NHL 6/24/2013 Columbus Blue Jackets First draft awaits Blue Jackets boss Blue Jackets NHL draft: Kekalainen s draft board

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1 SPORT-SCAN Boston Bruins Blackhawks, Bruins head into Game 6 without stars Blackhawks find success against Boston D Chara Bruins at the brink, yet again Julien on Boychuk hit: 'It was clean' Bergeron leaves hospital, flying home with team It s about trying not to hurt the cause Blackhawks hopeful Jonathan Toews can play in Game Patrick Kane hoping for a repeat performance for Blackhawks Bruins Patrice Bergeron uncertain for Game Bruins looking to stay alive in last home game Don t bet against Bruins Injury to Patrice Bergeron hurts all of hockey Brad Marchand plays it cool Claude Julien calls Patrice Bergeron day-to-day Tall task awaits Tuukka Rask Ultimate prize in sight, Blackhawks keep focus Bergeron returns home; Julien calls him 'day to day' Bergeron on flight home with Bruins Blackhawks' Bickell wins goad medal Source says NHL definitely looking at Boychuk s check on Toews David Haugh: Blackhawks Patrick Kane backs up reputation as 1 of NHL s clutch guys Buffalo Sabres Sabres in middle of expected wild week for NHL Road to the NHL Draft: Zach Nastasiuk Calgary Flames Update: Saddledome cleanup begins Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup draws reverence unique to hockey players Bruins no strangers to comebacks Aiming to miss has been productive for Hawks NHL's plan to save historic pucks murky Stanley Cup Final: Game 6 spotlight Keepers of the Cup on alert for Game Winning another Cup would top even Hawks 'optimistic' Toews will play in Game Bruins center Bergeron is 'day to day' Bettman's clown college won't punish Boychuk Can Jonny come out to play? Bruins need slumping Brad Marchand to find his game Bruins say center Patrice Bergeron day-to-day Hawks expect Jonathan Toews to play in Game Hawks know final victory will be toughest one to get A feeling of deja vu for Patrick Kane Targeting Chara works wonders for Blackhawks Hit on Toews won t draw any NHL disciplinary action Title quests have evolved into tournaments of attrition Blackhawks on mission to finish Bruins Hawks-Bruins series truly a hard-fought affair Hawks try not to think about you know what all over again Toews, Hossa show signs of improvement heading into Game Crawford changes narrative, dominates Game Kane scores twice as Blackhawks take 3-2 series lead Konroyd's Keys: Blackhawks-Bruins, Game 5 NHL 6/24/2013 DAILY BRIEF Columbus Blue Jackets First draft awaits Blue Jackets boss Blue Jackets NHL draft: Kekalainen s draft board Detroit Red Wings Bertuzzi's shoot-out spin moves might be stopped - permanently Edmonton Oilers Toronto Maple Leafs kicking the tires on Sam Gagner, says Toronto sports insider Gregor: Devils director of scouting has enjoyed a lot of success over the years Los Angeles Kings Kings trade backup goalie Jonathan Bernier to Maple Leafs Backup goaltender Jonathan Bernier traded to Toronto Lombardi on contract negotiations, Mitchell s status Lombardi on Sutter s hernia surgery Dean Lombardi discusses trade with Toronto Ottawa Senators Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers taking a ride on the coaching carousel Philadelphia Flyers Leafs land Bernier, but Flyers reportedly offered Matt Read Bryzgalov should be next to go Kings trade goalie Bernier to Maple Leafs Pittsburgh Penguins Kovacevic: Mistakes... I ve made a few St Louis Blues Key players ailing entering Game 6 of Cup finals Tampa Bay Lightning NHL draft: Nichushkin the beast of the bunch Toronto Maple Leafs Mirtle: Leafs bet big on Jonathan Bernier Leafs trade Frattin, Scrivens to Kings in exchange for young netminder Bernier Maple Leafs' goalie track record shaky Maple Leafs pay fair price, Bernier no lock: Cox Toronto Maple Leafs acquire goalie Jonathan Bernier in trade with Kings Maple Leafs: Bernier deal worthy gamble : Feschuk Maple Leafs' Reimer undoubtedly fired up Leafs acquire Jonathan Bernier Nothing is being guaranteed to anyone : Jonathan Bernier trade sparks fire in Leafs net Maple Leafs acquire goaltender Jonathan Bernier from Kings Vancouver Canucks Canucks: Naslund gives thumbs-up to Tortorella Draft: Seth Jones definitely lived up to WHL hype, but some question how physical the 18-year-old blueliner ca NHL draft prospect Nicolas Petan of White Rock first learned a work ethic from his parents

2 Websites ESPN / Words of a different nature ESPN / Leafs get the real deal in Bernier ESPN / Been there, done that USA TODAY / Patrice Bergeron day-to-day; Jonathan Toews could play USA TODAY / Why the Bruins could force a Game USA TODAY / Maple Leafs acquire goalie Jonathan Bernier from Kings Wall Street Journal / Game 6: Which Side Can Repeat History? Winnipeg Jets Jets require significant upgrade down the middle SPORT-SCAN, INC

