The Boston Bruins beat the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals 2-0, to take a 2 games to 1 lead in the series. The Bruins’ Daniel Paille followed up his overtime game-winner in Game 2, with the first goal in Game 3. Patrice Bergeron added the other goal, both coming in the second period, to provide all the scoring in this game.
Boston’s goalie Tuukka Rask stopped all 28 of the Blackhawks’ shots, to continue his great play, and probable run to the Conn Smythe Trophy, for the Most Valuable Player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Rask now has 3 shutouts in the playoffs. The Blackhawks haven’t scored a goal since that 19 shot first period in Game 2. Counting overtime in the last game, that’s 6 periods without a goal for Chicago. This is starting to resemble the way the Bruins shut down that other high-scoring team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Blackhawks have now gone scoreless in their last 20 power plays overall, going back to the Western Conference Finals. However, when they are on the power play, they are matched up against the Bruins’ penalty kill, which has now killed off 27 straight power plays in the playoffs. If this continues, Chicago is in big trouble. Adding the possible loss of Marian Hossa, who was scratched from Game 3, the chances of the Blackhawks starting and ending this season as the best team in the NHL, are bleak.
Other than Game 1, when Chicago won in 3 overtimes, as the winning shot bounced off 2 teammates, and went past Rask, and that strong first period in Game 1, Boston has outplayed the Blackhawks in all phases of the game. They have been stronger defensively, and in goal, and have scored enough, to win games 2 and 3. After 3 games in the Finals, no player has scored more than 2 goals. The high-powered Blackhawks have 5 goals after 3 games, and only 1 in the last 2 games.
Chicago superstars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have to start scoring for the Blackhawks to take this series past 5 games. However that is easier said than done. Just ask the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Those 2 former league MVPs combined for no goals and no assists in a 4 game sweep at the hands of the Boston.
Apparently, the Bruins, led my 6’9″ defenseman Zdeno Chara know how to shut down the league’s top scorers. Then if you have a goalie behind the defense, playing as well as Rask, that seems to be the formula for winning the Stanley Cup. The Los Angeles Kings were very similar last year, with an outstanding goalie, great penalty killing, and just enough timely scoring.
The Stanley Cup Finals continue on Wednesday night in Boston. If the Blackhawks can figure out how to get some goals past Rask, and win Game 4, then they can go back home for Game 5 with the series tied, and having home-ice advantage back. The Penguins couldn’t figure it out, and they were the highest scoring team in the playoffs. Good luck to the Blackhawks and their coaching staff. We will see what happens on Wednesday night.
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Sports With Frank Thomas
