Stanley Cup Final finally a series

by Bob Herpen
Phanatic Hockey Editor

Too often, when journalists attempt to use flowery language in an attempt to get a point across about the significance of playoff series, they resort to a faulty type of logic, just because it sounds or reads good.

To wit, beginning a sentence with "it's not a series until..." gets trotted out and usually ends up with the vaguely aphoritic "someone wins on the road" as the punchline. Of course, all four professional leagues are littered with examples that prove the quote untrue, though best-of-sevens where home-ice/court advantage is maintained throughout are dwindling like the prospects for living disaster-free on the Gulf Coast.

Whether you're expressing your opinion in print or sitting on a barstool, if the person reading or listening has half a brain you're not going to get away with saying, for instance, that last year's Stanley Cup Final was a series because the Blackhawks finally won on the road at Philly in Game 6.

(Just a reminder, it actually was the end of the series with Patrick Kane's Cup-winning overtime goal, got it? OK.)

In the National Hockey League, the real determining factor that distinguishes a series from a series is which of the two teams suffers the first significant setback.

For example, in last year's Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Bruins lost Marco Sturm to a knee injury in Game 1 and David Krejci to a broken wrist in Game 3, AND at the same time the Flyers got Simon Gagne back from his foot injury. Suddenly, a secure 3-0 series lead for Boston turned into a defeat of epic proportions.

And while you can say that the first two games of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final in Vancouver didn't lack for action, excitement and drama, there was something definitely missing. That is, until 5:07 into Monday's Game 3.

That's when Canucks substitute defenseman Aaron Rome stepped into Bruins playoff hero Nathan Horton, sent his left shoulder high into the side of his face, and sent his head ricocheting off the ice.

For several minutes, the ex-Florida Panther was tended to by team personnel, who immobilized his head and neck and eventually took him off on a stretcher. He was seen talking before being taken off the ice.

Horton was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital and it was reported before the end of the game that he had movement in his arms and legs. After spending the night at the venerable institution, where he underwent further testing, it was determined he will be out for the remainder of the series with a severe concussion.

Rome, whose only reason for existing in the NHL was because of Vancouver's late-season injury issues with their defense corps, was given an interference major and game misconduct for the hit. The 27-year-old was in the lineup because normal starter Dan Hamhuis has not yet recovered from a cross-check dished out by Boston's Krejci in Game 2. He faced a disciplinary hearing today and was hit with a four-game suspension, basically for the rest of the playoffs.

Given the rising tide of chippiness which has escalated from post-whistle scrums to finger biting, to retaliation for clean hits, to putting players out of commission, maybe the quote most apropos here should be "It's not a series until someone goes to the hospital."

So, I guess we got series, eh?

In the short term, Horton's impersonation of a murder-scene chalk outline galvanized the Bruins like never before. They turned on the faucet in the second and third periods, rocking Roberto Luongo for four goals in each 20-minute segment to notch a convincing 8-1 victory that finally put them in the win column.

It was the largest margin of victory since the Colorado Avalanche pasted the Panthers by an 8-1 count exactly 15 years to the day, in Game 2 of the '96 Final. It was the most goals the B's scored in a Stanley Cup series -- that's right, not even the mighty Gatlin Gun offenses of Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito tallied as
many -- and the largest margin of victory for the franchise in a title series.
 
All of this could come crashing down on Claude Julien's club as soon as the adrenaline wears off.
 
As far as Wednesday is concerned, Vancouver's not likely to take too kindly to their hosts keeping on the pressure until the score was embarrassing. Boston has to look itself in the mirror and see if rookie Tyler Seguin and the rest of its forwards can pick up the slack for however many games there are remaining.

Heading into a pivotal Game 4, we have a team who has won twice at home, then lost once on the road. They have made the first confirmed kill. They can put some garish blue and green smudges on the Cup with a victory. We have another team having lost twice on the road and won once at home. They are charged with the task of avenging a fallen brother without losing composure. They can pull even with a similar inspired performance.

Both sides have shown flashes of brilliance and anger. Chaos and mayhem. And not one of them has won on the road.

You're going to tell me this isn't a series? Dream on.