As the third period began, the referees swallowed their whistles and let the Bruins and Canucks play their games. Early in the frame, the result was what it had been all game, anyway: a back-and-forth game highlighted by superb goaltending on both ends.
Tim Thomas and Roberto Luongo both traded phenomenal stops as breakaways, bad-angle shots and booming slappers made their way to each net, but none of the rubber was able to find its way in.
As the period wore on, Vancouver was able to take control of the pace of the game, setting up their attack deep in the Boston zone, winning puck battles and controlling the neutral zone whenever Boston was able to clear. The relentless Canucks' attack wore down Boston, and Alexander Edler had the best chance either team had at a goal to that point when, around the 5:30 mark of the period, he beat Thomas high on the blocker side, but was denied by the goalpost.
Just when the Bruins had settled on playing for overtime, Johnny Boychuk turned the puck over at the blue line and Ryan Kesler found Raffi Torres for Torres' third goal of the playoffs, scored with just 18.5 seconds remaining in the period.
It's the sort of game that gives Boston a lot to build off of, but it would've been a lot easier to take the win after the performance that Thomas gave them.
SOG Boston 10 (36) Vancouver 14 (34)
Goals Vancouver: Torres (3): Kesler; 19:41