3 Boston Bruins Blackhawks, Bruins head into Game 6 without stars By JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports Writer / June 23, 2013 BOSTON (AP) Jonathan Toews watched the end of the fifth game of the Stanley Cup Final from the Blackhawks bench, unable to play after a hit to his head. Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron was in a Chicago hospital after leaving the United Center by ambulance. As the Stanley Cup Final approaches a sixth and potential clinching game on Monday night, the attention shifted from the players on the ice to the ones who might not make it there, including two of the top forwards and biggest stars in the series. It s not the best situation for either team, Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask said Sunday after both teams flew back to Boston. But it s a tough sport, and injuries happen. When you leave it all out there to help your team win, that s all part of the game. Bergeron was injured in the second period of Game 5 on Saturday night, which the Blackhawks won 3-1 to take a 3-2 lead in the series. He made two brief appearances on the ice in the third period but something was obviously wrong and he was unable to complete either shift. Toews, who won the Selke Award as the NHL s top defensive forward Bergeron was a finalist missed the entire third period after a shot to the head from Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk. They re both great players, Chicago winger Patrick Sharp said. I think any coach in the league, any player in the league would like to have those guys on their team. They take pride in taking faceoffs, playing well away from the puck, making their linemates better, (they're) both big parts of the locker room. I can t speak for what Boston is dealing with, with Bergeron. I know I don t need to say much about Jonathan. I think everyone knows what we think of him in our locker room. Hopefully we can have him back for (Monday). Bergeron, who was taken to the hospital for observation, was released later Saturday night and rejoined his teammates for a team meal. He was crushing some food, Bruins forward Brad Marchand said Sunday. Bergeron was on the team flight back from Chicago. After the Bruins bus arrived at the TD Garden in the afternoon, he walked without crutches or assistance to a car and was driven away. He s good. He came back with us and everything so hopefully he can play, Marchand said. He looked really good today. He had a nice suit on, very dashing. Obviously, he s a big part of the team and hopefully he can play. The Blackhawks lost Toews after Boychuk knocked him down in the slot, making contact with his head. Boychuk wasn t penalized, and NHL spokesman John Dellapina said on Sunday that the league reviewed the hit and there will be no supplemental discipline. I think they said it was clean, wasn t it? Then I agree with them, Bruins coach Claude Julien said. I'm not going to hide from that. If it wasn t a clean hit I've been a guy that supported those kind of things that we need to get out of the game. But it was a clean hit. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville alluded to the contact with the head but then said, I'm not going to go there. Toews was tied with Patrick Kane for the Blackhawks team lead with 23 goals during the regular season. Since being reunited with Kane on Chicago s top line in Game 4, Chicago has rallied to take the lead in the best-of-seven series. Before he was knocked out of the Game 5, Toews assisted on both of Kane s goals. He s our leader, Chicago defenseman Johnny Oduya said. You know, he s one of those guys, and when he s full-speed he gives everything he s got every game. That s something that is tough to replace. Quenneville said Toews was doing much better and the team is optimistic he will be able to play in Game 6. We'll see how he is. I think the progress today, he s doing real good, Quenneville said. We'll visit in the morning, and he seemed fine. So nothing has changed. Nothing is different. We'll keep an eye on him, and we'll go from there. With or without Toews and Bergeron, the Blackhawks have a chance to clinch their second Stanley Cup title in four seasons on Monday night in Boston. If they lose, the series returns to Chicago for a decisive seventh game on Wednesday. And that, Julien said, is why he wasn t worried about whether Toews will play or not. I think I should be looking in my backyard and make sure I've got my guys playing tomorrow before I start worrying about the game plan with them, he said. Right now we know it s up to us to... bring our A game if we want a chance to win. That part of it should be more important than who they have and don t have in their lineup. Boston Globe LOADED:

4 Boston Bruins Blackhawks find success against Boston D Chara By KEN POWTAK Associated Press / June 23, 2013 BOSTON (AP) The Chicago Blackhawks haven t just taken control of the Stanley Cup Final, they've done it while Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara was on the ice. The Blackhawks have scored eight of their nine goals in winning the last two games against Boston while the 2009 Norris Trophy winner was defending. I don t think there was one thing said where we really wanted to attack him or go at him or try to hit him or anything like that, said Chicago forward Patrick Kane, who scored two goals in Game 5 with Chara on the ice. I think we re just playing the way we have. Sometimes you worry about one player who you re matched up against on the ice, and I've said this before, it goes to your disadvantage because you worry too much and don t play the game you should be playing. I think we just got back to playing the way we have and the way we know how to. In Game 4, when the Blackhawks beat Boston 6-5 in overtime, Chara was battling in front of the net with Jonathan Toews when Brent Seabrook s shot from the right point beat Tuukka Rask for the game-winner. Chicago coach Joel Quenneville felt his team needed to get more chances at the net after being shut out in Game 3, even when Chara was playing. We've felt not so much being physical with him, but in the offensive zone we needed to have better possession time and more time in their end, he said. Whether it was absorbing hits or finishing checks or going to hard areas and not necessarily worrying about him, I think it was getting to the net was our focus. Bruins coach Claude Julien knows the Blackhawks are challenging Chara, but expects his star defenseman to bounce back for Game 6 on Monday night. It s pretty obvious that they re throwing the pucks in his corner and they want to get him to turn and tire him out, he said. He s a well-trained athlete that can handle that, and you'll see that in the next game and hopefully the one after that. Rask also relies on Chara to make things tougher for Chicago s top offensive players. He s playing against the best players, he said. It s not so easy to shut them down all the time. He usually does a great job with that and I have no doubts in him. LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS CHANCE: Bruins forward Nathan Horton wasn t on the ice when the Bruins rallied from a 3-2 deficit to win the last two games of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final against Vancouver. Now, he is likely needed to be a big part of any Bruins chance to repeat the feat. I'm excited, Horton said Sunday, while sporting a few stitches over his left eye from an errant puck to the bench in the Game 5 loss. A lot of the Boston media bring that up a lot of times. I'm excited just to be a part of it this time and just to be on the ice. Anything can happen, and we just have to play our best. Two years ago, Horton sustained a concussion in Game 3 and was lost for the reminder of the finals. Before being injured, the winger scored two Game 7 game-winners. The first came in overtime in the opening round against Montreal. The other was in a 1-0 win over Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference finals. Now he is hoping to be part of another brief winning streak. It s two games, he said. Throughout the years I'm sure there s been a million teams that have won two games straight. They re coming in, they need to win one and we need to win two and that s it. Horton is part of Boston s top line along with David Krejci and Milan Lucic that s dominated, at times, during the playoffs. The trio has combined for 22 goals and 40 assists in the postseason, with Horton collecting seven goals and 12 assists. TWO TITLES IN ONE HOCKEY SEASON: Boston goalie Tuukka Rask has a chance for some unusual history if the Bruins comeback and win the Cup. Rask played with Czech Extra League team NC Plzen during the NHL lockout. His former team went on to win the title. The netminder said the league hands out medals similar to the Olympics not trophies. I'm waiting for mine, he said. It would be nice to get two. Not too many guys can say that. HISTORY HAS A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS IT CAN GO: Fifteen of the 22 teams that won Game 5 of a tied series went on to win the Cup. But, four of the last six that lost in that situation have gone on to win the title, including the 2011 Bruins, who won Game 6 at home and beat Vancouver on the road in Game 7. I mean it s a different team, different situation, but we've been here before, Bruins winger Brad Marchand said. I think we have a bit of confidence but, at the same time, they re a very resilient team. They've played great so far. They played good last time they were in our building, so we've got to make sure we realize that and we don t take it for granted. The Blackhawks have history on their side, too. They led the 2010 finals 3-2 and won the Cup on Kane s overtime goal at Philadelphia. You know, it s a similar feeling, especially having the series tied 2-2, taking Game 5 at home and coming on the road for Game 6, forward Patrick Sharp said. You've got to be careful, you've seen a couple years ago Boston was down 3-2, they won at home and then won Game 7 in Vancouver. We know this team is capable of coming back. For us, I know it s a big game, but you want to play it like it s any other game, play the way we have all season, and try to pull one out here on the road. MR. CLUTCH REVISITED: The last time the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, Kane scored the overtime winner in Game 6 at Philadelphia. Is he thinking about something like that again? You know, we were just kind of talking about that, he said. I don t know, I think the stars would have to be aligned right for it to happen like that again. I think the biggest thing is trying to help contribute anyway I can, help this team get a win, especially the situation we re in. You want to take advantage of it in the next game. We have a great opportunity. I'll do whatever I can to help the team win, and it would be a great feeling. Kane already has provided some postseason magic for Chicago, producing a hat trick including the winner in the second overtime when the Blackhawks eliminated the defending champion Los Angeles Kings in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final. That s the type of player he is, Chicago defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson said. When it comes down to the wire and tight games, big games, that s when he wants the puck. That s when he wants to score the goals, the big goals. Boston Globe LOADED:

5 Boston Bruins Bruins at the brink, yet again By Emily Kaplan, Globe Correspondent June 23, :41 PM To the brink of elimination in a Stanley Cup Final -- the Bruins have been here before. They ve won here before, too. When Boston won the Cup in 2011, they trailed 3-2 to the Canucks entering Game 6. The Bruins rallied, winning the next two games by a combined 9-2 score. We have some experience here, said Brad Marchand, who tallied three goals in the final two games of We need to realize to win this game we have to leave everything on the ice. That s what we did last time so hopefully we can do it again. With Finals tied 2-2, teams that win Game 5 have won the Cup 15 out of 22 times (68.2 percent). That hasn t been the case recently. Since 2001, four of the past six teams to lose Game 5 have rebounded to win the championship. That, of course, includes the Bruins. I think the big picture is just win two games, forward Nathan Horton said. We concentrate on one at a time. Since Julien took over in 2008, his Bruins teams have faced elimination 14 times. Boston is 10-4 in those games. Yeah I like our chances, rookie forward Carl Soderberg said. They re not bad. Boston Globe LOADED:

6 Boston Bruins Julien on Boychuk hit: 'It was clean' By Emily Kaplan, Globe Correspondent June 23, :44 PM Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk will not face suspension for his hit on Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews. According to Boston coach Claude Julien, that was the right decision. The play occurred midway through the second period. Toews cut into the middle of the ice and mustered a shot on goalie Tuukka Rask a few feet from Boston s net. Right after the release, Toews was met with a heavy blow: an open ice hit by Boychuk, the Bruins 6-foot-2, 225 pound defenseman. Toews did not speak to the media after Game 5 and was not made available on Sunday. Boychuk maintained after Game 5 that the hit was clean. On Sunday, Julien stood by his defenseman. I agree with [the NHL, Julien said. I m not going to hide from that. I have been a guy that supported those kind of things that we need to get out of the game. But it was a clean hit. Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference served a one game suspension in the first round for a hit on Maple Leafs forward Mikhail Grabovski. The NHL s discipline office ruled that Ference illegally targeted Grabovski s head with his left elbow. Boston Globe LOADED:

