from the ‘Hawks, Torey Krug wound up and blasted a shot at Crawford that careened off of a defenseman’s skate and Krejci was unable to bank the rebound in. The shot came as one of the best opportunities of the opening frame from Boston.

In the final half of the period, the Bruins found themselves on the powerplay once again, this time ready to generate the offense. Torey Krug managed to post three shots on net, one ringing off the post sparking enough energy into Boston to get the ball rolling. As the puck dropped for the next face off, the ‘Hawks attempted to clear the puck out, but Andrew Ference kept the puck in and managed to get it across ice to Rich Peverley. Peverley threw the puck out in front and froze Corey Crawford, beating him glove side before he knew what happened, tying the game at 1. The goal was exactly what Boston needed to wake up as the energy level rose and they littered Crawford with shots. The first frame ended with a score deadlocked at 1 and the shots in favor of Chicago 12-9.

To start the second period the Bruins came out roaring on the power play with Dennis Seidenberg and Torey Krug holding the blue line and keeping the shots on Crawford. Unfortunately, Crawford was prepared and kept his team in it, standing tall between the pipes. At the 6:33 mark of the second period Rozsival blasted a shot from outside the left circle that was re-directed by a low Toews to put the Blackhawks up 2-1 over Boston, providing them to play catch up once again. Wiping out his scoreless streak of the series along with captain Jonathan Toews was Patrick Kane as he was able to bank the second chance opportunity at 8:41 for a 3-1 Chicago lead.

As the clock neared the 5:00 mark, the Bruins played on, Zdeno Chara blasted a shot at Crawford and much like Toews goal, Milan Lucic was camped out in front for the second chance opportunity to cut the ‘Hawks lead to 1.  Unfortunately, the Bruins got caught celebrating a little too long and Kruger becomes the nightmare on Causeway as he was able to stay with the puck after Chara and Rask went sprawling and put it in the back of the net, reinstating the 2-goal lead. Goals came at 14:43 and 15:30 respectively. As Patrick Kane found himself in the box, the Bruins power play went to work once more. Zdeno Chara, once again, blasted a shot and it went off of the back boards and over the net. As it came down out in front of Crawford Patrice Bergeron got a piece of it and put it past the netminder, cutting the lead once more. For the final forty-five seconds the Bruins hammered Crawford with shots, the best chance coming from Chris Kelly who missed the net by no more than three inches on a rebound attempt sounding the goal horn as well. Through forty, the ‘Hawks were up 4-3 and leading the shot clock 25-19.

Bruins kept up the momentum like they needed to to begin the third period and as Jaromir Jagr and Patrice Bergeron worked the corners and won battles, good things came for the Bruins. As Jagr peeled back to get the puck to Bergeron, he released a quick shot and sniped the puck past Crawford to tie the game at 4 at the 2:05 marker of the third. Chicago dominated the play for the next seven minutes or so until Jonathan Toews found himself in the box for high-sticking on Nathan Horton. Unfortunately the power play didn’t last very long as Jaromir Jagr had his stick lifted and caught Duncan Keith in the mouth making it four-on-four hockey. Following that, Krejci found himself in the box for holding after a Lucic turnover allowing Kane an opportunity. As the ‘Hawks found themselves on an abbreviated 5-on-3, it was only a matter of when they would capitalize. The go-ahead came from Patrick Sharp putting the Blackhawks up by one once again. In continuance of the first two frames, the lead didn’t last long as Johnny Boychuk blasted a one-timer and beat Crawford tying the game at 5 at the 12:14 mark, less than a minute after the ‘Hawks goal. Despite some late surging from both sides, the game remained tied at five and required additional minutes.

A quick pace started off the overtime period as each team traded opportunities back and forth. Unfortunately, the ‘Hawks had the right opportunity at the right time as Brent Seabrook unleashed a bomb from the high point and tied the series 2-2.  Next game will be Saturday at 8:00pm ET in Chicago at the United Center.

