STOCKHOLM, (OTHL) --- The Bruins flew into the first game, and they flew onto the ice, outshooting Vancouver 17 - 8 in the first period, and 38 - 21 in the game. The Bruins showed why the experts had them as favorites before the series started. Chris Gratton (4) scored the first goal of the finals, when he picked up a rebound and put it home behind Henrik Lundqvist in the Canucks net. The home side replied almost right away, as Mattias Öhlund (4) banged home his fourth of the post-season, a goal that had the two sides at even after the first 20 minutes.
In the second it was the Bruins top name in the post-season, and one of the favorites to take home the Conn Smythe, that got his name on the scoresheet, as Craig Conroy scored his 10th of the post-season. Putting the Bruins into the lead for the second time today. And four minutes into the third period, Conroy assisted when Slava Kozlov (7) padded the lead to 3-1. A lead the Canucks never recovered from, and now they need to get going in game two, or else this will be a quick series.
TODAY'S GAMES
Boston at Vancouver 3-1 - Boston lead series 1-0