Bruins even Stanley Cup Finals at two games apiece

Boston Bruins' Tim Thomas throwin' down with Alex Burrows

of the Canucks in Game 4 last night. Thomas posted his third

 shutout of the postseason, a 4-0 Bruins win.

Following his team's overtime loss in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals, Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien sat stoically at the podium and calmly answered questions from the media, despite the 0-2 hole that his team faced.

Julien pointed to the first round matchup against the Canadiens, when his Bruins erased a 0-2 series deficit and won in seven games -- surely a signature moment for a Boston team that's now proving its championship mettle.

I guess the composure that Boston's head man showed in his press conference was no front, because with another dominating performance from his Bruins -- a 4-0 drubbing of the Canucks in Game 4 -- the Stanley Cup Finals are suddenly knotted up at two games apiece.

It would appear that the two teams are heading in opposite directions, and that especially rings true for both Vezina-nominated goaltenders.

Boston's Tim Thomas has been nothing short of spectacular these Cup Finals, having allowed only five goals against through the first four games. Last night,  he stopped all 37 shots he faced to post his third shutout of the postseason and is sporting a pristine 2.11 goals against average in the playoffs. Even in the games the Bruins lost, Thomas allowed only four goals against.

Vancouver's goaltending situation on the other hand is in flux. Roberto Luongo, who is also nominated as the league's top goaltender, has been embarrassed in the two games played in Bean Town. After surrendering only two goals in Games 1 and 2, Luongo has given up 12 tallies the past two games.

Vancouver's Roberto Luongo was pulled from
last night's game after allowing all four goals. 

Boston has lit the lamp so many times against Luongo in TD Garden, I wouldn't be surprised if he's got a nasty sun burn on the back of his neck to go along with his rising goals against average.

Luongo, who allowed all four goals last night on 38 shots, was pulled from last night's game for backup Cory Schneider. That wasn't the first time this postseason that Canucks coach Alain Vigneault has opted to yank the veteran netminder. Luongo was benched after allowing 10 goals (on just 40 shots) in two straight losses to the Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs, as the Canucks saw its 3-0 series lead cut to 3-2. Luongo responded brilliantly though, as he allowed just one goal on 32 shots in Vancouver's emotional Game 7 victory.

So where does this leave us as the series heads back to British Columbia for the all important Game 5? The Bruins appear to have ALL of the momentum right now, and rightfully so. They lost the first two games by the slimmest of margins, as Game 1 was decided in the final minute and with Game 2 going to overtime. Their victories -- 8-1 and 4-0 -- have been far less dramatic, to say the least.

But I'm not going to count the Canucks out just yet. Perhaps some home cooking back in Pacific Northwest is what the Presidents' Trophy winning team needs to find itself once again. Remember, Vancouver nearly coughed up that 3-0 series lead it had on Chicago, but prevailed with a resurgent Luongo in net. I look for Luongo to bounce back on home ice.

A Sedin twins sighting may help as well. Boston has put the clamps on the talented Swedish forwards, as Henrik has zero points in these Finals and a -2 rating, while his brother, Daniel, has only two points and a -1 rating. They'll need to get going if Vancouver is going to win its first Cup in franchise history.

In a slightly less-anticipated game, played on a slightly smaller stage, my men's hockey team erased a 5-1 second period deficit last night to win 6-5, proving that wild finishes are another part of this sport.

Which begs the question: What type of a finish will we see to these Stanley Cup Finals?