Tuukka Rask (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

Tonight the third game of the Stanley Cup Finals took place in Boston as the Bruins hosted the Blackhawks for the first time on home ice. Despite a late surge by Chicago, and by late I mean the last two minutes, the Bruins held strong and Tuukka earned his third postseason shutout to put Boston up 2-1 in the series.

After a seemingly lifeless start for the Boston Bruins in game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final it was a welcomed surprise to see them come out of the locker room with confidence. They found themselves on the short-end of the stick when it came to man-advantages as both Kaspars Daugavins and Shawn Thornton found themselves in the penalty box. Despite being a man down on two different occasions the Bruins held their offensive pressure and contained Chicago to no shots on goal. Through twenty minutes the Bruins and ‘Hawks were deadlocked at zero and Boston holding a slight 11-10 advantage in shots.

Second period began with Boston excitement as Tyler Seguin blasted a shot on Corey Crawford that went off of his glove. Chris Kelly and Daniel Paille kept the pressure on and won the battles in the corners and were able to get an open shot on Crawford that provided Paille with his second goal in as many games.  Jaromir Jagr, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron teamed up for one of the best shifts of the period as they began with a two-on-one opportunity and kept the pressure on Chicago for a good 40-45 seconds straight before Crawford was able to stop the play. As the Bruins found themselves on a 5-on-3 opportunity for 11 seconds, they worked the advantage. Just as the first penalty expired Zdeno Chara was able to send the puck down low to Jaromir Jagr who quickly passed the puck across in front to Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron settled it down and was able to bank the puck in off the post for a 2-0 Boston lead at 14:05. A lead that would last into the final frame.

The Bruins continued to build off of their momentum they set forth in the first and second periods and kept the strong offensive power going. The most excitement from the frame came in the remaining sixty seconds as Chicago pulled Crawford and gained the extra attacker. As Brian Bickell came off the bench he unleashed a bomb on Rask that hit the far post and came out the other end behind Rask. As Bickell came in the crease he gave Chara a little shove to which Chara retaliated with a cross-check and that’s all she wrote. The two were in a jousting match that led to Brad Marchand and Andrew Shaw landing a few punches on each other as well. With 11.9 seconds remaining the Blackhawks showed the most sign of life they had all game, but it was too little too late as the Bruins skated away with a 2-0 shutout victory to claim their first lead in the series.

The next game is Wednesday night with a faceoff time set for 8:00pm ET.

Tonight marked game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final series and the Bruins looking to bounce back from a triple overtime loss to Chicago on Wednesday night. Things started off slow, but towards the end of the second the Bruins seemed to have worked the kinks out and were playing hockey like we all know they are capable of. In added minutes, 13:48 to be exact, a new line change would be the deciding factor for the Bruins as they soared to new heights and won the game 2-1.

Daniel Paille scored the game-winning goal for the Bruins tonight. (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

Coming as a surprise to some, Nathan Horton was in the starting line up tonight, despite leaving Wednesday’s game early with an apparent shoulder injury. Why? Because he’s a hockey player and because it’s the Cup. Game 2 began at a slow pace with no line changes for the Bruins as Torey Krug also remained in the line up proving that some mistakes are just that and that everybody makes them. The ‘Hawks dominated the play early on and after a handful of shots after a penalty on the Bruins expired, Chelsea Dagger ran through the arena as they managed to find a way to beat Rask for a 1-0 lead at 11:22 thanks to Patrick Sharp. Even after the goal was scored the Bruins had a hard time clearing the zone once again with a neutral zone turnover from, Torey Krug the Blackhawks had a wrap-around scoring opportunity from Jonathan Toews. Upon revision, it was deemed no goal thanks to quick action from Tuukka Rask and play resumed with Chicago leading shots 15-3 halfway through the first. Despite a late push from Boston, the Blackhawks went into the dressing rooms up 1-0 over the Bruins.

The second period brought even more turnovers and a lot of rushing from the Boston side of things. They needed to calm things down and revert back to smart and simple hockey. As the clock winded down the Bruins began to pinch and needed a surge. As the clock hit the final five minutes of the frame, Daniel Paille was able to get the puck from behind the net and get it in front to Chris Kelly who snapped it quick and tied the game at a goal a piece igniting energy on the Bruins bench. Go-ahead goal opportunity came in the final minute of the play with a rushing Brad Marchand that got taken down and the puck went off of the post and across the goal mouth. Through forty minutes, the Blackhawks still held the advantage on the shot clock with a 23-12 edge, but the score was tied at 1.

The third period brought back a familiar friend among Bruins fans as they came out with energy and finesse as Jaromir Jagr set up Brad Marchand for one of the best plays, if not the best) of the night as he shot a cross-ice pass out in front that Crawford somehow managed to stop. To be expected there was a lot of back and forth play through the final frame, thus resulting in yet another overtime period to try and decide a victor.

In the opening minutes Jaromir Jagr (having seemingly his best game all postseason) rang the puck off the post and out of play, letting out a frustrated yell.  As the period carried on, the Bruins threw continuous shots on net hitting the cross bar, the sides and fanning on a couple of shots. The ‘Hawks had a couple of opportunities, but Rask stood tall and kept the Bruins in it. Around the 11:00 mark Tyler Seguin and company tried to bank in a rebound but Crawford, in Rask-like fashion, stood tall and kept his team in the game. Shortly after that, Brad Marchand went face-to-face with Crawford and unleashed a rising shot that deflected off of Duncan Keith and went out of play keeping the game tied with 7:38 on the clock. As the Bruins kept the pressure on, the game-changer would come from a new line formed by Claude. As Tyler Seguin, Chris Kelly and Daniel Paille took the ice together, Seguin shot a pass across from left to right and Paille ripped a shot past the stick-side of Corey Crawford for the game-winning goal. The series now stands tied at 1 game a piece as the two teams head back to Boston for game 3 on Monday night.

Tyler Seguin, left, and Nathan Horton, right, celebrate a goal.

Well, if you stayed up until Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals ended, in triple OT, you suffered along with the rest of us. But after the game was over and done with, I heard many looking for a scapegoat and there have been quite a few names that have come up. Dennis Seidenberg, for reaching down to pick up his glove in the third 20 minute overtime period or Kaspers Daugavins, for not shooting the puck when he had Crawford down and out of position, among a few others. But along with those murmurs there has been some disgruntled fans about a one Tyler Seguin, the second overall pick in the 201o NHL draft.
“He’s not physical.” “He shies away from real contact.” “He can’t finish.” “He just doesn’t have ‘it’.” The “it” they’re referring to, I’m presuming, is the ability to produce and get on the score sheets. And my personal favorite, “trade him for someone who can get the job done.” Now I’m not going to make excuses for him, just give those who think these things some food for thought.

And I’ll start with this. For a lot of the regular season I could see the obvious struggles in his game like anyone. Through 48 games Seguin had 16 goals and 16 assists, giving him 32 points. He was ranked 9th in the NHL in shots on goal, with 161, but only managed to bury 9.9% of them. Those are frustrating numbers for anyone, especially when he is supposed to be a superstar. And especially when he scored 25 goals and got 15 assists in 29 games for the EHC Biel during the lockout early this season.

But let me bring you back to 2011-2012. Tyler Seguin had 29 goals and 38 assists, leaving him with 67 points in the regular season. That was enough to lead the team in points and goals. He was a +34 and was ranked number 2 in the NHL, behind linemate Patrice Bergeron. But he had some minor struggles in the postseason, playing 7 games and only netting two goals and an assist. The first goal was in OT of Game Six against the Washington Capitals, and the second in Game Seven, but the Bruins were not able to advance. Seguin showed then and there he could work in Claude Julien‘s system, so the argument of him not fitting into it is obviously wrong. It’s true Julien hasn’t exactly helped him excel but he’s been able to work in it.

