The Bruins paid dearly yesterday, losing a 4-3 slugfest (gloves all over the ice, all day long), as the best power play in the NHL converted four times in 11 tries.
Looking at the bright side, it was probably safe to walk the streets of Vancouver last night.
Pardon the hyperbole, but this really did feel like Game 8 of the Stanley Cup Final. Unfortunately, the Bruins’ lack of discipline cost them the game.
Nobody wants to hear that, of course. Not when a six-pack of Canucks jump on Shawn Thornton’s back in the fourth minute of play; not when the Bruins come out of the donnybrook playing two men short for two minutes and losing Milan Lucic to a bogus game misconduct. It was like taking a punch to the face, then going to jail for bruising your assailant’s knuckles.
There was more Bruin attrition. Coach Claude Julien had to manage the final period with only three lines after Little Ball O’ Hate Brad Marchand was ejected for spectacularly flipping Sami Salo with a low hit that will probably earn him a few additional games on the shelf.
Marchand’s game misconduct was another call that didn’t play well in Black & Gold Nation, and Julien tried to sell it as Marchand protecting himself, but the Lords of the Boards aren’t liable to buy that one.
This was one entertaining afternoon of hockey. It had everything except a Boston victory, and the Bruins have only themselves to blame. Boston went 0 for 7 on power plays. The Canucks batted .363.
“I didn’t imagine there would be that many penalties,’’ said Bruins goalie Tim Thomas. “We generally play a five-on-five game. It seemed like every time we started to get momentum, we had a long penalty.’’
“Let’s be man enough to admit it,’’ Julien said. “We didn’t do enough to win the hockey game. They scored four power-play goals. Instead of criticizing the referees, I prefer to criticize us for the penalties.’’
