Go figure: Bruins 10-1 in playoffs when scoring first
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Four days ago, the Canucks and Bruins flew to Boston amid talks that Vancouver might be able to sweep after a pair of last-shot victories at home. They're headed back to the Pacific Northwest all even at two wins apiece after Wednesday's 4-0 victory in Game 4 at TD Garden.
Here are some of the key figures from Game 4:
0 -- Game 4 victories by the Canucks in their Stanley Cup Final history. Wednesday's loss dropped the Canucks to 0-3 all-time in Game 4s -- they lost to the New York Islanders in 1982 and to the Rangers in 1994 before being beaten on Wednesday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}1 -- Shots on goal by Vancouver's Henrik Sedin, his first of the series. The Canucks' captain has gone without a point through the first four games and had his first (and only) shot on goal 1:01 into Game 4.
3 -- Consecutive games in which Vancouver has outshot Boston -- the margin was 38-29 in Game 4. The Canucks outshot the Bruins 113-97 in Games 2-4, but scored just four times in the three games.
4 -- Consecutive Stanley Cup Finals that will go more than five games. The last five-game Final was Anaheim's 4-1 victory against Ottawa in 2007; the last four-game sweep was Detroit against Washington in 1998. In all, seven of the last eight Finals (since 2002) have gone six or seven games.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}5 -- Goals allowed by Boston's Tim Thomas in his last five games. That includes a 1-0 shutout of Tampa Bay in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, as well as the first four games of the Final.
5 -- Negative goal differential in this year's playoffs for the Canucks, who have scored 55 goals but allowed 60. It's an amazing turnaround for a team that was plus-77 in the regular season and became the first club since the 1977-78 Montreal Canadiens to lead the League in most goals scored and fewest goals allowed. The 1945 Toronto Maple Leafs are the only team ever to win the Cup while being outscored in the playoffs.
7 -- Consecutive goals scored by the Bruins entering Game 5. Boston had the last three goals in Game 3 and scored all four goals in Game 4.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}8 -- Consecutive wins by home teams in this year's playoffs, including all four games in the Final. Home teams were below .500 after two rounds this spring, but are now 46-40. The last road win came when Vancouver (at San Jose) won Game 4 of the Western Conference Final.
9 -- Home wins by the Bruins in this year's playoffs. The Bruins are 9-3-0 at TD Garden -- but have won nine of 10 since dropping the first two games of their opening-round series to Montreal at home. The bad news for Boston: The Canucks are also 9-3-0 at home, and two of the last three (if necessary) games will be played at Rogers Arena.
10 -- Games this spring in which the Bruins have won after scoring the first goal, including both Games 3 and 4 against Vancouver. Boston has lost just once when scoring first this spring.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}12 -- Goals allowed by Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo in Games 3 and 4. Luongo gave up all eight Boston goals in Game 3 and was beaten four times in Game 4 before being lifted 3:39 into the third period. He had allowed just two goals in Vancouver's wins in Games 1 and 2.
14 -- Unsuccessful power plays by the Canucks in the two games at Boston, including an 0-for-6 showing in Game 4. Overall, Vancouver is 1-for-22 (4.5 percent) in the series after going 17-for-60 (28.3 percent) in the first three rounds and leading the League during the regular season -- and the Canucks have allowed two shorthanded goals.
14 -- Playoff wins by the Bruins this spring, the most in one playoff year in franchise history. Wednesday's win came in Boston's 22nd game this spring, tying the franchise record set in 1988.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}15 -- Wins by the home team in the Stanley Cup Final in the last three years, in 17 games -- including all four this spring. Pittsburgh's Game 7 win at Detroit in 2009 and Chicago's Game 6 OT victory at Philadelphia last spring are the only wins by the road team in the last three Finals.
22 -- Points by Boston center David Krejci in this year's playoffs, the most of any player. Krejci had a pair of assists in Game 4 to pass Vancouver's Henrik Sedin for the lead in points. His 11 goals are the most by any player this spring.
33 -- Years since Boston has had a shutout in the Stanley Cup Final. Before Wednesday, the last one came in Game 3 in 1978, when Gerry Cheevers stopped 16 shots in a 4-0 victory against Montreal.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}701 -- Saves this postseason by Boston goaltender Tim Thomas, including 38 in Game 4, his fourth career playoff shutout. It's the second-highest save total ever in one playoff year, trailing only the 761 made by Vancouver's Kirk McLean in 1994.