Canucks vs. Bruins Scoring Chances - Stanley Cup Finals Totals

Theres speculation that Kesler and Henrik were playing injured, but to that I say – its the Stanley Cup Finals, if your not hurtin, your not trying hard enough

How good would Richards look in place of Krejci (and bump Krejci down).

The B’s could probably afford it too.

Thanks for your work on this Derek. I think you’ve given us some great evidence about the disparity in the power play. It’s obvious that the Bruins badly outscored the Canucks on special teams, so it was always going to be a story, but that they outplayed them so badly is really interesting (and surprising).

Thanks for all the great reads over the playoffs!

I believe the West has more offense and maybe more skilled players. However the East plays something more akin to playoff hockey throughtout the season, and it’s why they fair so well in the finals.

Our hockey is a lot more entertaining, but Eastern teams need to adjust less to the post season. It is also likely that Eastern players have more experience with physical, tight checking games, which would give them an advantage in keeping scoring up and even avoiding getting as banged up.

To me the Canucks’ attempt to play 90’s Scott Stevens style hockey cost them more than anything (through injuries, penalties, collapse of their systems followed by collapse of their confidence) . There is a line between gritty and egregious. Their top 6 (without Samuelsson) and top pairing is fairly small and I think in the end they were more hurt than the Bruins – they played to their opponent’s strengths throughout the playoffs more than to their own.

In the playoffs, we see time and time again that enough speed with lots of grit fairs pretty well against what appears to be superior talent.

I don’t think so. The Canucks tried to play a physical game, but it went too often beyond finishing checks to looking for huge hits – like Stevens was so good at.

I got this impression throughout. To me, they mostly managed to create rallying points for the other teams, and bang themsleves up. Hamhuis is a perfect example – he could have easily contacted Lucic and made a good play, but instead went for the big hip check and got injured because Lucic is such a horse.

Vancouver initiated much of the tone of physicality that took them down. To me their game is speed and an aggressive forecheck, but that doesn’t mean maximum contact as often as possible.

For the Canucks physically able to hit that way, their dirtiness and subsequent penalties began to cause hesitation as Torres mentioned. Kessler hit too much, got hurt and reduced his quality of play, the Sedins couldn’t get away from contact which is the hallmark of their play and got too banged up and didn’t know how to react to provocation after the lesser lights got the opponents all riled up.

As I saw it, the Canucks played away from their strengths, over-estimated their toughness. They were too aggressive, villainized themsleves, got beat up and the systems fell apart that had bailed them out earlier. Luongo’s confidence would also be affected by the team vibe and slow meltdown.

The Canucks aren’t tough enough for the playoffs now?

The canucks top 6 is skill and small overall, their bottom 6 has two head cases which is not what you need, and anyone “tough” is inexperienced like Glass or Oreskovich(?). They aren’t really tough anyway.

To me they initiated the wars and couldn’t handle it.

I think they need more gritty physical players, but guys who play more fairly and have opponent’s respect. And like everyone they need more experience in the bottom pairings that can play.

I don’t think they’ll do this right, which makes me happy. I hope Chicago does and we see a rematch.