Final, Blackhawks 6-5: This one is over, and the Blackhawks have evened the series.
Brent Seabrook just blasted one from the point, and it beat Tuukka Rask to the goalie’s blocker side.
Overtime, 9:32, 5-5: Corey Crawford just made a save, and he did it with his glove. Go figure.
Crawford almost bobbled the rebound, but he eventually covered it up.
Overtime, 6:14, 5-5: Things are still a little testy, even as we get into overtime. There is still plenty of pushing and shoving after the whistles.
Overtime, 3:48, 5-5: The best chance of overtime so far belonged to Brad Marchand, who just missed the net with a wrist shot.
Overtime, 0:01, 5-5: It’s go time. Next goal wins the game.
End third period, 5-5: The third period comes to an end without any more real scoring chances, and no goals. We’re going to overtime because of course we are.
Third period, 18:50, 5-5: Just about a minute to go.
Third period, 15:38, 5-5: It’s going to come down to two things in this one. The most important is going to be who can make a save or two. Both goalies have been shaky, and if either of them can get his act together, that will be a change of pace from the first 56 minutes or so.
Secondly, it’s important to control the emotions and play smart despite the wild nature of this one. Milan Lucic had Nathan Horton on a potential breakaway, but Lucic got a little too excited and carried the puck in himself, and it was broken up before anything even happened. Not a good period from him.
Third period, 13:14, 5-5: Corey Crawford. Glove side. Rinse and repeat.
This time it’s Johnny Boychuk who just blasted a shot from the right point by Crawford, and the game is tied yet again.
Third period, 11:19, Blackhawks 5-4: Once again, the Blackhawks take a lead, and once again, it’s on a second-chance opportunity.
Patrick Sharp was able to corral the rebound on a Marian Hossa shot from the point that Tuukka Rask stopped, but the goalie couldn’t do anything to stop Sharp’s shot.
Third period, 10:20, 4-4: Milan Lucic just had a bad, bad turnover, and it might have cost the Bruins had it not been for his recovery on the play. That recovery, though, will cost the B’s in the form of a penalty.
Lucic practically handed the puck to Patrick Kane, who would have had Tuukka Rask all alone, but a desperation hook from Lucic saved the B’s for now. However, Chicago will have a 5-on-3 in 32 seconds for a bit before Jaromir Jagr’s penalty expires.
Third period, 9:13, 4-4: So much for that power play for the Bruins. Jaromir Jagr was just called for high-sticking as he caught someone with his stick as he tried to work through a check in the corner.
Third period, 8:51, 4-4: The Bruins are going on the power play after Jonathan Toews was just called for high-sticking.
This is huge. Duh.
Third period, 8:24, 4-4: The Blackhawks came dangerously close to taking the lead when Bryan Bickell hit the post.
Game of inches, this hockey is.
Third peirod, 6:09, 4-4: The momentum is certainly on the Bruins’ side, and that’s in large part due to the fact that Corey Crawford is in net for Chicago.
The Blackhawks goalie has been exposed in this one, and the Bruins have exploited his weakness in a big way. He can’t stop anything to his glove side right now, and as long as the Bruins can get pucks on net, you have to think they’ll strike again at some point.
However, Chicago is withstanding the charge and the energy so far.
Third period, 2:05, 4-4: Jaromir Jagr isn’t scoring, but he’s sure helping out.
He just assisted on Patrice Bergeron’s second goal of the game with a brilliant pass from behind the net to Bergeron, who was camped out in the right side of the slot. Once again, the shot beats Corey Crawford to his glove side.
Third period, 0:01, Blackhawks 4-3: The third period is underway; it’s winning time.
Second period reaction: The second period reaction is: That period was ridiculous. That’s all I’m gonna be able to give here between periods given the Internet issues we’re dealing with.
End second period, Blackhawks 4-3: It should be a tie game after two periods, but Chris Kelly couldn’t quite find the back of the net.
Kelly had a brilliant chance — and a wide-open net — but he ended up pushing the puck into the post despite standing right in front with an open cage. If the Bruins lose, that one will come back to hurt in a big way.
By the way, we’re having some Internet issues, which would explain the lack of quick updates here in the second period. Hopefully things get better for the third.