7 Boston Bruins Bergeron leaves hospital, flying home with team By JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports Writer / June 23, 2013 BOSTON (AP) Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron is day-to-day after being injured in the Stanley Cup finals against the Chicago Blackhawks. Coach Claude Julien said he hopes his star center will be able to play in Game 6 on Monday night. Asked if it was an upper or lower body injury, Julien said, body. Bergeron was discharged from a Chicago hospital and flew home with the team Sunday morning. He got off the team bus at the TD Garden, went straight to his car and was driven away. Bergeron was injured in the second period of Saturday night s 3-1 loss. Chicago leads the series 3-2 heading into Game 6 in Boston on Monday night. Boston Globe LOADED:

8 Boston Bruins It s about trying not to hurt the cause By Emily Kaplan Globe Correspondent June 24, 2013 Brad Marchand was asked, if the public could peek inside the Bruins locker room, would they be surprised by how beat up players are at this point in the season? Well, they can t look inside our room, Marchand said, with a laugh. The answer, though, might be yes. It is no secret players endure strains, nicks, and bruises throughout the playoffs. When stakes are high, nobody wants to watch from the bench or worse, watch from the press box as a scratch. I think the whole playoffs there s been a lot of guys playing with injuries, forward Nathan Horton said. Once the Stanley Cup Final concludes, both teams will divulge the extent of ailments that have been concealed for weeks. For now, though, the players mind-set is: Play as hard as you can, if you can. You don t want to hurt your teammates, Horton said. I think you have to be the judge yourself if you can help or you can t help... you have to be true to yourself and do what you can. Horton suffered an injury during overtime of Game 1. The forward returned for Game 2, but has struggled offensively since then. The 28-year-old has one point (an assist) in the past four games after tallying 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in the first 17 playoff games this season. I m fine, Horton said. I just haven t had the opportunities. There s not a lot of room, but we ve got to make our own room and that s how it s got to be, I guess. Down the same road When the Bruins won the Cup in 2011, they trailed the Canucks, 3-2, entering Game 6. The Bruins won the next two games by a combined 9-2 score. We have some experience here, said Marchand, who tallied three goals in the final two games of We need to realize to win [Monday s] game we have to leave everything on the ice. That s what we did last time so hopefully we can do it again. When the Final has been tied at two games apiece, the team that won Game 5 has won the Cup 15 out of 22 times (68.2 percent). But four of the past six teams to lose Game 5 have rebounded to win the championship, including the Bruins in I think the big picture is just win two games, Horton said. We concentrate on one at a time. Since ClaudeJulien became the Bruins coach in 2007, his teams have faced elimination 14 times. The Bruins are 10-4 in those games. Yeah, I like our chances, rookie forward Carl Soderberg said. They re not bad. Boychuk in the clear Johnny Boychuk will not face suspension for his hit on Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews Saturday night. The play occurred midway through the second period. Toews cut into the middle of the ice and mustered a shot on Tuukka Rask a few feet from Boston s net. Right after the release, Toews was met by Boychuk, the 6-foot-2-inch, 225- pound defenseman. The check was at shoulder level and may have connected with Toews s head. The Chicago captain got up and labored toward the bench. Toews, who has a history of head injuries, did not play in the third period. Toews did not speak to the media after Game 5 and was not made available on Sunday. Boychuk said the hit was clean. On Sunday, Julien stood by his defenseman. I agree with [the NHL], Julien said. I m not going to hide from that. I have been a guy that supported those kind of things that we need to get out of the game. But it was a clean hit. Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference served a one-game suspension in the first round for a hit on Maple Leafs forward Mikhail Grabovski. Boston Globe LOADED:

9 Boston Bruins Blackhawks hopeful Jonathan Toews can play in Game 6 By Anthony Gulizia Globe Correspondent June 24, 2013 Just as Oduya addressed Toews s injury, he made it clear the team will take an even-keeled approach into Game 6, whether or not Bergeron plays. Well, he s a good player, obviously, Oduya said. Someone is going to come in and someone is going to fill that spot. It s going to be a good player. We re going to keep doing kind of the same thing, focus on our game and what we re doing and not look too much who s on the other side, who s in or out. And that goes for our team and for their team, as well. Boston Globe LOADED: Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews was thumped hard by Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk in the second period of Game 5, forcing him to sit out the third period. Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said he was encouraged about the center s progress and availability for Monday night s Game 6 at TD Garden. [He s] doing much better today, Quenneville said Sunday. He s progressed. We re optimistic that he might be playing tomorrow night. Toews, who was on the ice for just 12:56 Saturday night, drove into the slot past Brad Marchand and Torey Krug before Boychuk flattened him. Though it appeared Boychuk s forearm made contact with Toews s head, the NHL did not discipline the Boston blue liner. There wasn t a penalty on the play, and it was one of those hits in a tight area in front of the net, Quenneville said, shrugging off indication of a dirty hit. You can be vulnerable in that area, a big hit. The first part of contact you could talk about, but I m not going to go there. While Toews tussled in the corner with the 6-foot-9-inch Zdeno Chara in Game 5, Chicago forward Patrick Sharp had his fair share of run-ins with Boychuk, but he didn t take offense to the defenseman s heavy style. I seemed to get matched up against Boychuk quite a bit in this series, Sharp said. He s taken some runs at me. I can t really complain how he s hit me. He plays the game hard, he s pretty honest. I think every series we ve been a part of, things get a little bit more intense as they go along, a lot more trash-talking, physical play on both sides. Since Quenneville made the decision before Game 4 to reunite his top line of Toews with wingers Patrick Kane and Bryan Bickell, Chicago s offense has flourished. In the 6-5 overtime victory in Game 4, Bickell collected two assists, including one on defenseman Brent Seabrook s game-winner. Kane and Toews scored their first goals of the series in Game 4. Before Toews exited Game 5, he assisted on both of Kane s goals, which propelled the Blackhawks to a 2-0 lead en route to a 3-1 victory to pull within one game of the Stanley Cup championship. Although Quenneville is optimistic Toews will play in Game 6, defenseman Johnny Oduya stressed the importance of focusing only on who is available to play. He s our leader. When he s full speed he gives everything he s got every game, Oduya said. That s something that is tough to replace. But I think we have to focus on who s in the room, who s on the ice, what we want to do as a team. Just as the Blackhawks stormed on without their dynamic center in Game 5, the Bruins played most of the second and third periods without Patrice Bergeron. On Sunday, Bruins coach Claude Julien said Bergeron was dayto-day with what he termed a body injury. Toews, who beat out Bergeron for the 2013 Selke Trophy (top defensive forward), and the Boston center are both highly regarded for their play in all three zones, and their ability to strain opposing offenses with their aggressive forecheck. Both great players, said Sharp. I think any coach in the league, any player in the league, would like to have those guys on their team. They take pride in taking faceoffs, playing well away from the puck, making their linemates better, both big parts of the locker room. I can t speak for what Boston is dealing with, with Bergeron. I know I don t need to say much about Jonathan. I think everyone knows what we think of him in our locker room.

10 Boston Bruins Patrick Kane hoping for a repeat performance for Blackhawks By Anthony Gulizia Globe Correspondent June 24, 2013 Patrick Kane and the Blackhawks will take the ice Monday night at TD Garden hungry to close out the Stanley Cup Final and claim their second championship in four seasons. For the Blackhawks, it s a familiar situation. In 2010, Chicago held a 3-2 series advantage over the Flyers and traveled to Philadelphia for Game 6. Kane netted a goal 4:06 into overtime for a 4-3 victory and the Blackhawks exited town with the Stanley Cup. When asked what it would be like to win in that fashion again, Kane steered clear from venturing into the team s last Cup run. I don t know, I think the stars would have to be aligned right for it to happen like that again, said Kane, who scored twice in Chicago s 3-1 victory over the Bruins in Game 5 Saturday night. I think the biggest thing is trying to help contribute any way I can, help this team get a win, especially the situation we re in. You want to take advantage of it in the next game. I ll do whatever I can to help the team win, and it would be a great feeling. Kane thought back to the 2010 victory, and how proud the team was just to be in that situation. This time around, he said he would keep those feelings in mind, and not look ahead. We were kind of living and dying on every play, Kane said. We were excited to be there. I can say the same about this year. It s a heck of an opportunity we have tomorrow night. You ve got to look at the team we re playing against. They ve been in much worse situations than this and have been able to rally back and fight for their lives. Likewise, the Bruins have overcome this very same predicament. After falling behind the Canucks, 3-2, in 2011, they rallied for a pair of victories and captured the Stanley Cup with a 4-0 victory in Vancouver. Chicago defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson acknowledged Boston s ability to overcome adversity but did not shy away from the thought of closing the series in six games. We ve got confidence, too, Hjalmarsson said. We all know it s going to be the toughest game of the year, maybe in my whole career so far. It s going to take a lot for us to get away with a win here. Plenty in the tank Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith didn t register a point in Saturday night s victory, but his impact certainly did not go unnoticed. Alongside partner Brent Seabrook, Keith logged a game-high 27:45 of ice time, as he worked feverishly to shut down Boston s top scoring threats. Just three days earlier, Keith led all skaters with 32:37 in the team s 6-5 overtime victory. He s one of those guys, he s a workhorse and he doesn t get fatigued or tired in the course of a game, Joel Quenneville said. He can play significant minutes without the wear and tear. He s not that big of a guy that can normally get exposed to. But he just rolls with it and he wants more, and I think he s been very effective.... After Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa was scratched following Game 3 s pregame warm-ups, he returned in Games 4 and 5. Quenneville does not anticipate Hossa will miss any more time. He s getting better, and we expect him to play, said the coach. Boston Globe LOADED:

