Milan Lucic, left front, celebrates his third-period goal during Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series Saturday at the Garden. The two teams will meet tonight for Game 7 in Montreal.
Seventh heaven
Bruins, Canadiens meet tonight in Game 7
By the numbers
The Bruins are 9-4 all-time in Game 7s, but 0-3 in decisive games on the road. TL/Metro
TL/Metro
Kessel is the key
NHL. While a rivalry has been renewed, a star has been reborn.
After being benched in Games 2, 3 and 4, 20-year-old speed demon Phil Kessel has keyed the Bruins’ offensive outburst in back-to-back victories that have forced tonight’s Game 7.
“If he wants to keep proving me wrong I can take it,” B’s head coach Claude Julien said after Kessel scored twice in Saturday’s 5-4 Game 6 triumph.
Kessel scored the Bruins’ first goal in both of the past two games; the opener in Game 6 was one for the highlight reels, and gave his club its first lead Saturday, 4-3, with his third tally of the series.
Not letting the benching get to him has impressed his teammates.
“The fact that he’s 20 years old and he maintained his focus, he didn’t sulk,” Aaron Ward said. “It’s easy to sulk and pack up and mentally just check out, and he didn’t.”
Tony Lee
NHL. The Bruins had nothing to build on — no superstars, little experience and a recent history of failure. The Canadiens, meanwhile, were loaded with pedigree, offensive firepower and destined for more playoff glory.
Oh, yeah. They also had a 3-1 series lead.
Now, both teams are on the same page, staring at one game to keep their season alive.
For the Black and Gold to reach this point, it’s been a matter of resiliency.
“I’ve been surprised all year long with this hockey club,” said B’s coach Claude Julien after Saturday’s TD Banknorth Garden-rattling 5-4 victory knotted the series at three games apiece.
“They just keep going. I just couldn’t be more proud of a group of guys than I was [Saturday], and how nothing affected them.”
Since trailing 1-0 in a do-or-die Game 5, the Bruins’ offense has uncharacteristically broken out. And their five-goal burst in that affair shrugged aside any notions that winning in the Bell Centre is not an option.
“I definitely think you have to believe [in winning a Game 7 in Montreal],” said rookie Milan Lucic, who had one of Boston’s four third-period goals Saturday. “You’ve got to go up there with a positive mindset. For us to be successful, we just have to keep doing what we’re doing.”
That would involve taking advantage of every inch the top-seeded Canadiens give and, perhaps, continuing to pepper 20-year-old netminder Carey Price.
Price began his career against the B’s going 8-1 with just 16 goals allowed, but he has given up 10 tallies in just over 90 minutes of action over the last two games.
When asked if he could take any positives from Game 6, Montreal coach Guy Carbonneau said simply, “No.”
However, he seemed to take some comfort in heading home.
“That’s why you play 82 games [in the regular season]; to have a chance to play that seventh game at home,” Carbonneau said.