Second period, 17:22, Blackhawks 4-3: The Bruins needed this, and they needed it badly.
A fortuitous bounce off the glass and off the top of the net falls right in front of the net, where Patrice Bergeron jammed home the goal, a power play goal, to make it 4-3.
Second period, 15:32, Blackhawks 4-2: Not long after the Bruins score to get within one, the Blackhawks were just able to get the lead back to two.
Marcus Kruger’s impressive second effort gives the Blackhawks the two-goal lead.
Second period, 14:33, Blackhawks 3-2: The Bruins are back within one.
Milan Lucic just put home a rebound on a Zdeno Chara shot to get Boston within a goal.
Second period, 9:58, Blackhawks 3-1: The issues continue for the Bruins here in the second period. They were just called for too many men on the ice — yet again.
Second period, 8:41, Blackhawks 3-1; The Blackhawks’ top-six forwards, who hadn’t done much of anything in this series until now, have come alive.
This time it’s Patrick Kane that breaks through. Kane just backhanded home a rebound on a very juicy rebound attempt that the Bruins couldn’t clear, and the Hawks now have a two-goal lead.
Second period, 6:33, Blackhawks 2-1: Jonathan Toews has finally broken through in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Chicago captain had been held scoreless through the first three games and into Game 4, but he just got on the board with his first goal (and point) of the series.
Toews tipped in a shot from Michal Rozsival, and Chicago has grabbed the lead back here in the second period.
Second period, 1:13, 1-1: The Bruins’ power play, what was left of it, just came to an end.
Nathan Horton just missed putting one by Corey Crawford on a rebound attempt, but Horton’s shot went through the crease along the goal line. It was tough to tell if Corey Crawford got a piece of it or not.
Second period, 0:01, 1-1: The second period is underway.
First period reaction: It wasn’t the greatest start to the game, but the Bruins were able to weather the storm, and I’m guessing they’ll take the tie after 20 minutes.
Chicago dominated in the early moments of this one, outshooting Boston 8-2 to start, which was capped with Michal Handzus’ shorthanded goal. The Bruins were in a bad way on that power play, and it came to a head when Brandon Saad just ripped the puck away from Tyler Seguin before feeding Handzus for the game’s first goal.
However, it was the power play that got the B’s back into the game and onto the board as well. The power play was much better the second time around, and even before Rich Peverley’s power play goal, you could see a change in momentum starting to take place. The Bruins were able to break through the Chicago defense in the neutral zone and at the blue line to set things up. From there, the puck movement was much better, and that led to a brilliant chance when Torey Krug hit the post. Seconds later, Peverley ripped a wrist shot by Corey Crawford.
The B’s have obviously found something with Crawford’s glove hand. The majority of the Boston goals have come to that side, including this one tonight, perhaps the worst of the bunch. Crawford was so incredibly late in getting his glove up, and there was no traffic in front, either. If he’s going to continue to have issues there, the Bruins will likely continue to exploit it.
End first period, 1-1: That’s the end of the first period, with the score tied 1-1.
First period, 18:58, 1-1: Just 42 seconds after the Chicago power play begins, it ends.
Duncan Keith is called for tripping after Rich Peverley outraces him to the puck. We’re 4-on-4 for the rest of the period.
First period, 18:16, 1-1: The Bruins now have to kill off a penalty.
Nathan Horton just slashed the stick out of Johnny Oduya’s hands, and Chicago gets its first power play of the night.
First period, 17:20, 1-1: What a great shift from the Bruins’ new third line. They are flying all over the ice, and Chris Kelly almost gave them the lead.
He just missed the net with a falling attempt in the slot that would have put the B’s ahead late in the first period.
First period, 14:43, 1-1: Rich Peverley came close to scoring before the power play, and he put one home at the end of the power play.
With just a couple of seconds to go on the Duncan Keith penalty, Peverley beat Corey Crawford glove side (again) to tie the game.
First period, 14:34, Blackhawks 1-0: Check that, it was Andrew Shaw and Chris Kelly who got roughing penalties — nothing for Adam McQuaid or Viktor Stallberg.
Torey Krug just hit the post with a blast from the left point, the best Bruins’ look of the night.