11 Boston Bruins Bruins Patrice Bergeron uncertain for Game 6 By Emily Kaplan Globe Correspondent June 24, 2013 Brad Marchand first saw Patrice Bergeron at the team hotel late Saturday night. Bergeron, who prematurely exited Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final and was taken to a hospital by ambulance, met the Bruins in the lobby when they returned from the United Center. Marchand peppered his teammate with questions identical to what fans and media were wondering. Was Bergeron OK? What happened to him? Will he be able to play in Game 6? And also: Was Bergeron s season done? We wanted to get updated, Marchand said. Obviously at a point like this, you re worried about a guy, especially your top player. On Sunday, coach Claude Julien offered an update Bergeron is day-today with a body injury, no clarity on where the 27-year-old is ailing. And no indication if Bergeron, a clutch scorer and the team s top faceoff man, will skate at practice on Monday morning. Bergeron played only 49 seconds in the second period Saturday. On his last shift he halted awkwardly by the boards, straightened up, then scooted off the ice. The Bruins face the Blackhawks Monday night at TD Garden. The Stanley Cup will be present. Chicago leads, 3-2, in the best-of-seven series. Julien was both cautious and indefinite when discussing Bergeron. What does day-to-day mean? Julien said. I don t know... I m trying to be as clear as I can here. Julien later added: Day-to-day is really good news to me anyways. The Bruins who spoke Sunday were dressed in black. Marchand wore a polo shirt and dress pants. Goalie Tuukka Rask and forward Nathan Horton had similar attire. And when they spoke of Bergeron, the alternate captain with nine goals and six assists these playoffs, their voices lowered. He plays in every situation, power play, and penalty kill, Rask said. So it would be a huge loss for us... But then again we can t be feeling sorry for ourselves. Bergeron traveled with the team back to Boston. What was the mood on the flight? It was about a two-hour flight, Marchand deadpanned. No layover. We played some cards. Bergeron attended the team meal at the hotel on Saturday night. He crushed down some food, according to Marchand, including some french fries. He was wearing a suit, Marchand said. Very dashing. If Bergeron cannot play, Julien must improvise. Swedish forward Carl Soderberg made his postseason debut Saturday as a fourth-line wing. He was promoted to second-line center after Bergeron left in the second period. [Soderberg] went out there and played hard, Julien said. I didn t mind his game. Soderberg might find himself back on the second line Monday. Or perhaps Julien will call upon another reserve forward, or even dress a seventh defenseman. If it s not Bergy, I m going to look, is [Soderberg] the right fit? Julien said. Or do I look for something else? And I may have to juggle some players around, but that will happen more [Monday] when we find out more. Soderberg said he did not know Bergeron s status but repeatedly said he hopes the forward can play because that is what is best for the team. During Game 5, Soderberg said there was an air of uncertainty on the bench. The players were instructed to focus on the ice. You re just focusing on your own game, Soderberg said. We saw he was injured. We don t know what happened to him. And they don t know what will happen Monday. Boston Globe LOADED:

12 Boston Bruins Bruins looking to stay alive in last home game By Dan Shaughnessy Globe Columnist June 24, 2013 Winter to spring to summer. Red line to blue line to crease. Krejci to Lucic to Horton. Tonight is the last night of hockey on Causeway Street. It s your final chance to cross the Tobin, pay $40 to park, grab a bite at The Four s on Canal Street, then walk into the Garden wearing your Chara sweater. It s the last anthem by Rene Rancourt (does he go for four fist pumps?), the last chance to hear the foghorn, and last night to paint the town black and gold. Closing time. Boston s boys of summer on skates have arrived at the brink of elimination. They trail the Chicago Blackhawks, three games to two, in the Stanley Cup Final and need a victory to extend an epic series to a rightful and righteous seventh game Wednesday night in Chicago. The Stanley Cup itself will be in the house Monday night, guarded and hidden somewhere in the bowels of the New Garden. It s up to the Bruins to prevent Chicago captain Jonathan Toews and friends from hoisting the chalice on the Garden s sacred sheet. There s no panic, everyman Bruins coach Claude Julien said in Chicago after Saturday night s Game 5 defeat. You re not going to push us away that easily. (The nitwit Clippers should have tried to make a trade for Julien.) Praise the hockey gods and turn up the air conditioning: Monday night s game will be the first summertime NHL contest ever played in Boston. The Bruins may have to play without Patrice Bergeron. Boston s gracious center and candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy was taken to a Chicago hospital in an ambulance after sustaining an injury in the second period Saturday night. No one is saying much about Bergeron s status (maybe there ll be a Willis Reed moment Monday night). Toews was rattled to the marrow by Johnny Boychuk in a smashmouth Game 5 and sustained an undisclosed injury. [Toews] is doing much better, Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said Sunday. He s progressed. We re optimistic that he might be playing tomorrow night. We expect the hits will keep on coming. These Bruins won t go down without a fierce fight. They ve been here before and still expect to win the Stanley Cup. The Bruins are a resilient team, with a roster still loaded with players who won the Cup in These are the same guys who trailed Montreal, two games to none, in the first round of the 11 playoffs. They trailed Vancouver, two games to none, in that Final. They trailed the Canucks, three games to two, came home to Boston, and forced a Game 7 which they won, 4-0, in Vancouver. Remember Nathan Horton (unable to play because of a concussion sustained earlier in the series) pouring Boston water onto the ice at Rogers Arena before Game 7? We ve been there before, and we ve done well in that situation, Julien reminded folks in Chicago. The 2013 Bruins are no strangers to recovery. In Game 7 of their first-round series with Toronto, they trailed, 4-1, with 12 minutes remaining in regulation. They became the first NHL team to win a Game 7 after trailing by three goals in the third period. Weeks later, the Bruins absorbed a staketo-the-heart, triple-overtime loss in Game 1 of the Final against the Blackhawks. No problem. The Bruins won the next game, on the road, in overtime, then came home and shut out the Hawks in Game 3. Now the Bruins are in the black hole again. Their sweaters are against the boards. They are back on the brink of elimination. Bergeron may not play, Tuukka Rask has surrendered eight goals in two games, and captain Zdeno Chara has been on the ice for eight of Chicago s last nine goals. Steady defenseman Dennis Seidenberg is slumping, 41-year-old Jaromir Jagr is moving like Shaquille O Neal and hasn t scored in 21 playoff games, and Brad Marchand hasn t been the player who tortured the Sedin twins two years ago. But the 2013 Bruins are the team that has captured our town with heart, resiliency, and hard hitting. Like the Patriots of , they have been the embodiment of team above self. In Boston s spring of fear and uncertainty, the Bruins have reminded us who we are. The signature moment of this team forever will be the vision of Gregory Campbell taking a bone-breaking shot to his right fibula, then getting up and skating 47 seconds to finish his shift on a power-play kill in Game 3 against the Penguins. Tonight is about survival. It s about keeping the Stanley Cup under wraps in a Garden broom closet. It s about taking this series for the ages back to Chicago, where Campbell can pour a bottle of Boston water on the United Center ice. Boston Globe LOADED:

