The Boston Bruins may have played a regular season game against the Canucks last Saturday, but, undoubtedly, the TD Garden atmosphere was fit for a playoff match. The rivalry between the Bruins and Canucks reached an all-time high last season, with the Bruins earning the Stanley Cup in seven-game series.

This season, although the Bs initially got off to a slow start, the team has returned to its winning ways, earning a 9-1 mark in their past 10 games and outscoring their opponents 49-13 in the stretch. The Canucks, meanwhile, have encountered similar success, going 7-2-1 and scoring 33 goals in the same span.

Four minutes into the first period against the Canucks, left wing Shawn Thornton quickly found himself surrounded by six hostile members of the opposing team. Thornton claimed that left wing Alexandre Burrows slashed his throat, causing the Bruins player to "drop his gloves" and begin to fight.

"I don't lose my cool for no reason…but I'm not going to let somebody spear me in the throat," he said. "I was surprised I could stand up for that long with six guys on my back."

Other Bruins came to his rescue, but brawls then broke out across the ice. Right wings Nathan Horton and Dale Weise threw their gloves off and lounged at each other near center ice, each tearing at their opponents' jerseys and landing several solid blows. Horton eventually skid Weiss to the side of the ice and brought him to the ground.

At the end of the commotion, gloves, sticks, and other hockey equipment littered the playing area.

Nine penalties were given out, totaling 21 minutes for the Bruins and 27 minutes for the Canucks. Leftwing Milan Lucic was ejected from the game, but the National Hockey League later withdrew his game misconduct.

The Bruins and Canucks demonstrated intensity on the ice rarely found in a January regular season tuneup, engaging in countless brawls throughout the game, each often having less than five men on the ice. The Canucks were able to use this imbalance to their advantage, however, scoring on four of their 11 power play opportunities. The first of those goals came about six minutes into the first period, in which the Canucks had a two-man advantage on the ice. Center Ryan Kesler put the puck by Goalie Tim Thomas on an assist from left wing Daniel Sedin, giving Vancouver the 1-0 lead.

At 14:57, the Bruins were able to even the game on a breakaway goal by left wing Brad Marchand. On his 16th goal of the season, Marchand slipped to the right of Vancouver's goalie, Cory Schneider, and backhanded the pass from center Tyler Seguin for the score.

The Bruins had another scoring chance early on, when right wing Daniel Paille stole a pass from defenseman Alexander Edler, brought the puck up towards goal, and was tripped by Henrik Sedin. Paille was granted a penalty shot, but was unable to capitalize on the opportunity.

Midway through the second period, the Bruins were finally able to take the lead against the Canucks, as center Rich Peverley scored a goal, via an assist from left wing Benoit Pouliot. The lead did not last for long, however, as the Canucks got right back into the game on a power play, fifteen minutes into the second period. Thomas leaned to the right as Center Cody Hodgson approached the net, and Hodgson shot the puck towards the left of Thomas, earning a goal and evening the score at two-all.

As the second period drew to a close, at the 18:47 mark, Marchand got low and decked defenseman Sammie Salo, launching him into the air. Marchand was slapped with a major (five minute) penalty for the hit. Two days after the game, the Bruins' leftwing received an additional 5 game suspension. Marchand claimed he was forced to go low in order to "protect" himself, but the league had other ideas.

Brendan Shanahan, the NHL Senior Vice President of Player Safety, denounced the blow as a "Predatory, low hit, delivered intentionally…to flip his opponent".

Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault expressed his anger toward the Bruins player.

"Marchand – this is just my feeling on this – someday, he's going to get it," he said. "Somebody is going to say enough is enough and hurt the kid because he plays to hurt players and in my mind if the league doesn't take care of it, somebody else will."

Bruins Head Coach Claude Julien would have none of Vigneault's comments, however, responding on Monday to defend his player.

"I think it's pretty hypocritical," he said. "It's unfortunate and sometimes you've got to look in your backyard. We all know he has the same type of players…and they've all done the same thing. All he had to do is look as Burrows putting his blade in Thornton's throat."

On Marchand's five-minute penalty, the Canucks were able to score twice: once at the end of the second period, and once more at the beginning of the third period.

Center David Krejci was able to bring the Bruins back to within one goal a minute into the third period, as the Bruins and Canucks both had 4 men on the ice. Krejci skated to the left of goal and flicked the puck by Schneider, making the score 4-3 in Vancouver's favor.

The Bruins could not rally from their one-goal deficit, falling to the Canucks in their lone regular-season matchup 4-3. Vancouver exacted their revenge, but that brief moment of joy would not satisfy their appetite for a lost opportunity at a Stanley Cup.

Boston, meanwhile, hosts the Winnipeg Jets this evening at 7 p.m.