Gameday: Boston at Vancouver - Stanley Cup Final, Game Five

The Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks will meet tonight in game five of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.  The series is tied two games to two, and has been a tale of two cities as the Canucks have won both games at Rogers by one goal, while the Bruins have won both at TD Garden by a combined 11 goals.  Vancouver has looked totally lost in games three and four, and it looks as though their defense is being worn down by the physical play of the Bruins especially since they lost Dan Hamhuis in game one.  It would not be a stretch to say that whoever wins this game will take home the Stanley Cup; it is that big of a moment in the Final.  It should be electric.

For Boston, Tim Thomas will get the nod in nets as he had for every game this postseason.  Thomas has had an absolutely stellar playoffs, leading the NHL in both postseason GAA (2.11) and save percentage (.936) while being tied for first in both wins (14) and shutouts (3).  He pitched a 36-save shutout in game four, and only allowed two goals in the two games at the Garden.  The Bruins are paced in scoring by David Krejci, who also leads in NHL in postseason scoring with 22 points.  On the injury front, Boston is without winger Nathan Horton, who has a severe concussion, and no lineup changes are expected from Claude Julien.

Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault is expected (for now) to give Roberto Luongo the call, as he has for all but one game this postseason.  Luongo has been dreadful his last two games, including being pulled in game four, and overall is ninth in postseason GAA (2.45) and eighth in postseason save percentage (.916). He, also, is tied for the lead in shutouts and wins with 3 and 14, respectively, and the Canucks need a monster showing from him tonight. Vancouver is led in scoring by captain Henrik Sedin, who has 21, 19 of which are assists.  Outside the crease, defenseman Aaron Rome has been suspended for the rest of the Final for the hit that knocked out Horton, while both defenseman Dan Hamhuis (groin/leg/ankle) and winger Mikael Samuelsson (shoulder) are both done for the Final as well with their injuries.

Puck drops for this one 8:15-ish.