Let’s get this out of the way with right now–the Vancouver Canucks are one terrific hockey team.

There, I said it. I don’t feel better, but it needed to be said.

The Sedin brothers will be a force to contend with for the Bruins in the Stanley Cup finals

Vancouver either led or were near the top of almost every statistical category that matters. Their average of 3.15 goals per game? Tops in the NHL. Only 2.20 goals scored against? Tops in the NHL. A power play success rate of 24.3 percent? Tops in the NHL. Their penalty-killing unit that was successful 85.6 percent of the time? Second best in the NHL.

You get my point now?

The Canucks also feature two very potent top lines. Henrik Sedin, who just happens to be the reigning Hart Trophy winner, centers a line with twin brother, Daniel, and Alex Burrows. Their second line features Ryan Kesler, who has already posted seven goals and 11 assists, and their gaggle of defensemen are among the best in the NHL in terms of puck possession and tight play in their own zone.

But, the news isn’t all bad.

The Bruins’ top line of David Krejci (10 goals, seven assists), Nathan Horton (eight goals, nine assists) and Milan Lucic have been nothing short of terrific, especially in the last two playoff rounds. Patrice Bergeron (four goals, 11 assists) anchors a solid second line with rookie Brad Marchand (six goals, six assists) and 43-year-old veteran Mark Recchi, who has been there before and will be a steadying force.

The tipping point in this series could very well come on special teams. The Bruins have been absolutely anemic on the power play, and while it didn’t necessarily hurt them in their first three playoff series, Vancouver will use it to their advantage. Conversely, the Canucks’ power play at 25 percent efficiency is potent indeed.

When the puck drops tomorrow night at the Rogers Centre, both teams will be looking to end a long Stanley Cup drought–the Bruins haven’t won since 1972, and the Canucks since.. well, never.

Vancouver is hungry, and they’ve certainly got the pieces in place to bring the Cup back to Canada for the first time since 1993. The Bruins will need every ounce of strength and energy they have left to hoist the Cup for the first time in 39 years.

For continuing coverage of the Boston Bruins, follow us on Twitter @chowdaheadz.

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Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Jon Lester did not have a memorable Memorial Day holiday. At Fenway Park against the visiting Chicago White Sox, Lester gave up seven runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings, throwing a whopping 127 pitches in the process.

Lester admitted after the game that he struggled with his command right from the start.

“It was just one of those nights where I just battled myself and couldn’t get in a rhythm,” Lester told the Associated Press. “The ball was up. When I actually did throw it over the plate, it was up.”

Monday’s start marked the fourth time in his last five appearances that Lester had given up at least four earned runs while not going past six innings in those starts.

Fortunately for Lester and the Red Sox, they have days off on Thursday and Monday, meaning Lester will have a full seven days off until his next start on June 7.

The Red Sox have gone 19-9 in the month of May with one game remaining, and manager Terry Francona doesn’t put much stock in that at all, or any other deadlines that are arbitrary in nature.

“I don’t care one bit about May. That means nothing to me. I feel better about the way that we’re playing. Those arbitrary deadlines mean nothing. We’re playing better, and that’s what we feel good about. For the most part, we’re giving ourselves a chance to win. That doesn’t mean we’re always going to win, but we’re giving ourselves a chance.”

Playing their way back to the top of the American League East after a 2-10 start definitely qualifies as giving themselves a chance.

For continuing coverage of the Boston Red Sox, follow us on Twitter @chowdaheadz.

Nathan Horton scored at 12:27 of the third period, breaking a scoreless tie, giving the Boston Bruins a hard-fought 1-0 shutout win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, and will now move on to the Stanley Cup finals to take on the Vancouver Canucks.

In a tightly-checked affair throughout, neither team was giving an inch, until Andrew Ferrence found David Krejci, who moved down to the left faceoff circle and fed Horton with a beautiful pass in front for an easy tap-in goal.

Goaltender Tim Thomas stopped 24 shots for his second shutout of the series.

The Bruins will now travel to Vancouver to take on the Canucks in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals on Wednesday night.

Tonight, the Boston Bruins will be playing their most important game in the last 20 years. In an epic series with the Tampa Bay Lightning that has seen ebbs and tides on both sides, tonight’s matchup comes down to one very important factor–aggressive play up front.

Can Tyler Seguin be a difference maker for the Bruins in Game 7? (Photo credit ericabreetoe via Creative Commons license)

Tyler Seguin, who sat out the first two playoff rounds, was a major spark for the Bruins in games 1 and 2. For the last few games, his ice time has been somewhat limited. Seguin could be a difference maker with his puck-handling skills, speed and ability to create shots.

The one thing the Bruins do NOT want to do is allow Tampa Bay to get out to a fast start. In three games already, the Lightning have scored within the first two minutes of the game. The Bruins will need to keep pace early on, and putting Seguin out there early and allowing him to roam could be the counter-balance to the Lightning’s early success.

