The captain of the team, Zdeno Chara, is playing on, even though he's hurting all over (...)
The team has under-performed throughout the season, dating back to last year's playoffs even, plagued by all sorts of injuries, too. But they battle on, even as they teeter on the edge of the abyss: and an abysmal non-playoff qualifying year appears to be more than a very plausible end to it all, at this time...
They learn that their rivals for those last two playoff berths are doing well: better than they presently are. And to think that, a mere few days prior, they sat comfortably atop both of them in the standings, having all but clinched that first ''wild card'' spot already...
But that is the thing: it was all but officially clinched. Ottawa made a push, so improbable and so impressive though it was, that they leapt ahead and past the Bruins, and they overtook that spot, relegating our B's to the situation they were in then: to fight until the last puck drop for the very last berth, the second wild card.
The fight was on: and it was with old rivals Pittsburgh Penguins that it would take place. The final game of the season would decide it all: the luck of the draw had the Pens play the lowly Sabres in Buffalo - an easy task if there ever was one.
Meanwhile, the Boston Bruins, the best team in the East just one year prior -the certifiable Beast of the East- had to match up with newly-confirmed juggernaut Tampa Bay. The Bruins had won 2 out of 3 games against the Lightning; however, the Lightning had also been coming on strong towards the end of the season, which was good in and by itself for it was all done in their attempt to disallow the atrocity of seeing the Montreal Canadiens finish atop the division - which is an abomination sans nom right there! The Lightning hates the Canadiens even more than the Bruins do, this season: for the simple reason that the Hateful Habs halted their playoff push so very prematurely last year, too, when the Lightning's top goalie was out with an injury himself... The Habs had swept the Lightning, i fact: ever since, much like the Boston Bruins of 2008-2009, the Lightning was merciless towards the Canadiens, not giving them an inch and having won every single game against them afterwards. That non-meritorious sweep was to be avenged - and it would be, just the Bruins had done to the Canadiens in 2009, the Habs' centennial, sweeping them in four straight in the first round - so the Lightning would do to the Habs in 2015, in the second round.
But back to THAT GAME... Bruins vs Lightning, with the Bostonians' dreams of playing for the cup again on the line...
The Boston Bruins did not hold their fate in their own hands - and they knew it very well. They were dependent upon the Sabres -of all teams- to make it into the playoffs. In order for them to squeeze in, the Buffalo Sabres (a lowly team, bottom-of-the-standings dwellers, comprising several former Habs such as Gionta and Gorges) had to find a way to defeat the Penguins simultaneously while the Bruins did their part by defeating the Lightning. What did the Sabres do? They didn't hold their end of this. They dropped the ball - or the puck, in their own net. They lost to the Pens, who were, themselves, playing for their playoffs lives, let's not forget that!
Learning of this as they still played in Tampa - trailing the Lightning by one goal, on top of that - what did the Boston Bruins do?
They dig deep into their resources and tied the game nonetheless.
The game went into overtime... and then a shootout. They lost the game only then - on one shot, one lucky bounce, during a shootout; as it had happened too many times during the course of this season to forget as it is... Once again, Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, Loui Eriksson, David Krejci (even at 50%...) - they all gave it their all, to the very last...
Even if the season was already over.
Those are the Boston Bruins. Those are the true champions I know and have known since the days of Rick Middleton... Charlie Simmer... Keith Crowder,... Cam Neely... Dave Reid... Randy Burridge... Steve Kasper... Craig Janney... Bob Joyce... Vladimir Ruzicka... Bobby Orr and Ray Bourque, of course!
The dream ended valiantly, this year - as it does every year: win or lose, they fight until the end.
It was just that much obvious in defeat, this time around, than it was, say, in 2011 when the cup was won - at last... Or in 2013, when the cup was stolen from us, by a mini-Chicago blitz in game 6...
Boston will be back.
The Bruins will rise again.
The dream continues...
And that is why, *we* can carry on
dreaming about the CUP...
while others foolishly
carry on dreaming
about frivolities!
But That Is Another Story!
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