Stanley Cup Playoffs: Nathan Horton's Goal and Tim Thomas' Goaltending Send Bruins To First Final Since 1990

At Boston:


Nathan Horton scored the game's only goal at 12:27 of the third period while Tim Thomas stopped all 24 shots as the Boston Bruins defeated the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning 1-0 Friday night in the seventh and deciding game of the NHL Eastern Conference final.  The Bruins head to their first Stanley Cup Final since 1990.  They'll open the series against the Vancouver Canucks with the opening contest at Vancouver's Rogers Arena this coming Wednesday night.  The Canucks are looking for their first-ever Stanley Cup championship while the Bruins are seeking their first since 1972.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Lightning Top Bruins In Wild Affair To Force Game Seven Of Eastern Final

At Tampa, Florida:


The Tampa Bay Lightning scored three power-play goals (Martin St. Louis and Teddy Purcell, with each accounting for two goals overall; Steven Stamkos) on Wednesday night as they held off the visiting Boston Bruins 5-4 to square their NHL Eastern Conference final series at three games apiece.  The series will be decided in Boston on Friday night with an encounter in the Stanley Cup Final against the Vancouver Canucks going to the winner.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Canucks Close Out Sharks In 2 OT To Reach First Cup Final Since '94

At Vancouver, British Columbia:


Kevin Bieska scored the winning goal at 10:18 of the second overtime period while Robert Luongo stopped 54 of 56 shots as the Vancouver Canucks closed out their NHL Western Conference final with the San Jose Sharks in five games following their 3-2 home win on Tuesday night.  The Canucks will be playing in the Stanley Cup Finals for the third time in franchise history, having lost both their previous efforts (1982 in four straight games to the New York Islanders and 1994 in seven games to the New York Rangers).  

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Bruins One Win Away From First Finals Appearance Since 1990

At Boston:


Tim Thomas stopped 33 of 34 saves on Monday night, while Nathan Horton, Brad Marchand, and Rich Peverley each scored a goal as the Boston Bruins came back from a 1-0 first-period deficit and overcame the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1 at home to take a three-games-to-two lead in their NHL Eastern Conference final.  The Bruins can lock up their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1990 with a win Wednesday night at Tampa, Florida (the Bruins last won the Cup in 1972).

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Canucks One Win Away From First Finals Appearance Since '94

At San Jose, California:


Sami Salo scored two goals while Ryan Kesler added another one on Sunday as the Vancouver Canucks took a three-games-to-one lead in their NHL Western Conference final series following their 4-2 road win over the San Jose Sharks.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Lightning Erase Three-Goal Deficit To Square Eastern Final At 2-2

At Tampa, Florida:


Teddy Purcell scored twice in the second period as the Tampa Bay Lightning erased a three-goal deficit to overtake the visiting Boston Bruins 5-3 in game four of the NHL Eastern Conference Final on Saturday.  The series is now deadlocked at two games apiece.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Sharks Hold Off Canucks For First Win In Western Final

At San Jose, California:


The San Jose Sharks scored three power-play goals on Friday---Patrick Marleau (one of his two goals overall), Ryane Clowe, and Dan Boyle---as they held off the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 to cut their NHL Western Conference final deficit to two games to one.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Tim Thomas Blanks Lightning As Bruins Take 2-1 Series Lead

At Tampa, Florida:


Tim Thomas stopped all 31 shots while David Krejci and Andrew Ference each scored a goal as the Boston Bruins blanked the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 on the road on Thursday to take a two-games-to-one lead in the NHL's Eastern Conference final.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Canucks Blast Sharks To Go Up 2-0 In Western Final

At Vancouver, British Columbia:


Daniel Sedin contributed a pair of power-play goals as the Vancouver Canucks, who scored five goals (2 on the power play) in the third period as they throttled the visiting San Jose Sharks 7-3 on Wednesday in game two of the NHL Western Conference Final, leading that series two games to none.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Five-Goal Second Period Prove Just Enough For Bruins As Boston Squares Eastern Final With Lightning At One Game Apiece

At Boston:


Tyler Seguin and Michael Ryder each scored twice in the second period (the latter scoring one of his on a power play) as the Boston Bruins scored five goals in that second frame and held off the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning 6-5 in game two of their NHL Eastern Conference final on Tuesday to square that series at one game apiece.  The loss snapped the Lightning's eight-game winning streak.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Canucks Come Back To Take Western Final Opener

At Vancouver, British Columbia:


In the lone Sunday Stanley Cup Playoff contest, Henrik Sedin scored the winning goal on a power play at 8:21 of the third period as the Vancouver Canucks came from behind to top the visiting San Jose Earthquakes 3-2 in the opening contest of the Western Conference final.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Lightning Dominate Bruins In Eastern Conference Final Opener

At Boston:


Sean Bergenheim, Brett Clark, and Teddy Purcell each scored a first-half goal while Marc-Andre Bergeron (PP) and Simon Gagne each tallied once in the third period while Dwayne Roloson stopped 31 of 33 shots as the Tampa Bay Lightning won their eighth consecutive playoff game Saturday night, taking the opening contest of the Eastern Conference final 5-2 on the road over the Boston Bruins as the third round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs commenced.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Sharks Avoid Epic Collapse And Hold Off Wings To Get Shot At Canucks

At San Jose, California:


Patrick Marleau scored the winning goal at 12:13 of the third period on Thursday as the San Jose Sharks avoided the same fate that befell the Boston Bruins last season and won game seven of their Western Conference semifinal series 3-2 over the Detroit Red Wings.  The Sharks will face the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference Final, with the opening game set for Sunday in Vancouver.


