We have seen the first significant momentum shift in the 2013 Stanley Cup Final, with the Boston Bruins giving a complete 60-minute effort to take a 2-1 series lead following a convincing 2-0 victory in Game 3 Monday night.
Momentum is a difficult thing to capture and hold to in the postseason, where one goal, big hit or clutch save can alter the balance of a series.
Through three games, the Bruins have prevented the Blackhawks from seizing control of the series by excelling at the crucial, if not glamorous, aspects of the game—faceoffs, puck battles, special teams and blocking shots. Game 3 was a culmination of the Bruins' success in these areas.
The most distinct advantage the Bruins had Monday night was in the faceoff—an area they dominated during the regular season and have excelled at in the postseason with a league-best 56.1 percent success rate.
It's incredibly difficult to control the tempo of play and establish a rhythm offensively when a team is struggling in the faceoff dot. Winning draws has become a major problem for Chicago, which lost the faceoff battle, 40-16, Monday night (the most ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Nicholas Goss
Stanley Cup Final 2013: All the Stars Aligning as Boston Bruins Seize Control
June 17th, 2013 by Nicholas Goss Leave a reply »
Advertisement