As I sit listening to the Dropkick Murphy’s Bruins-themed tune “Time To Go” blare over my speakers in my office, I am watching highlights from the 2008-09 Boston Bruins season on YouTube and fighting the urge to go grab a stick and skates and find a pickup game in Philly to dominate tonight. To put it mildly, I could not be more fired up or intense in regards to the impending game seven between the Bruins and the Whalers tonight. To steal a tagline from MLB, I live for this. Last night’s stinker between the Penguins and Capitals notwithstanding, game seven in hockey is still the best. My friend Sam has a friend who posted on his Facebook page that the baseball regular season is better than playoff hockey. Well, that guy is wrong (among other things). This is the ultimate do-or-die. For the Bruins, the best team in the Wales Conference in the regular season, what was a 3-1 deficit in the series is now a winner-take-all game. Better yet, that game is in your barn. We are looking at about 18,000 screaming Bostonians in the Garden tonight. Yes, the Whale’s fanbase in Hartford-South has been pretty good all series. Something tells me that they will get a lesson in how to back your boys tonight from the Gallery Gods. A few 32-ounce beers and a couple of hours of hockey fights at Halftime Pizza followed by Rene Rancourt’s belting out the anthem should do the trick. Throw in the fact that the Bruins have wasted no time in the two recent opening periods, and there is a chance the Whale may be slumping back south before the second TV timeout.
While thinking about tonight’s game, I harkened back to one of the most memorable nights of my youth. The night of May 14, 1988, the Bruins hosted New Jersey in game seven of the Wales Conference Finals. It was simple…win and you advance to the Stanley Cup Final. My mom was hosting a party for some work people at our house and I was not happy. Mind you, I was seven at the time, but this was the most important thing that had happened in my life. So, I did what any young future NHL player would do. I held a sit in at my television and made sure that no matter what chit-chat and whatnot was going on among the nurses, the husbands – and more importantly the biggest Bruins fan in Weymouth – could listen to the NESN telecast. I was rewarded for my faith and determination late in the third period when Craig Janney – my favorite player – intercepted a pass and went in on the goalie. He threw a quick deke, evaded a poke check and slid in the eventual game-winner. Immediately after the shot, his legs were taken out and he went flying through the air just like Bobby Orr did in the Cup final against Saint Louis. He came up, banged the glass and was swarmed by his teammates. Three goals later, the Black and Gold had a 6-2 win and a trip to the finals.
Here is hoping we get something similar tonight. Yes, the stakes aren’t as high as they were back in 1988, but a berth in the conference final hangs in the balance and that isn’t small potatoes. Again, I expect to not be able to hear the end of the anthem. I expect “Let’s Go Bruins!” to resonate all the way down on Cape Cod. The B’s have played 17 game sevens, with 13 of those deciding games skated on home ice. The Black and Gold have a 9-4 record in game sevens at home. The advantage of playing at home is so important in hockey – maybe moreso than any other sport. You know the faithful at the Garden are looking for win number 10, and with that the first comeback from a 3-1 deficit in Bruins history.
Man, I wish I was there.
While thinking about tonight’s game, I harkened back to one of the most memorable nights of my youth. The night of May 14, 1988, the Bruins hosted New Jersey in game seven of the Wales Conference Finals. It was simple…win and you advance to the Stanley Cup Final. My mom was hosting a party for some work people at our house and I was not happy. Mind you, I was seven at the time, but this was the most important thing that had happened in my life. So, I did what any young future NHL player would do. I held a sit in at my television and made sure that no matter what chit-chat and whatnot was going on among the nurses, the husbands – and more importantly the biggest Bruins fan in Weymouth – could listen to the NESN telecast. I was rewarded for my faith and determination late in the third period when Craig Janney – my favorite player – intercepted a pass and went in on the goalie. He threw a quick deke, evaded a poke check and slid in the eventual game-winner. Immediately after the shot, his legs were taken out and he went flying through the air just like Bobby Orr did in the Cup final against Saint Louis. He came up, banged the glass and was swarmed by his teammates. Three goals later, the Black and Gold had a 6-2 win and a trip to the finals.
Here is hoping we get something similar tonight. Yes, the stakes aren’t as high as they were back in 1988, but a berth in the conference final hangs in the balance and that isn’t small potatoes. Again, I expect to not be able to hear the end of the anthem. I expect “Let’s Go Bruins!” to resonate all the way down on Cape Cod. The B’s have played 17 game sevens, with 13 of those deciding games skated on home ice. The Black and Gold have a 9-4 record in game sevens at home. The advantage of playing at home is so important in hockey – maybe moreso than any other sport. You know the faithful at the Garden are looking for win number 10, and with that the first comeback from a 3-1 deficit in Bruins history.
Man, I wish I was there.
1 comment:
The only ghosts around Boston is Cam Neely, judging by the "haunted" look on his face after Walker scored! hahahaha
signed, "Mr. Hab"
Post a Comment