The Eastern Conference Final between the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning will open on Saturday in Boston.

Stnaley Cup Playoffs: Red Wings Come Back From Three-Games-To-None Deficit To Force Game Seven With Sharks

At Detroit:

Third-period goals from Henrik Zetterberg, Valtteri Filppula, and Darren Helm (EN) carried the Detroit Red Wings to a come-from-behind 3-1 home win in game six of their Western Conference semifinal series with the San Jose Sharks in the lone Tuesday Stanley Cup Playoff contest.  The Red Wings have come back from a three-games-to-none series deficit to force a seventh and deciding game at San Jose on Thursday.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Canucks Oust Predators In Game-Six Win In Music City

At Nashville:

Ryan Kesler assisted on both goals, scored in the first period by Mason Raymond and Daniel Sedin (PP), while Robert Luongo stopped 23 of 24 shots as the Vancouver Canucks finished off the Nashville Predators four games to two in their Western Conference semifinal series following their 2-1 win on the road in game six, in the lone Monday Stanley Cup Playoff contest.  The Canucks will face San Jose or Detroit in the Western Conference Final.  The Sharks lead their series three games to two and can finish off the Red Wings with a win on Tuesday in Detroit.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Wings Erase Two-Goal Deficit To Nip Sharks And Send Series Back To Detroit

At San Jose, California:


Third-period goals from Jonathan Ericsson, Daniel Cleary, and Tomas Holmstrom enabled the Detroit Red Wings to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win game four of the Western Conference semifinal series 4-3 over the San Jose Sharks on the road to cut their deficit to three games to two in the lone Sunday Stanley Cup Playoff contest.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Predators Win To Stay Alive

At Vancouver, British Columbia:


Joel Ward scored twice in the third period as the Nashville Predators won an elimination game for the first time in franchise history with a 4-3 road win over the Vancouver Canucks in game five of their Western Conference semifinal series in Saturday's only Stanley Cup Playoff contest.  David Legwand also scored twice (once shorthanded) for the Predators.  The series will resume on Monday night in Nashville.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: No Miracle Comeback This Time For Flyers As Bruins Complete Series Sweep'; Wings Top Sharks To Stay Alive

Two more games were played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Friday.


Eastern Conference:


At Boston:


Milan Lucic scored twice (once on a power play) and the Boston Bruins scored four third-period goals as they defeated the visiting Philadelphia Flyers 5-1 to complete a four-game sweep of their conference semifinal series, avenging their collapse of last year.  The Bruins will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final with Boston holding home-ice advantage.


Western Conference:


At Detroit:


Nicklas Lidstrom scored twice in the first period (once on the power play) and Darren Helm scored the game winner at 18:33 of the third period as the Detroit Red Wings avoided the four-game sweep with a 4-3 home win in game four of their conference semifinal series over the San Jose Sharks.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Canucks Top Predators In Nashville Again To Take 3-1 Series Lead

At Nashville:


In the lone Thursday Stanley Cup Playoff contest, Ryan Kesler's power play goal at 7:28 of the third period proved to be the game winner as the Vancouver Canucks took a three-games-to-one advantage in their Western Conference semifinal series following their 4-2 home win over the Nashville Predators.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Lightning Oust Caps In Four Straight; Bruins, Sharks Take 3-0 Series Leads

Three games were played on Wednesday as the Stanley Cup Playoffs continued.


Eastern Conference:


At Tampa, Florida:


Sean Bergenheim scored twice in the second period while Marc-Andre Bergeron (PP) and Martin St. Louis each delivered a third-period tally as the Tampa Bay Lightning, in winning game four 5-3 at home, completed a four-game conference semifinal series sweep of the Washington Capitals.


At Boston:


Zdeno Chara scored twice (once on a power play) and Tim Thomas stopped 37 of 38 shots as the Boston Bruins mauled the visiting Philadelphia Flyers 5-1 in game three of their best-of-seven series to take a three-games-to-none lead in their series (the same lead the Bruins had after game three at this stage of the playoffs last year before collapsing and losing to the Flyers in seven games).


Western Conference:


At Detroit:


Devin Setoguchi picked up his first career playoff hat trick, topped off with the game winner at 9:21 of overtime as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 to lead their conference semifinal series three games to none.