13 Boston Bruins Don t bet against Bruins Monday, June 24, 2013 Stephen Harris Bruins Beat Over the past two months the Bruins have done an unbelievable job of, as a former goaltender of some renown might have put it, proving people wrong. The Bruins silenced the doubters who talked about their rather mediocre regular season and didn t believe they d be able to flip the switch and be ready to play well when the playoffs came along. Well, as a team that is now within two wins of the Stanley Cup, the B s have proven that, yes, a veteran team that knows how to win actually can rediscover its game in the postseason. The B s did it again, big-time, in an inspiring Game 7 comeback against Toronto in the first round scoring two goals in a stunning final 82 seconds of regulation that saved the season and, probably, lots of jobs. It happened again when injuries forced the Bruins to play three rookie defensemen for several games. That s supposed to be a formula for disaster. But the B s, yet again, made it work with little-known (and little) Torey Krug becoming an overnight sensation. Again and again since May 1, the Bruins have reminded us why we love sports so much. Because you just never know what s going to happen, regardless of how bleak things might appear. When our backs are against the wall, we show up, Nathan Horton said yesterday. We play for the guy next to you and we all know what we have to do now. We can t lose and we ve got to come to play. Now the Bruins face their greatest challenge: finding a way to beat the Chicago Blackhawks tonight in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals at the Garden and force a Game 7 back in the Windy City. There are plenty of people saying the Bruins have run out of miracles, that their hopes evaporated in the second period of Game 5 on Saturday when a distressed Patrice Bergeron skated slowly and stiffly off the ice and quickly found himself in an ambulance en route to a nearby hospital. But the Bruins, who captured Games 6 and 7 of the 2011 finals, insist that they can do it again, that they are not resigned to seeing the Hawks skating the Cup around the Garden ice. We re still in it, center David Krejci said after the 3-1 Game 5 loss in Chicago. We believe we can win Game 6 and Game 7. Offered goalie Tuukka Rask yesterday: You always have life until it s over. Obviously, we know what we did in the past, but it s not going to help us (tonight) on the ice. We still have to go out there and make it happen. There was possible good news yesterday from B s coach Claude Julien, who termed Bergeron as day-to-day, not ruling him out from skating today. But ex-nhler Nick Kypreos, now with Sportsnet, tweeted that Bergeron may have a spleen injury. If that is true, and even if it s just a bruise, that s a very painful injury and not one to mess around with. Of course, the Blackhawks could be without their top two-way center, Jonathan Toews, who did not play in the third period Saturday. He looked dazed as he sat on the bench, leading to obvious speculation he suffered a concussion maybe when clobbered by B s defenseman Johnny Boychuk on a clean but devastating hit. So, it s not hard to imagine neither Bergeron nor Toews playing and thus leaving it up to their mates to settle the issue tonight. The Hawks are coming off two straight wins and played very solid team defense Saturday. The Bruins have a lot of guys, some seemingly playing hurt, who are not exactly lighting up the scoreboard. Thus the speculation that the B s have run out of answers against this impressive opponent. The Hawks are assuming nothing, well aware of the adversity the B s have overcome. You ve got to look at the team we re playing against, star sniper Patrick Kane said yesterday. They ve been in much worse situations than this and have been able to rally back and fight for their lives. To think that we re looking ahead and planning on winning another Stanley Cup, that couldn t be further from the truth. We know what kind of challenge we have (tonight). The B s have proven people wrong throughout the playoffs and they may just do it again. The message from the team yesterday: Don t count us out. Surprisingly enough maybe for you (media) guys, you don t have to say much to this group, Julien said yesterday. We re an experienced group that s been through a lot. Not just that, but we have a good group of guys that understand what s at stake.... I don t need to go in there and give this big speech and get these guys riled up, because they know what s at stake and we ve proven it in the past. Now we have an opportunity to prove it again (tonight), and that s up to us to show it on the ice vs. talking a great game in the dressing room and not showing up on the ice.... I think our guys have been through enough that they re fine. I didn t see anybody hanging their heads. If anything, I think they re looking forward to the challenge, and that s a great sign. I see them in the right frame of mind and all we ve got to do... is go out there and prove it. Don t bet against them doing just that. Boston Herald LOADED:

