Canucks 4, Bruins 3
Cody Hodgson scored the game winner and added an assist as the Vancouver Canucks edged the Boston Bruins 4-3 Saturday in an entertaining and tension-filled Stanley Cup finals rematch.
With the scored tied 2-2 late in the second period, Brad Marchand earned a clipping major and a game misconduct for a low hit on Canucks defenseman Sami Salo. The ensuing man advantage allowed the Canucks to take the lead with 13 seconds left in the frame, as Henrik Sedin deflected an Alex Edler shot past Boston netminder Tim Thomas.
Hodgson added a highlight-reel goal early in the third period on the same power play, and the Canucks held on from there to hand the Bruins just their fourth regulation loss in the last 28 games.
David Krejci scored early in the third period to make it a one-goal game, but the defending-champion Bruins couldn't notch the equalizer. Patrice Bergeron had the best chance, but Cory Schneider denied him on a one-timer with the Bruins enjoying a power play.
Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows had the other goals for the Canucks while Marchand and Rich Peverley answered for the Bruins.
It didn't take long for the teams to renew acquaintances in their first meeting since the finals, as they engaged in a spirited line brawl less than four minutes into the opening period. Six players were penalized - including Bruins forward Milan Lucic, who was given a roughing minor and a game misconduct to the vocal dissatisfaction of the TD Banknorth Garden crowd.
Vancouver wound up with a two-man advantage after all of the penalties were sorted out, and they capitalized as Kesler fired a shot from in close past Thomas at 5:41.
Marchand and Peverley countered to give the Bruins a 2-1 edge just before the midway point of the game, but Burrows evened things late in the second with a redirection of a Hodgson shot.