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Bruins roar back in second period thanks to the... power play? Lead 2-1 after two periods

Boston Bruins v Vancouver Canucks - Game Two

VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 04: Milan Lucic #17 of the Boston Bruins celebrates after scoring a goal against Roberto Luongo #1 of the Vancouver Canucks in the second period during Game Two of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Arena on June 4, 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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A lot of the build up for Game 2 saw us talking about where Zdeno Chara should be playing on the power play and focusing on how bad the Bruins power play has been through the playoffs. There’s also been the discussion of how good Roberto Luongo has been through the playoffs as well including a hot shutout streak heading into this game.

Consider all of those things null and void. Boston broke Luongo’s shutout streak at 138:54 when Milan Lucic scored on a goalmouth scramble at the 9:00 mark of the second period. The goal tied the game at 1-1 and got the Bruins the motivation they’d been sorely lacking in the game.

The motivation and the momentum would be continued on the power play of all things just 2:35 later when Mark Recchi would tip home a Zdeno Chara shot from the point to make it 2-1 Boston. Chara was back on the point during that second period power play and having him help set up Recchi is doubly satisfying as Recchi had yet to score a power play goal in these playoffs despite logging the third most minutes on the man advantage in the playoffs for Boston. Recchi at 43 years-old is now the oldest player to score in the Stanley Cup finals in the NHL era.

For Boston, they’ve got the lead now and have to weather the next 20 minutes so they can head home with the series tied. Vancouver has to find a way to win back the strength of play and it starts with the Sedin twins as they’ve been relatively invisible in this game. If they can’t step up they have to get better play from elsewhere and hope that Tim Thomas (10 saves in the second, 20 overall) can give give up a goal or two. That might be asking a lot out of Thomas, but if the Sedins get their game going, Vancouver is better off for it.

One thing Vancouver will have to get past in the third is the Bruins power play that they’ll have for 59 seconds to start the period.