14 Boston Bruins Injury to Patrice Bergeron hurts all of hockey Monday, June 24, 2013 Steve Buckley If the Chicago Blackhawks wind up capturing the Stanley Cup against a Bruins team that is without Patrice Bergeron, surely there will be days, maybe even weeks, of grousing about how things might have been different if only No. 37 had been on the ice. Even taking into account the uncertain status of Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews for tonight s Game 6 showdown at the Garden, Bergeron s absence would be crippling to the depth-challenged Bruins. The cold, hard reality, though, is that this is hockey, and in hockey, especially at Cup time, you muddle on with what you ve got. History tends not to dwell too much on star players whose injuries prevented them from playing in The Big Game. OK, sure, no retelling of Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals between the Celtics and Lakers is complete without citing the absence of Kendrick Perkins. And, yes, it s perfectly acceptable to wonder if the great Reds-Red Sox World Series of 1975 might have turned out differently had not rookie Jim Rice been idled after taking a Vern Ruhle fastball off the wrist in the last days of the regular season. In the end, what matters is the Lakers beat the Celtics and the Reds beat the Red Sox. You play with what you ve got. And it appears the Bruins will be playing without Patrice Bergeron, reportedly due to a spleen injury. That s the way it is. Drop the puck already. But here s the thing: It s not just the Bruins who suffer by Bergeron s absence. It s hockey. The game of hockey. The industry of hockey. Big time. Just as we celebrate a Gregory Campbell for lifting himself up off the ice and hobbling around on a broken leg to help kill off a Pittsburgh Penguins power play, we should also celebrate Patrice Bergeron as a complete athlete who earns every dime he s been given. Look at the guy: He s a finesse player who plays pickax hockey (that is, work, work, work) at both ends of the ice. Such is the premium that the NHL places on this brand of hockey that an award, the Selke Trophy, is presented to the guy who does it the best. And Bergeron has been a recipient of that award. As has Toews. Bergeron wins faceoffs, almost always, and not just with athleticism but with knack, which is something different than athleticism, and with smarts, which is vastly different than athleticism and knack. And it s impossible to applaud this edition of the Bruins, and especially guys like Campbell and Bergeron, without thinking about what happened to the sad, mail-it-in, chemistry-challenged 2012 Red Sox. Remember Josh Beckett waddling around the joint and complaining about his precious days off? Remember clubhouse lawyer Adrian Gonzalez and his pining about having to play nationally televised Sunday night games? How about Carl Crawford? Everyone danced around his many aches and pains during the guy s entire Red Sox tenure; and then, once safely evacuated to Los Angeles, he unfolded a crying towel and squeezed out many a tale about the terrible manner in which he was treated in Boston. While everyone is happy that the 2013 Red Sox seem to have found their way not just with victories, but also with focus and accountability it s hard not to look upon this year s Bruins as the team that has reminded us that sports fans are consumers who deserve to be treated with respect. Gregory Campbell gave you your money s worth and then some. So, too, has Patrice Bergeron. He has made so many comebacks, first and notably his return from that terrible hit from the Flyers Randy Jones in October And when healthy, Bergeron has never taken a shift that was shiftless, if you catch our drift. Yes, Bergeron did look troubled and out of sorts during that last, brief turn on the ice in the second period of the Bruins 3-1 loss Saturday night to the Blackhawks in Game 5 in Chicago. He never limped, never screamed out in pain, never popped out his eyes to telegraph a problem. No, he just took a couple of turns on the ice and returned to the bench, seemingly out of breath. What a shame if that were to be the last glimpse of Patrice Bergeron for this lockout-shortened 2013 NHL season. Not for the Bruins, but for hockey. Boston Herald LOADED:

15 Boston Bruins Brad Marchand plays it cool Monday, June 24, 2013 Matt Kalman Brad Marchand s postseason hands started cold, then got hot and are now frigid again. But the Bruins winger says his current slump no points in five Stanley Cup finals games against the Chicago Blackhawks is different than when he recorded there assists without a goal in the seven-game Eastern Conference quarterfinals matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs. I mean, pucks aren t finding their way into the net and I m not making many plays, Marchand said yesterday in the Garden dressing room on the off day between Saturday night s Game 5 loss in Chicago and tonight s Game 6. So I just have to be better. Marchand s struggles continued in Game 5, including landing just one shot on Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford in the B s 3-1 loss that left them trailing 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. Back during the series with the Maple Leafs, Marchand said he was having a conflict of confidence. He picked up his play toward the end of that series and assisted on Patrice Bergeron s series-winning goal. That confidence kept rolling through the next two rounds. He torched the New York Rangers for two goals and six points in five games in the conference semifinals, then clobbered the Pittsburgh Penguins with two goals in Game 2 of the Bruins four-game sweep in the conference finals. Coach Claude Julien would like to see Marchand quickly improve to help keep the season alive. After all, Marchand was one of the go-to scorers for the Bruins with 18 goals in 45 regular-season games. Well, if he s going to be a streaky player, I would hope that streak starts (tonight), Julien said. I don t think he s played terrible, but certainly he knows he can be better. And a lot of our guys do, too. We all need to be better in order to get ourselves back into this series here. And we feel confident that we can. You go through bumps along the way and you fight through it and you just have to look at the other team, they have guys that hadn t produced and they started producing. So if we can do the same thing, then we re going to get ourselves back into it. Whether Marchand and his linemates were facing the Blackhawks top defense pair of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook or the second tandem of Johnny Oduya and Niklas Hjalmarsson, the Bruins aren t getting much room to work in the offensive zone. Yeah, it s very tough. They re very good defensively, Marchand said. They ve got a lot of speed and they come back very hard. So they don t really give up many odd-man rushes, so everything you get is kind of from down low. So we ve got to make sure we play that way, we play down low and try to get to the net. Boston Herald LOADED: