Vancouver Canucks vs. Boston Bruins Game 5 –NHL 2011 Stanley Cup Finals Preview
No one could have expected how the series turned out like it has in the past 2 games. Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins are all set to faceoff in Game 5 of the 2011 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Finals at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia on Friday, June 10th.
Canucks and Bruins have a lot to prove in the upcoming Game 5 as both teams are looking to take the lead and gain a 3-2 advantage in the finals to put the other team on the verge of elimination.
There is a turn in the series though.
If Vancouver loses in Game 5, they can recover in Boston during Game 6 and win the cup at home in Game 7 eventually, but that should not be their target since Bruins are capable of coming right back at any moment.
It would be horrific if Boston defeats Canucks on Friday and then wins the Stanley Cup at home in Game 6 to eliminate Vancouver in four straight games, which after analyzing the past two matchups does not seem so difficult of a task for Bruins.
Vancouver is a great team overall and even though rumours about its lack of performance in future matchups have spread like wild fire, they do not seem concerned at all.
"Last time I checked, it's 2-2 in the series, so I don't see why we should be depressed", Vancouver’s goalie, Roberto Luongo, said Thursday. "We're in a two-out-of-three Stanley Cup Finals. If I was told that before the start of the year, I mean, where do I sign”?
Luongo had a bad time in Game 3 and 4 when the series went down to Boston at the TD Centre.
Canucks was outscored 12-1 in both games which made its first two victories look like they did not even count, but they knew that this series would never be as easy as people thought it would.
"We didn't expect to sweep these guys", Canucks’ defenseman, Kevin 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".
The Sedin twins, Daniel and Henrik, have yet to perform to their full capacity in the series after both remained the top point takers during the previous two regular seasons.
Along with Ryan Kesler, they form an unstoppable trio and if used properly can easily win games.
It is the dominating force of Zdeno Chara, Boston’s captain and Dennis Seidenberg that have kept the Sedin twins at bay. Until and unless the star trio comes back in form, Vancouver will not have a chance in the series.
Nevertheless, Vancouver is an amazing team and looking at the 2010-2011 season, they can easily dominate any team that comes its way.
On the road to winning its first Stanley Cup in history, Canucks has just about all the motivating factors a team can get.
Game 5 is expected to begin at 8:00 PM ET at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia on Friday, June 10th.
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