Back to the present, the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Seguin has played 17 games and only has one goal and four assists to show for it. He is ranked 4th in

(photo credit: Steph Phillips)

the league in shots on goal, with 62, but again can’t bury his chances. These numbers may be a result of his linemates, Rich Peverly and Chris Kelly and only averaging 16 minutes of ice time a game. Peverly has 0 points in 14 games and Kelly 0 points in 21 games. I see him still creating chances and playing good every game. In Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals he made a beautiful pass to Patrice Bergeron and would get the assist on the powerplay goal. With Nathan Horton day-to-day with an upper body injury,and if Seguin stays on the top line, we may see him finally burying the chances he gets.

My least favorite argument anyone makes against Tyler Seguin may be the comparison to Taylor Hall, who went right before him, number one overall, in the 2010 NHL draft. The Edmonton Oilers drafted Hall and he has been playing excellent in the system he’s in so far. This year Hall played three less games than Seguin and had 16 goals and 34 assists. But he’s also playing with number one overall picks in Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nial Yukapov. Along with Sam Gagner, Jordon Eberle, and Ales Hemsky. Not to mention the Oilers organization has worked on building an offensive system for the past 4 or 5 years. But even with that offensive power, Hall has never seen playoff action. No one can compare these two in the playoffs because no one knows how Taylor Hall will play. Tyler Seguin and Taylor Hall are two different types of players, playing in two different types of systems.

As of right now, Tyler Seguin isn’t where I wanted or where I expected him to be either. But it takes quite a while to develop a player into what you want him to be and into an NHL star. So right now, I don’t think Tyler Seguin is at his peak, but I don’t think he’s as awful as everyone is making him seem. Give him some time and linemates that can help him produce, and you may see some decent numbers.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: The Boston Bruins are once again chasing the dream of hoisting the Stanley Cup over their heads for the second time in the past two years. Prior to leaving for Chicago to start the series Wednesday, June 12, the TD Garden is inviting all of the fans for the Bruins to join in the sending off of their home team.

Due to the forecast of inclement weather, the sendoff will take place inside TD Garden at the level 2 turnstiles area.  As a result, only the first 1,000 fans to arrive will be admitted.  Fans can enter at the East Premium Entrance beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET. This event is free and open to the public. (via Boston Bruins Official Site)

So, if you’re in the area around that time, be sure to show your love and support for your Eastern Conference Champions.  The countdown is on ladies and gentlemen, get ready for the Stanley Cup Finals. (You may want to save your vocal cords for the serious yelling/cheering/chanting that will ensue for this series)

Game 1: Wednesday June 12, 8pm (Chicago)

Game 2: Saturday June 15, 8pm (Chicago)

Game 3: Monday June 17, 8pm (Boston)

Game 4: Wednesday, June 19, 8pm (Boston)

Game 5: Saturday, June 22 8pm (Chicago)

Game 6: Monday, June 24, 8pm (Boston)

Game 7: Wednesday, June 26, 8pm (Chicago)

Patrice Bergeron and J. Toews take the face off (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

Did you ever think you would see the day where the final four teams left standing would be the reigning Cup Champions from the previous four years? Did you ever think the Boston Bruins would sweep the best team in the East and contain them to only two goals? Did you ever think that the Chicago Blackhawks would beat the LA Kings without going to Game 7? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you’re lying. No one could have predicted ANY of those outcomes. Why? Because it’s the playoffs, because it’s the Cup and this crazy kind of stuff happens.

The Bruins now embark on the first Original Six meeting for the Stanley Cup Final since 1979 against a team that they haven’t faced since October 15, 2011 where they needed to have a shootout for the final decision, one that went in the Bruins favor thanks to Tyler Seguin. While there may not be any overlapping story lines regarding fallout trades or prior Stanley Cup Champions with the skate on the other foot, there are some fun facts with this series.

