Kevin Bieksa lights up Game 5 in Vancouver with biggest assist of the playoffs and his career –NHL Update
It was the assist that saved Vancouver Canucks from going into an uncertain overtime against Boston Bruins in Game 5 of the 2011 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Finals’ series and ultimately brought Canucks one game closer to winning its first Stanley
Cup in 40 years.
The Rogers Arena was sold out with 13,000 plus fans, all anticipating a huge comeback by their team and not only were they pushing for Canucks’ first Stanley Cup, but along with the whole Canadian fan base, they want to put an end to the 18 year drought
Canada has had with regard to bringing the Stanley Cup up north.
Vancouver Canucks knew it had to counter back after losing two straight embarrassing games at the TD Center in Boston and Canucks’ goalie, Roberto Luongo, certainly helped his team achieve that.
Keven Bieksa, a native of Grimsby, Ontario, Canada, knew that there was a lot on the line and either team had the chance to put the other on the brink of elimination.
It was his assist at the 4:35 mark of the final period that changed everything for Canucks and made life in the 2011 NHL Playoffs just a little bit easier for the Canadian franchise.
The 2011 NHL Entry Draft fifth round pick bounced off the puck from the right side of Boston’s goalie, Tim Thomas, as he narrowed an open Maxim Lapierre on the left.
His pass worked perfectly and ended up in front of Lapierre’s stick as he fired the puck which hit Thomas and into the net for Game 5’s first and only goal.
Not only the crowd, but Canucks’ players went wild with joy knowing that they had made the game winning shot and maintained their lead for the remaining part of the third period.
“I can remember trying it a few times in Boston. We talked about it before the series. We have pretty good scouting crew that did a good job of giving us tips on Thomas. He's a good goalie so you have to find ways to cheat and get little advantages. That
was one of them”, said Bieksa when asked if the miraculous play was practised prior to the match.
Vancouver has gained the advantage of taking a crucial 3-2 lead and now only needs one win from the remaining two games. Game 6 is set to kick off at the TD Center in Boston on Monday, June 13th.
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