Times wires
Thursday, May 26, 2011
VANCOUVER — Having the Bruins and Lightning play a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference final isn't a big advantage for the Canucks, coach Alain Vigneault said Thursday.
With the Stanley Cup final not scheduled to start until Wednesday, the coach of the West champions suggested the Bruins or Lightning will get plenty of recovery time.
"They are going to have five days in between," Vigneault said. "Whoever we are going to meet, the way they have laid out the schedule, there is going to be no advantage for one team or the other."
Asked if he was disappointed, Vigneault said, "No, it's the way the league has decided to do it. They have got building issues and TV demands they have to take care of. It is what it is, and it's the Stanley Cup final."
Vigneault gave his players their second straight day off. They return to the ice today, will skate again Saturday, get Sunday off and practice Monday and Tuesday.
Defenseman Kevin Bieksa, who scored the series-ending goal in double overtime against the Sharks on Tuesday, said the Canucks will be prepared for both teams.
"Boston is obviously very big and physical with a lot of punishing forwards," he said. "Tampa seems very quick, very skilled, deep up front and great goaltending with a lot of experience. They have won the Cup in the past, so there's two great challenges for us."
Weight ends career: Doug Weight retired after 19 seasons, including a final season in which the Islanders captain was limited to 18 games because of a back injury. The center, 40, had 278 goals and 755 assists in the league, won a World Cup of Hockey championship for the United States and was a three-time Olympian, winning a silver medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. He will remain with the Islanders as an assistant coach and special assistant to the general manager.
Information from Times wires was used in this report.