Bruins force Game 7 with 1st period onslaught, 5-2

Brad Marchand, Milan Lucic, and Andrew Ference scored in the first 8:35 to chase Luongo from his second straight game in Boston as the Bruins emphatically evened the Stanley Cup Finals with a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 6, sending the series to a decisive Game 7 in Vancouver this Wednesday night.

For the sixth time in the last 10 seasons, the Finals have been stretched to their limit. The home team hasn’t lost in this series, with Vancouver winning three one-goal games and Boston posting three blowout victories.

Tim Thomas made 36 saves for the Bruins, giving up two third-period goals while burnishing his credentials for the Conn Smythe Trophy as Boston moved one win away from its first championship since 1972.