After the Bruins and Canucks spent the first period of game five getting re-acquainted with one another, once the second period began they got down to work.
Vancouver came out playing faster and stronger than they had in the first, but the Bruins were able to weather the storm and eventually got a strong counter-attacking shift from the Michael Ryder - Chris Kelly - Tyler Seguin line to turn the tables back in their favor. But Vancouver waited out the Boston attack and went to work wearing down the Bruins as the period wore on.
Chris Higgins had the puck entering the attacking zone and Adam McQuaid was forced to trip him to prevent a partial breakaway. The ensuing Vancouver power play was able to get the puck deep, but could only generate a couple shots on Tim Thomas, both of which the Boston netminder handled easily.
Vancouver got what was probably their best chance of the game shortly after the power play ended, but Thomas moved quickly left to right to hold the side and stop the puck from getting past him.
The Bruins seemed to gain some life from the save, as they spent a series of shifts afterwards in the Vancouver zone. The Canucks' counterattack produced a great chance when Chris Tanev threaded a beautiful pass to Tanner Glass at the bottom of the right circle with a wide open side, but Glass - looking at a wide-open net - couldn't settle the puck quickly enough to get it in, and Thomas was able to cover it up.
After the Glass miscue - which spawned a "Glass, you suck!" chant from the Vancouver crowd - the Canucks set up shop in the Bruins' zone and spent quite a few shifts there. After controlling the puck for some time with about 4 minutes to go in the period, Vancouver wore down the Bruins' backcheck and earned themselves their second power play of the period when Patrice Bergeron hooked Henrik Sedin.
The power play generated a number of good looks, but Boston held stayed with their defensive assignments and got some timely work from Thomas to kill it off.
Vancouver dominated play through most of the period, but Boston was able to weather the storm. There's no denying at this point that whoever scores first is probably winning this game.
SOG Boston 9 (21) Vancouver 12 (18)
Penalties Boston: McQuaid (Holding), 7:22; Bergeron (Hooking), 15:56. Vancouver: Kesler (Goaltender Interference), 4:18.