One thing is for certain, that five-hour plane ride that began early Sunday morning in Vancouver would’ve been a lot shorter if the Bruins had found a way to hold onto their 2-1 third-period lead in Game 2 Saturday night.

But the Bruins had no choice but to get on the 7 a.m. bus and catch their 8 a.m. (PT) flight back for Boston. At least it was a charter and at least it was a big plane so most everyone could catch up on sleep and relaxation.

“We’re not going to hide the fact that we don’t travel as much as they do,” Bruins coach Claude Julien said, referring to the fact that the Canucks basically head out on a lengthy road trip every time they don’t play at Rogers Arena. “They’re probably used to this more than we are. So I think it was important for us to really look at it in a way where we had to make it the best possible way for us.”

When they beat Tampa Bay, 1-0, in Game 7 of the Eastern finals, Julien and the Bruins knew managing their travel would be nearly as important as solving Roberto Luongo. Julien wanted his team to leave Sunday morning so they could get back Sunday afternoon and get back on Eastern time ASAP, with Game 3 Monday night at 8 p.m. Read the rest of this entry »

Upon his arrival in Boston late Sunday afternoon, Canucks coach Alain Vigneault called Rich Peverley’s slash on Vancouver defenseman Kevin Bieksa in the second period of Saturday’s Game 2 a dirty play.

“Kevin didn’t get hit,” Vigneault said when asked about the Canucks matching the physical play of the Bruins. “He got a cheap shot in the back of the knee, so that’s totally different. He went down by something you don’t want to see in the game. But at the end of the day, we know they’re a big, physical team and we can play a speed game but we can play a physical game, which I think we’ve shown throughout the playoffs.”

Bieksa returned after limping to the bench and no penalty was called on the play. The Canucks outhit the Bruins, 40-31, Game 2 Saturday after the Bruins held a 31-30 advantage in Game 1.

Tim Thomas made one thing pretty clear Sunday.

He’s not about to change his aggressive approach in goal now.

The 2009 Vezina Trophy winner was outstanding in Game 1 and for most of Game 2 before allowing the game-tying goal with over 10 minutes left in regulation and a bizarre goal 11 seconds into overtime when he fell down chasing Alex Burrows.

Upon his arrival back in Boston Sunday afternoon at the Garden, Thomas was asked about whether he regrets his aggressive approach or plans on adjusting his tact in goal.

“I have a pretty good idea how to play goalie,” Thomas said at the beginning of the press conference. “I’m not going to take advice or suggestions at this time. I’m just going to keep playing the way I have.”

Following a five-hour flight back from Vancouver, Thomas and the rest of the Bruins came to the Garden briefly to check into their dressing room and fulfill a media obligation on the offday between Games 2 and 3 of the Stanley Cup finals.

“I think we’ve played in front of Timmy Thomas,” coach Claude Julien said. “To me, he’s a Vezina Trophy winner. We are here right now because his contribution has been really good. For us to be sitting here having to answer those questions is ridiculous to me. He’s won a Vezina Trophy already, he’s probably going to win one this year, in my mind anyway, for what he’s done. Read the rest of this entry »

VANCOUVER — Bruins second-line right wing Mark Recchi scored his first goal in 12 games Saturday, giving the Bruins the lead in the second period of their 3-2 overtime loss in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals.

Recchi had struggled at times as the B’s furthered their postseason run, and a popular topic among the fans and media alike was whether Rich Peverley should see more time on the second line in Recchi’s place, and whether the 43-year-old still belonged on the second power-play unit. After the loss in which he tipped a Zdeno Chara wrist shot past Roberto Luongo, he was asked about whether he felt he silenced critics.

“I’m not worried about critics. I’m worried about my teammates here. Critics, they’re not in the dressing room with us every day,” Recchi said. “They don’t know what I bring to the table every day, so really they can kiss my [rear].

“I’m not too worried about it,” Recchi continued. “My teammates are all I care about, my coaching staff. I’ve got a job to do, and that’s to focus on making sure that I’m helping in the dressing room , helping in other areas. Playing physical, trying to create things and that’s what I’ll do.”

Because Recchi’s goal came on the power play and he was on the ice for Alexandre Burrows‘ game-winner in overtime, he finished the night with a minus-1 rating.

VANCOUVER — There was plenty of buzz over whether Canucks first-line winger Alexandre Burrows would play in Game 2 in the hours that followed his bite on Patrice Bergeron at the end of the first period of Game 1. The league’s decision not to suspend Burrows hurt the Bruins big-time Saturday, as he had a hand in all three Canucks goals and scored the game-winner 11 seconds into overtime in a 3-2 Vancouver win.

The Bruins and coach Claude Julien were quick to dismiss the connection between Burrows’ act the impact Wednesday he had Saturday.

“No comments. That’s got nothing to do with that,” Julien said when asked whether Burrows’ performance made him reconsider whether he felt the league made the right call. “I never thought about that that way. They made a decision and we moved on. If we start using that as an excuse, we’re a lame team. To me, it’s not even a consideration.”

Bergeron had cuts on his right pointer finger and had to get a tetanus shot following the bite. Given all the attention surrounding his finger, Canucks forward and longtime Bruins nemesis Maxim Lapierre waved his finger at Bergeron and even put his finger in his face in an effort to taunt the B’s center.

“I’ve got nothing to day about it,” Bergeron said of Lapierre’s gesture. “That’s just him I guess.”

Throughout the Bruins’ room, players tried to downplay any irony or added frustration from Burrows being the man who did them in.

“You don’t want to get too much into it with each little guy,” David Krejci said. “You’ve just got to take it the way it is. He scored. He’s just another player from their team.”

Added Bergeron: “I don’t see the relation there, but obviously just for us to lose like that, we’ve got to make sure we bounce back.”

VANCOUVER — Join DJ Bean and a cast of others from Rogers Arena for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals. The B’s are looking to even the series after dropping the series opener, 1-0. Come with your questions, comments or concerns.

VANCOUVER — Canucks third-line center Manny Malhotra will return to the team’s lineup for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals, as he is officially listed as active for the team. Malhotra has been out since March after getting hit in the eye with a puck vs. the Avalanche. The move makes Alexandre Bolduc a healthy scratch for the game.

Defenseman Dan Hamhuis will not play for Vancouver, as he left Game 1 after hip-checking Milan Lucic and getting cross-checked by David Krejci in the second period. Former Boston College and Bruins defenseman Andrew Alberts will take Hamhuis’ spot in the lineup.