Game 5′s have traditionally been vitally important after the first four games of a playoff series has been split. This Game 5 certainly has the feel of being a pivotal moment. Can Boston maintain momentum and earn an opportunity to go for the Cup on home ice in Game 6? Or will home ice advantage benefit Vancouver once again and halt the current run?

Line-up news:

- The Bruins are expected to be relatively unchanged with Rich Peverley staying on the top line with David Krejci and Milan Lucic.

- Roberto Luongo has been named the Game 5 starter. An important show of faith from Coach Alain Vigenault.

- Christopher Tanev is set to start Game 5 in place of Keith Ballard on a blue-line still deprived of Dan Hamhuis, and of course the suspended Aaron Rome.

Three Key Factors:

1) Vancouver’s best players need to be their best players. Luongo needs to play better, he can’t be blamed for Games 3 and 4, but he wasn’t a positive factor either. A poor performance in Game 5 could put his team on the brink. Meanwhile, the Sedins haven’t been themselves at all over the last couple of games. They have created chances, but they have largely been outworked and outdone by the hard checking of Zdeno Chara and the Bergeron line.

2) Can Claude Julien get his match-ups? Getting the right match-ups in Games 3 and 4 was relatively easy, but it is a tad trickier on the road. Julien likes to focus on the match-ups, but he must not allow himself to become consumed by it. The Bruins must rely on their full line-up.

3) How important is home ice and the sixth man? There has been more to the two teams differing performances at home then tactics or individual performances. There has been a clear difference in the energy level and surely the crowd has been a massive factor in that. Will it spur on a Canucks turnaround tonight?