First perido, 12:45, Blackhawks 1-0: The Bruins had a glorious chance to tie things up, but Daniel Paille couldn’t hit Rich Peverley with a good enough pass — or a pass that even hit Peverley’s stick.
However, the Bruins were bailed out by the fact that Duncan Keith was called for hooking.
After the play, Adam McQuaid and Viktor Stalberg got into it, and it looked like McQuaid wanted to go. Stalberg declined, but they both get minor penalties.
First period, 11:35, Blackhawks 1-0: If you didn’t think the Blackhawks would bounce back after Game 3, the start to this game might have you rethinking such logic.
The Hawks have been all over the place so far, and for much of the first 11:35, they have dominated the play. They’re getting the better of the scoring chances, and they’re outshooting the Bruins 8-2 so far.
The B’s need to do a better job of possessing the puck. They’re having the same issues they had in Game 1 and part of Game 2, where Chicago controlled the puck-possession battle, and that’s not a good way to win hockey games if you’re Boston.
First period, 7:48, Blackhawks 1-0: The Bruins didn’t do anything to slow the momentum with their power play, and the Blackhawks now have the lead because of it.
Brandon Saad abused Tyler Seguin and easily stole the puck from the Boston forward and took off down the ice. Saad eventually fed Michal Handzus, and he beat Tuukka Rask for the early lead.
First period, 5:18, 0-0: The Blackhawks have dominated the play early on, but it will be the Bruins who get the game’s first power play.
Johnny Oduya was called for interference, and the Boston power play will go to work.
First period, 0:10, 0-0: Game 4 is underway.
8:20 p.m.: The David Krejci line will start for the Bruins, while the Blackhawks will start their new first line with Jonathan Toews centering Bryan Bickell and Patrick Kane.
7:55 p.m.: No changes in the Bruins’ lineup, which should come as no surprise . Those line combos and defensive pairings have been working pretty well for the last couple of games.
7:50 p.m.: Here are the Chicago lines per the pregame skate, per The Boston Globe’s Fluto Shinzawa, who just tweeted them out.
Bryan Bickell — Jonathan Toews — Patrick Kane
Patrick Sharp — Michal Handzus — Marian Hossa
Brandon Saad — Andrew Shaw — Viktor Stalberg
Marcus Kruger — Dave Bolland — Michael Frolik
As you can see, Hossa appears to be in, and it looks like the Hawks will go with Toews and Kane paired together atop the first line. That’s all subject to change, of course, especially with the way Joel Quenneville does business.
7:45 p.m.: The two teams have taken the ice for the pregame warmups. Marian Hossa is on the ice for the Blackhawks.
7 p.m.: It’s the time of the night where boredom and anticipation clash, and we dive into the pregame media notes for some unnecessary historical perspective.
For instance, the Bruins enter Game 4 with a 20-8 series record all-time when they lead a best-of-seven series 2-1, but they are only 13-15 in the Game 4s of those scenarios. So that’s interesting. At the same time, it’s pretty meaningless in this series here in 2013.
In stats that actually mean something, Tuukka Rask enters Game 4 riding a 122:26 shutout streak. That dates back to the first period of Game 2, where he gave up a goal to Chicago forward Patrick Sharp in the first period.
Also, tonight marks the 200th career playoff game for Jaromir Jagr. He becomes the 19th player to do so.
6:50 p.m.: For those among us who are Slapshot fans (everyone) and are going to be in the TD Garden neighborhood and don’t have tickets for Game 4, you’re in luck. If you fall into that demographic, you can head on over to The Greatest Bar from 8 to 10 tonight to meet the Hanson brothers. They’re making the rounds, and you can meet them and get some pictures taken over at The Greatest Bar starting at 8.
6:45 p.m.: Jaromir Jagr just hit the ice for his customary pregame twirl. All it consists of is the forward hopping onto the ice, skating a big circle and then heading right back to the bench.
The crowd, which was just let into the building about 15 minutes ago, enjoyed catching a glimpse of the Hall of Famer, and he stopped to sign a couple of autographs on the way down the tunnel.
4:45 p.m.: Good afternoon and welcome into TD Garden, where we are a little less than four hours from getting underway in Game 4. It’s an absolutely picture-perfect day outside the rink, perfect weather for a Stanley Cup Final game.
