Music: {allcanada} Preview: Sizing up Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

{allcanada} Preview: Sizing up Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final

The Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks will play Game 7 Wednesday night (8 ET, NBC) in Vancouver. The home team has won every game in the series. The Canucks, celebrating their 40th anniversary season, are trying to win their first Stanley Cup. The Bruins are trying to win for the first time since 1972.

Goaltenders: Vancouver's Roberto Luongo vs. Boston's Tim Thomas. Luongo has surrendered 17 goals and has been yanked twice. But in the three games in Vancouver, he has two shutouts and yielded two goals. Thomas has given up eight goals and is a strong candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy.

Who's hot: Boston right wing Mark Recchi has three goals and three assists in the series. This will be his 11th Game 7.

Who's not: Vancouver center Ryan Kesler has no points in the past five games.

What the Canucks want to do: 1. Act like they were the NHL's No. 1 offensive team in the regular season. They haven't shown that swagger in this series. We haven't seen the same magic show from Henrik and Daniel Sedin. 2. On defense, stay tight, play conservative. Remember the third period will belong to them. 3. Get Luongo to take a walk along the seawall. It worked in Game 5. Luongo needs to be among Vancouver's best players because Thomas will be among Boston's best.

What the Bruins want to do: 1. Stretch the Canucks' defense, create some gaps in their coverage. 2. Test Luongo. Let's be blunt: He looked out of sync and lacked confidence in the three games in Boston. If the Bruins don't put 40 shots on Luongo in Game 7, they might be missing an opportunity. 3. Be defensively tight and penalty-free for at least the first 10 minutes of the game to minimize the crowd. They have to keep the Canucks from siezing the momentum.

Fast fact: This is the 16th Game 7 in Stanley Cup Final history. The home team is 12-3 in the previous games. This will be the seventh Game 7 in this year's playoffs, and the home team has won five of the six.

Injuries/suspensions: Vancouver, left wing Mason Raymond (fractured vertebra) out 3-4 months; defenseman Dan Hamhuis (undisclosed) hasn't played since Game 1; defenseman Aaron Rome is suspended the rest of the series for his crushing hit on Boston's Nathan Horton. Boston, Horton (severe concussion) is gone for the rest of the series.

Prediction: If goaltending is king, the Bruins should win by a goal against Vancouver. Despite Luongo's Game 5 performance, Thomas just seems more in command in this series.