NHL: Canucks Look to Recover in Game 4 of Stanley Cup Finals

After a stunning 8-1 loss in Game 3, the Vancouver Canucks will aim to get back on track against the Boston Bruins tonight. Al Dannity says both teams need victory for very different reasons.

Canucks must show resolve
Don’t worry Vancouver, you’ve been here before. Remember Game 4 of the first round? That 7-2 loss in Chicago? The Canucks recovered from that shock, eventually. What they don’t need is another stomping, which is what happened straight after that 7-2 loss when they went down 5-0 to the Blackhawks. This time around the Canucks need to recover quicker. The Bruins will punish Vancouver if they fail to turn things around.

Robert Luongo simply has to perform better in Game 4. He couldn’t be blamed for some of the goals but the team looks to him for leadership. Luongo simply didn’t match up to Tim Thomas in this regard last time out. The Canucks need some big time defense on the road to bounce back quickly.

Still a must-win game for Boston
Getting on the board in the Stanley Cup Finals will certainly have been a boost for the Bruins but the comeback is only half-done. Defeat tonight and the series could end at Game 5 in Vancouver. That makes victory vital this evening for the Bruins. Right now they are inside the Canucks heads. That 8-1 win has boosted confidence amongst the Bruins while, yet again, Vancouver’s players are asking themselves if they can pull this one out of the fire. The seed of doubt has been planted but if the Bruins don’t exploit it now, they may not get another chance. Tying it up tonight guarantees one more home game in this series and leaves Boston only needing one win on the road, the same situation they were in at the start of this series.

The verdict
Yet again this is the kind of battle that promises to be a nail-biter. The first period in Game 3 produced no goals and NHL betting fans should not be surprised if we see the same again tonight. Neither of these teams is likely to come out fast and loose, with defense being a key priority in the early going. I expect the game will open up more in the second and third periods and I like a solid back and forth battle to ensue. Despite the shock of that massive defeat last night, it’s the Canucks who should hold the edge come the end. Having built up a well of resolve since the opening round, I like Vancouver to go home with a 3-1 series lead.