BOSTON, Mass – It’s June, what a great time to still be watching hockey. Imagine you are a member of a team which finished with the best regular season record during the 2010-11 National Hockey League season. This team has reached the Stanley Cup Final and has tremendous momentum heading into their opponents building after winning the first two games. So how does a member of this team set the tone for Game 3 in hopes of a win and a possible short-series victory?
Aaron Rome has a suggestion. The Vancouver defenseman decided excessive physical play was the way to make an early statement and he made his presence felt just over five minutes into the opening period.
Keep in mind, this is after two games full of rough play after nearly every whistle, the nibbling of fingers, either real or threatened, off the hands of Bruins players and numerous face washes and cross checks. Aaron Rome decided he would top all of the previous shenanigans.
To set the stage, Nathan Horton, the Bruins No. 2 playoff scorer and speedy first-line right winger, entered the neutral zone across center ice and approached enemy territory with puck firmly cradled on his blade. He observed line mate Milan Lucic to his left and sent a slick pass along the ice while streaking toward the blue line.
As Horton entered the Vancouver zone, Rome left his feet, launching his shoulder into the unsuspecting Bruin’s head and bouncing it off the ice. Anyone who has watched that hit is still shaken by it. It’s the type of thing that once you see it live, your thought process immediately shifts into prayer-mode hoping the fallen skater is all right long-term, because you know short-term, he is in bad shape.
Now maybe Horton admired that pass he made to Lucic a little too long. We all know you shouldn’t do that. Still, given the visibility the NHL is giving rule 48 to protect unsuspecting players from hits to the head, you would have expected Rome to exhibit a little more respect for his opponent. Hockey fans demand hard hitting in the playoffs, but no one wanted to see that hit. And even more so, no one should accept the reasoning that Rome got caught up in the emotion of the game, a weak and empty argument under any circumstance. Because of Rome’s decision to separate a player from his spine, Horton is gone for the season and Rome will be there with him, thanks to a quickly-issued suspension. With their sniper gone, Boston players will take care of business in a way that falls within the rules of the game. This Rome hit was a game changer for the Bruins who were dealing from a position of desperation before the play.
While Rome’s teammates killed off the five-minute Boston power play, it was a matter of time before the seething Bruins struck. After a scoreless first frame, Brad Ference netted his third of the playoffs just eleven seconds into the second period to break the deadlock. By the end of the second period, it was 4-0 Bruins and the rout was on eventually leading to an 8-1 blowout victory.
While a win is a win under any circumstances, Game Three held more significance for the Bruins. A stalled power play was ignited. After going 6 for 70 in twenty-one playoff games before Monday night, Boston went 2 for 4 with the man advantage, added two short-handed goals and in the third period, scored on three consecutive shots. Mark Recchi, the oldest player to score in the history of the Stanley Cup Final, netted two of the eight goals.
In Game Three, the crests on the Boston sweaters took on a different meaning as the game wore on. The spoked “B” now stands for “Back” as in back in the Stanley Cup Final. Had Vancouver gained the early edge, it might have been a 3-0 series lead with a Cup-clinching game scheduled for Wednesday night.
Now the momentum is in Boston’s favor. Game Four, the most pivotal game of any seven-game series, is Wednesday night. Be sure your helmet fits snug and keep your head up while watching the game. Vancouver walked into a cave and there is a team of angry Bruins waiting for them.
Contact Dennis.Morrell@prohockeynews.com
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