Inside the building, it is much cooler, as the AC is cranking here on Level 3 just outside the ice surface. Hopefully it’s a bit cooler inside the building for this one, for everyone’s sake. The ice conditions were iffy at best in Game 3, and it was discussed by multiple players after the game. It may have also been the reason behind Zdeno Chara’s pregame spill that left the Boston captain with stitches in his noggin.
3:30 p.m.: In addition to the old live blog, we’ll also have a live chat going for Game 4.
So if the live blog isn’t your thing, I’ll be chatting with NESN.com colleague John Beattie as well as the rest of the NESN gang (the people you’ve heard of) like Jack Edwards, Andy Brickley and Naoko Funayama. You can check that out here.
2:10 p.m.: The Bruins enter Game 4 against Chicago having killed off 27 straight penalties, which is pretty impressive. Then again, it’s nothing out of the ordinary for the Bruins this season.
The B’s, who had the fourth-best penalty kill in the regular season, had two streaks of 27 straight penalty kills during the season. If they can kill off their first penalty in Game 4, that will give them a season-high 28 straight kills.
“I think that we work as a unit of one,” Boston defenseman Dennis Seidenberg said following morning skate. “There’s four guys trying to stay compact and try to avoid them getting shooting opportunities and shooting lanes. Once again, it is just about us working hard to find those rebounds and clear the puck.”
It also doesn’t hurt that Tuukka Rask is playing out of his mind right now, either. He’s stopped the last 27 power play shots he’s seen.
1:40 p.m.: The Blackhawks might be changing things up for Game 4, at least according to their morning skate lines. Joel Quenneville paired up Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, something he did against Los Angeles in the Western Conference finals with some success.
That duo of All-Stars was joined by Bryan Bickell atop the Chicago lines. If the Blackhawks do go with that trio, it’s safe to assume they’ll see a lot of Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg.
Here’s how the Blackhawks lines looked at morning skate.
Bryan Bickell — Jonathan Toews — Patrick Kane
Patrick Sharp — Michal Handzus — Jamal Mayers
Brandon Saad — Andrew Shaw — Viktor Stalberg
Marcus Kruger — Dave Bolland — Michael Frolik
It should be noted that Marian Hossa is expected to play, and it’s likely that he would be the second-line right winger with Handzus and Sharp in place of Mayers.
1 p.m.: Both teams have wrapped up their morning skates, and it sounds like Marian Hossa will be back in the Chicago lineup.
While the Blackhawks forward didn’t participate in morning skate, Chicago coach Joel Quenneville and a handful of Hawks players all said that Hossa will be ready for Game 4. He was a late scratch prior to Game 3.
The Bruins are going with the same lineup they used in Game 3 as well, according to their morning skate.
8 a.m. ET: The Bruins have been very good at home this postseason, and if they can continue their winning ways at TD Garden, they’ll head back to Chicago in a very good spot in the Stanley Cup Final.
The B’s will take on the Blackhawks in Game 4 of the Cup Final on Wednesday night at the Garden, where the Bruins will look to take a 3-1 series lead. The Bruins went ahead in the series with a 2-0 win on Monday night in Game 3, where Boston dominated much of the game. When you add that to what happened in the final two periods and into overtime of Boston’s Game 2 win, it’s clear the momentum is on the Bruins’ side.
Boston’s new-and-improved third line continues to click after Claude Julien decided to put Daniel Paille, Chris Kelly and Tyler Seguin together. That line has combined for three goals in the last two games, including a pair of game-winners. Getting that consistent production out of that line has given Boston at least a temporary advantage in depth, something that has played a huge role in the last two series wins against Pittsburgh and New York, respectively.
The Blackhawks are looking to generate some offense. They have gone cold since the first period of Game 2, which is thanks in large part to the play of Tuukka Rask. The Hawks’ power play issues continue, as well, and going up against a Boston penalty kill that has killed 27 straight penalties isn’t helping Chicago’s case, either. The good news for the Blackhawks is that they’re supposed to get Marian Hossa back after he was scratched just minutes before Game 3. Facing a pivotal Game 4 in enemy territory, Chicago needs all the help it can get.
Puck drop for Game 4 at the Garden is scheduled for shortly after 8 p.m.