It’s late May, and the Bruins are still playing. Time to make it Tyler time in Boston!

For continuing coverage of the Boston Bruins, follow us on Twitter @chowdaheadz.

When Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein was done reconfiguring the team roster for the 2011 season, many experts and pundits looked at the lineup and pitching staff and immediately declared the Red Sox as pennant contenders.

A woeful 0-6 start to the season dampened the hopes, however manager Terry Francona had faith that his team would indeed pull out of it and show the baseball world the true talent of his team.

After defeating the Detroit Tigers 14-1 in a rain-shortened eight-inning affair, the baseball has stood up and taken notice. It was the second game in a row the Sox had scored 14 runs, and it ran their record in May to 17-7, best in the majors.

One of the biggest offseason acquisitions for the Sox, Carl Crawford, is heating up as the weather gets warmer as well. In the last 24 hours, Crawford raised his average 32 points, from .212 to .244, going 8-for-9 in his last two games with a homer and two triples.

So, as the Red Sox pull into a virtual tie at the top of the AL East with the New York Yankees, things are certainly looking up after a gloomy April, and the team that the experts and pundits said would be at the top have clearly arrived.

Life is good in Beantown.

Now, if we can only find a good center for the Big Three. Hmmm…

Yesterday morning on the Dennis and Callahan show on WEEI, Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck gave his thoughts on a variety of subjects, including the fact that he is rooting hard against the Miami Heat.

Grousbeck also talked about the Big Three (Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett) and Rajon Rondo, and specifically discussed what the Celtics need to do to get back to the NBA finals.

Pressed about which current member of the team might be traded, Grousbeck said: “I love the Big Three, the Big Four. I love those guys. I think the fans love seeing them together. I haven’t heard anything from Doc or Danny [Ainge] or anybody else about anything we’re planning to do.”

Grousbeck said that the Big Three have another run in them, they just need a better supporting cast. “They needed more help at the end, so we obviously need more help for next year, I’ll at least say it that way,” he said. “These guys aren’t going to get younger next year. They’re quality guys. They know how to play together. We’ve got to get them some help.”

Grousbeck has never been shy about his feelings, and it’s clear he wants that Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy back in Boston.

For continuing coverage of the Boston Celtics, follow us on Twitter @chowdaheadz.

So, the NHL Eastern Conference finals comes down to one big game–a showdown at the Garden.

Courtesy of Tampa Bay’s slim 5-4 victory on Wednesday night, 20,000 or so screaming fans and hundreds of thousands more watching will be rooting the Bruins on for the right to face the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup finals.

This is the biggest game played by the Bruins at the Garden since–well, never. The old Garden played host to the last Bruins appearance in the Eastern Conference finals, so the new Garden will have its own chance to shine on Friday night.

The phrase “the Gahden will be rawkin’” comes to mind right now.

This band of Bruins have worked their butts off to get to this point. David Krejci, who netted a hat trick in Wednesday night’s loss, noted the importance of the game.

“We played the whole season to get home ice,’’ Krejci told Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe. “Now it’s our building, our fans. It’s going to be exciting. We’re still one win away from the Stanley Cup finals.’’

Bruins fans have not heard that phrase “one win away from the Stanley Cup finals” uttered in Boston for 21 years.

Krejci and the rest of the spoked B’s will try to make sure it isn’t the last game played on home ice this year.

For continuing coverage of the Boston Bruins, follow us on Twitter @chowdaheadz.

American Idol country sensation Scotty Mcreery is a big time Red Sox fan.

Seen below downing a burger wearing a Sox tee from 2007.  You just gained tons of fans!

After beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1 on Monday night, the Boston Bruins are now just one win away from their first Stanley Cup final since 1990, foreign territory in and of itself. However, they will also have to do it on foreign ice.

Goalie Tim Thomas and the Bruins are just one win away from their first Stanley Cup final since 1990 (Photo credit bridgetds via Creative Commons license)

That may not sound so bad, however. Thus far in the postseason, the Bruins are 5-2 on the road, having won two games in Montreal, two in Philadelphia and one so far in Tampa. While home ice is generally an advantage, the Bruins clearly feel at home during these playoffs on foreign ice.

The intrigue surrounding their next road game, of course, is that they’re also playing for the chance to get to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in 21 years.

Foreign territory all around, indeed.

However, this year’s roster of Bruins have shown that their overall game plays well on the road. Tight checking, stingy defense and quality goaltending can work well in any arena.

Goalie Tim Thomas refuses to look it the next game as that one win the Bruins need to get to the Stanley Cup finals, however.

“That isn’t what we need to focus on, or what I’m worried about, that we need one win to get to the Stanley Cup Final,’’ Thomas told Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe. “We just need to approach this the way we have for the whole playoffs — keep it simple.’’

Maybe Thomas isn’t looking at the next game like that, but every Bruins fan will be.

For continuing coverage of the Boston Bruins, follow us on Twitter @chowdaheadz.