Friend or Foe?

For instance, during the lockout both Tyler Seguin and Patrick Kane played over in the Swiss Elite League for EHC Biel where they tore up the scene. Seguin, through 29 games was able to post 25 goals and 15 assists, while Kane registered 13 goals and 10 assists in 20 games.  The two paired together are a force to be reckoned with, but now that they are on opposite sides of the ice, who has the advantage?

Seguin had a good season with the Bruins,  he scored 13 goals and added 13 assists  for 25 points in 48 games.  The most impressive stat was Seguin’s +23 which ranked him 8th in league with teammate Brad Marchand.

While Seguin’s return to the NHL was “good”, Kane’s performance was sensational. In 47 games, he scored 23 goals to go along with 32 assists for 55 points. He finished fifth in the NHL in scoring.

However, as the playoffs have hit, both have been under-performing. The biggest highlight out of the two players combined is Patrick Kane’s hat trick he netted last night in leading his team to a 4-3 double OT victory.

Between the Pipes:

Who is the better goaltender, Tuukka Rask or Corey Crawford? Prior to heading into the postseason both netminders were under the proverbial microscope and would be judged based on their performances now more than ever. However, both have risen to the occasion, coming up big when they’ve needed to and keeping their respective teams in the running for the big prize.

Crawford has answered all of the critics who didn’t think he was ready or capable of carrying his team, serving as the league’s best goaltender in the postseason with a 1.74 goals against average, a mere .01 better than his opponent Tuukka Rask.

The main question surrounding Rask heading into the postseason was whether or not he could handle the full load that goes along with being a starting goaltender in the unexpected absence of Tim Thomas. However, those critics have since been silenced after he posted 158 saves against the Pittsburgh Penguins from 160 shots and shut them out twice in the series sweep.

Other Facts:

• Both teams have been killer when it comes to penalty kill (see what I did there?). In fact the ‘Hawks currently hold the best record standing at 94.8% while the Bruins sit ate 86.5% after blanking the Penguins 0-for-15 in their last series. The question for the Finals-will ANYONE score a powerplay goal?
• The Bruins are 5-1-1 on the road in the playoffs, scoring at a wicked good 3.43 goals per game and allowing just 1.86.(via Puckdaddy)
• The Blackhawks are 9-1-0 at home in the postseason, with 3.30 goals per game average and allowing 1.70 goals against per game. (via PuckDaddy)

The series between Chicago and Boston is set to begin Wednesday, June 12 in Chicago. Own the moment, because it’s the Cup.

Game 4 came down to goaltending and simple, smart hockey. The Bruins did everything in their power to come back from game 7 against the Toronto Maple Leafs and have been on a rampage ever since. Tonight they performed what no one expected or thought could be done as they swept the Bruins with Rask stopping 158 of the last 160 shots he faced. The Boston Bruins are the 2013 Eastern Conference Champions and have advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.

While the Bruins found themselves almost instantly on the penalty kill with birthday boy Milan Lucic in the box for a questionable (at best) unsportsmanlike conduct, they were able to contain the Penguins through the first frame. Despite efforts from Chris Kunitz and Sidney Crosby, Rask once again stood tall and kept the game under the Bruins control. Evgeni Malkin, who tallied 21 shots in Wednesday night’s game, was completely blocked out as he failed to manage a single shot at Rask.  Through the first twenty the Bruins led on the shot clock with 11 shots to the Penguins 8, but the tie remained deadlocked at zero.

The second period brought much more emotion and intensity as the two teams came out of the locker rooms roaring. The Penguins initiated the first shot on net of the period, but the Bruins had the best opportunity as they rung the post behind Vokoun. Shortly after Torey Krug would get hit from behind, resulting in a bloody mess of a lip that he would get stitched up and be ready for his next shift. A shift where he caressed the puck past Tyler Kennedy and created a scoring opportunity of his own showing the rookies watching, how it’s done. As the clock winded down, the intensity continued to escalate, with the score coming down to goaltending. The Bruins had numerous two-on-one opportunities, thanks to Kaspars Daugavins and company, but were unable to convert. The Penguins surged with a thirty second push to end the second, but through forty the score remained at zero.

