Rape, Pillage, Plunder

What's the best way to respond to dropping the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals? You come home and outscore your opponents 12-1 over the next two games, that's how. And really, it goes deeper than the 12-1 composite score. This onslaught is all in the aftermath of Aaron Rome's despicable hit on Nathan Horton. The Claude Julien-era Bruins took heat, and rightfully so, for their lack of retaliation on Matt Cooke's blindsider on Marc Savard back in March of 2010, but there's no denying they've avenged the loss of Horton in the best way possible: by not only humiliating the Canucks on the scoreboard, but down in the trenches and when the gloves come off as well. Milan Lucic and Mark Recchi did it in Game 3, poking their fingers in the face of Alex Burrows, with the clear message "oh but you won't bite me now?". And Shawn Thornton is making every shift count, doing his job as well as any 4th liner in the game. It had to be killing him watching those first two in Vancouver from high atop the ice, it just had to.

Tim Thomas, besides stopping 78 of the past 79 shots he's faced, has scored takedowns on Ryan Kesler and that classless punk Burrows in these past two games as well. He's the best goalie on the planet right now, and it's not even close. His counterpart and fellow Vezina finalist Bobby Luongo has crumbled faster and more furiously than the French in World War II. And this isn't a Tampa situation, where it was merely Dwayne Roloson laying an egg. Luongo is considered by many, myself included, to possess the most talent of any goaltender in the NHL. He's lost all of his confidence for the second time this post-season, the first time occurring when the Nucks nearly blew a 3-0 lead against the Blackhawks. It isn't a good sign for your team when there's a goaltender controversy in the Stanley Cup Finals. The man's a headcase. I don't think I can ever draft him to the Jacobo Avengers in the Nestle Plan hockey league ever again after this.

There isn't one Bruin who isn't contributing in some way, shape, or form right now. Even though the series is tied at two apiece, it's as though they're pulling away. They have 100% of the momentum, and that's an understatement. I'm on record as saying earlier today that the winner of tonight's game will go on to win the Stanley Cup. I'm not backing off those words. I'll stop short of the ol' guarantee, circa Hingham vs. Xaverian in the 2008 Super 8, but it's the Bruins series to lose at this point. Go Go Black and Gold.

PS The Red Sox could sweep the Yankees tomorrow and no one in New England will notice or care. That's when you know things are going well in these parts. Can't wait for the Dirk Show tomorrow either.