Stanley Cup finals: Boston 2, Vancouver 1 after two periods in Game 2
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
The Bruins, who were shut out by the Canucks in Game 1, finally solved Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo in the second period. After being stymied on 36 shots in Game 1 and their first 20 on Saturday in Game 2, they got the better of him twice and took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission.
Boston pulled even at the nine-minute mark, as East Vancouver native Milan Lucic converted the rebound of a shot by defenseman Johnny Boychuk.
The Bruins continued to exert pressure, which led the Canucks to take a penalty, which led to -- gasp -- a power-play goal for the Bruins, their first in the finals and only their sixth in 69 advantages during the playoffs. Mark Recchi scored it by deftly redirecting a shot by Zdeno Chara past Luongo at 11:35.
Boston goaltender Tim Thomas helped preserve that lead with a spectacular, sliding save on Jannik Hansen, sliding from his left to his right to get in front of Hansen’s close-in attempt.
The Canucks had a couple of other good chances, mostly from third-liners Hansen, Maxim Lapierre and Raffi Torres, but Thomas was up to the challenge.
Check back later for more at www.latimes.com/sports
-- Helene Elliott in Vancouver, Canada