Brad Marchand may have taken a few unnecessary penalties in the second frame, but he redeemed himself just five minutes in to the third frame as he pivoted and set up Adam McQuaid for a top shelf shot past Tomas Vokoun for the first goal of the game.  Just past the halfway marker the Bruins found themselves on the power play as Kris Letang went to the box for tripping. As they worked the clock down, Jaromir Jagr had one of the greatest opportunities as he rung the cross bar, hard. Unfortunately, that was the only opportunity on the man advantage they would get as Nathan Horton took his own seat in the box for holding.  Despite turning into a penalty kill, Daniel Paille used his agility and speed to work his way through the neutral zone and create a shorthanded opportunity one-on-one with Vokoun that went high and left into the boards behind the netminder. With the clock winding down the crowd began to rise to their feet and chant, “We want the Cup,’ as the Bruins clung to their 1-0 lead.

As the clock ticked down the final five minutes the Penguins began to get even more visibly frustrated than they were in Games 1 and 2. With 1:35 remaining Tomas Vokoun hit the bench for an extra attacker for Pittsburgh. Though they applied the pressure the Bruins held their ground and performed the unthinkable as they swept the Penguins in four games straight and advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.

Milan Lucic (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

It seems fairly fitting that as the Bruins embark on what could be the most astonishing series of the 2013 series, one of the driving forces celebrates his 25th birthday. Today, heavy-hitter and power forward Milan Lucic celebrates his big day. On this day in 1988, Milan was brought into this world in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He has served the Bruins with his will and tenacity since 2006, the year after the lockout, instilling the slogan; “The Big, Bad Bruins.”

One of his most famous fights comes from a series with Mike Komisarek, as each time the two seemed to meet up they tussled. The most famous of course:

While Lucic has faced adversity his entire life, beginning with the diagnosis of Scheuermann’s disease (a medical condition causing the back bone to curve), he hasn’t let it get in his way. He was destined to be a fighter since his younger days and is best known for his never back down attitude. Though he may have been struggling throughout the course of the regular season, he has flipped the switch and reverted back to the smart yet physical Milan Lucic we have all come to love and admire.

Happy Birthday Looch and good luck tonight as you attempt the unthinkable-sweeping the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Gregory Campbell (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

After taking a 90+ mph shot to the leg last night during a penalty kill for the Bruins, Gregory Campbell finished the remaining 45 seconds through pain. He did not return to the game and was later seen on crutches by media personnel.  News broke this morning that the forward suffered a broken right fibula and will not return for the remainder of the season.

“For what he went through, he showed a lot of guts to stay out there and to still try and play,” Julien said. “Obviously it was a pretty serious injury, so that’s just the kind of player he is, and it doesn’t surprise me, it doesn’t surprise his teammates, but certainly it shows the character of that player, and that’s why we appreciate having him on our team.”(via ESPN)

Gregory Campbell will be a big position to fill as the Bruins look to sweep the Penguins Friday night at home.  The center averages 10-12 minutes of ice time per night and has 7 points through the first 15 games of the playoffs. Looking at the players on deck Claude has some decent choices. He can put in Kaspars Daugavins who made an appearance in one game for the postseason, or take a look a little further down the line at guys like Jay Pandolfo or Carl Soderberg. All three are ample suggestions for the position.  Jordan Caron, Chris Bourque and Carter Camper are among the Providence players serving as Black Aces.

One thing is for certain, whoever fills the skates of Gregory Campbel has a big duty to fill, one that has helped push the Bruins fourth line to one of the best in the league over the course of the past three seasons.