Stanley Cup: Bruins lead 2-0 in Game 7

BOSTON (AP) - Brad Marchand is more than just a gadfly who’s been getting on the Canucks nerves.

He’s also the highest-scoring rookie in Bruins postseason history.

Marchand scored goal No. 10 with 7:47 left in the second period to give Boston a 2-0 lead over the Vancouver Canucks. Nine was already a playoff record for the Original Six franchise; that one came on Monday night, and it sparked the Bruins to four goals in a span of 4:14.

Marchand went around the back of the net and wrapped it around for the shot. Roberto Luongo stopped the opening salvo with his stick, but in the aftermath of the initial save the puck rolled over the goal line.

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It’s the kind of game that bodes well for the Canucks, but the Bruins still lead 1-0 midway through the second period.

Boston’s wins had all been high-scoring blowouts, while the low-scoring, one-goal games have all gone Vancouver’s way. And yet here we are.

Alex Burrows had another good chance for the Canucks, drawing Tim Thomas out to cut down the angle and then sliding across the slot from the left to the right. With Thomas so far out, it was a long trip and he couldn’t track Burrows. But Zdeno Chara was there to block the shot and protect the 1-0 lead.

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The first period is over, and the Bruins are up 1-0.

Although it’s true the team scoring first has won every game, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been any lead changes. Vancouver took a 1-0 lead in Game 2, but the Bruins scored twice in a row to take the lead before the Canucks came back to tie it with about 10 minutes left in the game.

Then, Alex Burrows needed only 11 seconds in overtime to win it.

In every other game of the series, the team that scored first never trailed. Three of them have been shutouts.

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The Bruins are on the board first.

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