By Kevin Allen, USA TODAY
VANCOUVER � The story going into Friday's Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final is why the Sedin twins aren't scoring. But the better story might be why all the Boston Bruins are scoring.
By Harry How, Getty Images
Boston's Rich Peverley has two goals and an assist in the past two games, giving him one point more than the Sedins in the Final.
By Harry How, Getty Images
Boston's Rich Peverley has two goals and an assist in the past two games, giving him one point more than the Sedins in the Final.
The Vancouver Canucks were the best offensive team in the NHL this season, and they have been outscored 12-1 in the last two games. They hope to figure out the scoring disparity before they play tonight (8 ET, NBC) with the series tied 2-2.
"(The Bruins) are in the shooting lanes," Vancouver defenseman Kevin Bieksa said. "They are doing a good job of blocking shots. But maybe we don't have the first shot mentality that we should."
Henrik Sedin doesn't have a point in the series, and brother Daniel has two. What makes that worse is the Bruins are getting scoring from everyone. Rich Peverley, who played on the fourth line for Boston earlier in the season, moved up to the top line to replace Nathan Horton (concussion) and scored a pair of goals.
"I know he's been through some tough years where he hasn't played in the playoffs," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "But certainly he's been a guy that's certainly enjoying the moment and giving us what we need."
The Bruins acquired him from the Atlanta Thrashers at the trade deadline when they were getting their salary cap situation squared away while also adding Tomas Kaberle and Chris Kelly.
Series tied 2-2
Game 1: Canucks 1, Bruins 0
Game 2: Canucks 3, Bruins 2 (OT)
Game 3: Bruins 8, Canucks 1
Game 4: Bruins 4, Canucks 0
June 10: at Vancouver, 8 (NBC)
June 13: at Boston, 8 (NBC)
x-June 15: at Vancouver, 8 (NBC)
x-if necessary. All times ET
"(Peverley) was certainly one of the guys that was targeted," Julien said. "We just (liked) his versatility, whether he plays wing or center. He has speed and we wanted to improve that area."
Peverley is 29, but this is his third full NHL season, and he had been in six NHL playoff games before this current run. He was a 30-goal scorer in the American Hockey League.
Horton was the Bruins' second-leading scorer when he was hurt on a heavy check from the Canucks' Aaron Rome, who was suspended for the rest of the series.
"You can't replace a guy like that," Peverley said about moving onto the top line with David Krejci and Milan Lucic. "He's been one of the best players all playoffs, and the whole team stepped up in (Game 4)."
The Bruins are getting secondary scoring while the Canucks aren't getting primary scoring. Michael Ryder has two goals and two assists in the past two games, and Brad Marchand has two goals and an assist.. The 12 goals Boston has scored over the past two games represents the largest two-game playoff goal production they have had since 1983.
It's not just the Sedins who are struggling. Ryan Kesler has no points and is minus-4 over the past three games. The Bruins are playing the Canucks very aggressively, but Henrik Sedin says that isn't the issue.
"We have to do a better job of scoring when we get the chances," Sedin said. "We're a very physical team. I don't think they are hurting us physically. It's a battle out there."
Clearly the stellar play of Boston goalie Tim Thomas has made a difference. Thomas has faced 749 shots in the playoffs, and he's on a pace to break the all-time record of 820 shots faced by Vancouver's Kirk McLean, set in 1994. And Thomas is stopping more than 93% of those shots.
"My little boy is trying to get me to play hockey (at home)," Thomas said. "I'm like, 'I'm a little too tired, wait until the summer.'"
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