There's still a score to settle ..

Can a seven game series for the most prestigious trophy in all of sports turn two teams into arch-rivals ?
Yes in terms of the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks and their epic Stanley Cup Final in 2011.

2011 Stanley Cup Finals

It all started in game 1 when Alex Burrows bit Patrice Bergeron's finger during a scrum, for which he surprisingly never got suspended.
Out of all people it was Burrows that scored the OT winner in game two to give the Canucks a 2-0 series lead.

Back in Boston for game 3 Aaron Rome goes headhunting on Nathan Horton. Canucks maintained that the play was a good hit that went bad, but the NHL had proven content that the hit came more than a second after Horton gave up the puck PLUS Rome was targeting the head. He was assessed a 4 game suspension and missed the remainder of the Playoffs such as Horton who was out with a concussion. This incident poked the bear and the B's went on to win 8 - 1 in a game which recored 143 penalty minutes.

Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo got pulled late game 4 late, after giving up four goals to the Bruins in another nasty battle. Alex Burrows showing more of his non-existent class chopping Thomas stick out of his hands, who responds with a chop himself resulting in a bigger scrum.

Game 5 back in Vancouver is another 1 - 0 victory for the Canucks as Maxim Lapierre scores on a "too agressive" Tim Thomas. Roberto Luongo has the guts to criticize the B's goalie after the game,
then gives up three goals in the first eight and a half minutes of game 6 getting pulled for Corey Schneider. Bruins go on to win the game 5 - 2 forcing a game 7 at Rogers Arena to win the cup in a 4 - 0 shutout.

These are just excerpts from the countless nasty stuff happened in that series from both teams. Standing on the winning side it was an absolutely great series with all the hate in it (excluding the headhunting) and I really don't want to know how it feels to be on the other side after this war look a like series.

Vancouvers revenge at the Garden 

Speaking about that, the Nucks came to TD Garden on January 7, 2012 for revenge as these two teams met for the last time.
Early in the game it's that classy Alex Burrows again who spears Shawn Thornton in the neck, Thornton wants to fight Burrows infront of the Nucks bench but he tries to get away. Three Canucks beeing Kevin Bieksa, Manny Malhotra and Henrik Sedin go 3 on 1 handicap against a now defenseless Shawn Thornton.
Maxim Lappiere and Dale Weise even jump on top of the scrum, Lappiere coming late in from behind punching down on Thornton who's not able to move beeing caved in by now SIX Nucks players.

Chara, Lucic and Horton (who also jumps the scrum) come in to help their teammate, Horton separates Dale Weise from the scene and an open ice fight with no linesmen starts. Lucic even tries to confront Burrows and start a fight but Burrows backs down. Lucic is mistakenly ejected from the game, because the refeerees thought he came from the bench. (It was Sedin who came from the bench to help Burrows, not Lucic who helped Thornton) Nucks come out with a 2 minute 5 on 3 PowerPlay on which they score, after going six on one against Shawn Thornton.

At least Maxim Lapierre is man enough to step up for his actions, fighting Gregory Campbell later in the first period. His teammate Dale Weise persuades Shawn Thornton to drop the gloves, then refuses to fight.
The nastiness continues as Raymond high-sticks Tim Thomas and McQuaid want's some revenge on Jannik Hansen, who cheapshoted him late in game 7. Just like his teammate Hansen goes Dale Weise and backs off from the fight.

Late in the second Brad Marchand goes for a low hip-check on Sami Salo, resulting in a game missconduct (and 5 game suspension) for the B's forward and two more PPG's for the Canucks to win the game 4-3 in the end.

Returning to the Stanley Cup roots  

When the Bruins play the Canucks tonight it's the first time the team visits Rogers Arena after winning the cup there in 2011. A lot of things have changed since then and the last time these two teams met in January 2012.

Nucks new coach John Tortorella has turned the former offensive powerhouse of the NHL into the league's best PK team. Promising back-up goalie Corey Schneider has been traded to New Jersey , while long time Canuck Mason Raymond has left the team to Toronto. Maxim Lapierre is pissing off his opponents in a Blues jersey now, Sami Salo has headed down south to play for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The B's finish their four game Canada road trip tonight on which they've won all games, besides beeing handicaped through injuries by key players. Shawn Thornton is still waiting for his suspension and won't be able to take revenge for the Nucks going 6 on 1, as he violated the code himself by punching a defenseless Brooks Orpik. The game might be just half as nasty tonight as Alex Burrows is missing the game with a broken jaw. Alexander Edler is also out on the Canucks site. 

B's are missing Chris Kelly (broken fibula), Loui Eriksson (concussion), Daniel Paille (upper body), Adam McQuaid (lower body) and Dougie Hamilton (lower body). 

Twenty minute efforts have been enough to beat the Flames (2 goals in the 3rd) and Oilers (3 goals in the 1st)  in the last two games, but sure won't be enough to come out on the winning site against Vancouver tonight. 

Jarome Iginla tries to continue his streak of three goals in the last three games, including an emotional comeback to Calgary on Tuesday night in which he was named 3rd Star. 

Tuukka Rask should return into the Bruins net after missing the game against Edmonton due to a flu. Backup goalie Chad Johnson has now won six out of his seven starts this season.

The Canucks are unbeaten in December with six wins, four of them at Rogers Arena where they finish their 5 game homestand tonight. Roberto Luongo has only allowed four goals in his last four starts and shutout the Oilers offense in a 4-0 home win last night. Tortorella was able to reduce the ice time of his top-six in the 3rd and might start Luongo in back to back games.

B's expected line-up: The game starts 10pm EST which is 4 am CET