The Chicago Blackhawks will look to even the Stanley Cup Finals at 2-2 when they face the Boston Bruins in Game 4 on Wednesday.
Chicago has now lost two straight against Boston and has only mustered one goal in that span. The main reason for Chicago's frustration has been the brilliance of Boston goalie Tuuka Rask. The netminder has conceded seven goals in his last seven games; four of those came in the six-period Game 1.
"We ran up against some of the best goalies in the League here," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said Monday after losing Game 1. "Tonight I thought we made it rather easy on him as far as traffic and finding and seeing pucks. I think we got to be better at going to the net in non-puck areas."
"He's been focused since day one of the playoffs," Boston coach Claude Julien said of his goalie's tremendous performance. "You watch him on off days, you watch him, he's quiet, focused, calm. Right now all his energy is put towards his game, how he needs to get his rest, relax. When the game starts, he's a focused individual."
"We're playing our best hockey of the season right now," Julien added about his team's play in the postseason. "That's what you gotta do to give yourself a chance to win a Stanley Cup. We've got to continue playing our best hockey and at the same time, we've got to continue to try and fix the little things that we feel that can be better in our game. We're not a satisfied group."
Boston has won seven straight at home; the team has not lost at the TD Garden since Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Prediction: Boston takes a 3-1 series lead with a 2-1 victory.
Start Time: 8 PM EST
TV: NBCSN