Kevin Jackman

Written by Andy Dunk, follow us on Twitter- @kjackmansports or Facebook.com/jackmansports 

            After dropping the first two games in heartbreaking fashion, giving up a game winner in the last minute of game one and eleven seconds into overtime in game two, many thought that the Bruins could not recover. If you were one of those believers, you would be wrong. Early in game three the Vancouver Canucks made one of the worst kinds of mistakes, a mental mistake. Battling on the road against a withered and weak Bruins squad reeling from two late game defeats, the Canucks got the Bruins angry. Away from the play, the Canucks’ Aaron Rome blindsided the Bruins’ Nathan Horton in the head. Horton was knocked down and wheeled off after many minutes of frightened silence. After taking a few minutes to recover, the Bruins got their revenge, but not with their fists. In the final two periods, the Bruins came out with a vengeance. They took it to another level finding a passion and intensity which they lacked early in the series. In a short forty minute span, the Bruins put up eight goals, that’s right, eight goals. Not only did the Bruins win the game, they found a new gear and took it to the Canucks. This intensity carried over into game four. Stepping in for the injured Nathan Horton on line one, Rich Peverley netted two goals leading his team to a 4-0 victory. The Canucks were outplayed, out-hustled, and most of all, out-hearted. The Bruins have now outscored the Canucks 12-1 in the last two games and taken charge of this series. This Stanley Cup finals is eerily similar to a series which many of you know very well, the Blackhawks round one series against the Canucks. Up two games to none and in route to a third straight win and a three to nothing series lead, the Canucks Raffi Torres ignited fury in their opponents when he took a shot to the head of the Blackhawks Brent Seabrook. In response, the Blackhawks won three straight and nearly won the series.

            So what did this incident teach the Canucks? Absolutely nothing.

            Rome ’s hit on Nathan Horton has had the same effect on the Stanley Cup finals. With the Bruins only dropping the first two games compared to the Blackhawks dropping the first three, the Bruins have a strong chance now to come all the way back and win this series. While history is against the Bruins coming all the way back after dropping the first two games, this series is far from your typical series. With the Alexandre Burrows biting of the finger incident and now Rome ’s gutless hit, the Bruins are motivated to not only win, but to dominate the Canucks. While the Canucks still have home-ice advantage and are still favored to win the series, they are not the team that I want to win this series. Personally nothing attracts me to the Bruins, I just cannot root for the Canucks after watching them play. Multiple times the Canucks have been seen flopping. The Sedin twins are guilty of this on multiple occasions. The Canucks have been trying to draw undeserved penalties and taken multiple shots at unprotected players. Once a team admired for their offensive production and tough defense, the Canucks are now a team which I cannot stand.