Bruin’s Notebook: The Hangover

It’s still hard to believe they won Lord Stanley’s Cup. All the year’s of frustration, too many men on the ice, 3 game(and goals) leads lost and perhaps too many years of watching their bottom line instead spending a bit more to get final player to put them over. The Bruin’s have finally joined the Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics with the amazing championship performances in the past ten years.

Here are some thought’s of the championship run that started in April:

• Claude Julien: After losing the first two games (at home) to the Montreal Canadien’s it looked like Claude would be looking for a new job soon. He never seemed to panic and stayed the course to his first Cup win in his career. I think his job is safe in the foreseeable future.
•  Brad Marchand(AKA: “Marshmont” from 98.5 The Sports Hub): He’s been called everything from a rat to a Honey Badger(By team mate Andrew Ference). He  play’s with a tenacity and attitide I haven’t seen in a long time in a Bruin’s uniform. He’s the player you hate on the other team. He’s full of energy and isn’t afraid of anyone. He’s one of the pieces the B’s have been missing for many year’s. Here’s an example that I can’t help from laughing at:

• Tomas Kaberle: This poor guy was so over hyped as the savior of the already dismal power play. I’d have to admit at first he looked like a poor fit to the Bruin’s system and soon became a scapegoat for the joke the that became the power play during the playoff’s. I thinks people forget that other players and coaches beside Kaberle were also involved in the fiasco. Luckily the Bruin’s were able to win without it. Actually it performed better than Vancouver’s power play in the Final’s. He tied Seidenberg for Bruin’s defensemen with 11 points. I think the B’s could still use his skill and offense. Don’t let his slow start blind you.
• Tim Thomas: What else can be said about this man that hasn’t been said already. Fierce competitor but yet a very likable guy. His performance in the regular season and playoff’s were for the history books. To be honest for a long time I thought of him as a fluke or in last year of being any good. He’s got his second Vezina Trophy(and Conn Smythe Trophy) to prove me wrong. Here’s the “History” clip showing  what will go down as “The Save”:

• Patrice Bergeron: He put on one hell of a show on Game 7 against Vancouver. Perhaps the best all around pure hockey player’s the Bruin’s have. Not the flashiest nor highest scoring. He’s a face off master and play’s very well on offence and defense. Perhaps one of the most underrated player’s in the NHL. He put’s everything on the ice every game. He scores this shorthanded goal against Vancouver in game 7 by shear will power:

• Zdeno Chara: When he lifted Cup above his head it was an unbelievable sight. Gone were the doubts about his Captaincy or his legacy as a great player. When he came here he had the shadow of Shore, Orr and Bourque over him. He has fulfilled his destiny and solidified his place among Bruin’s defensemen greats.

• Tyler Seguin: Originally a healthy scratch for the first two playoff rounds he wouldn’t have got a chance except for Patrice Bergeron’s unfortunate concussion against the Flyer’s in game 4. Many wondered why he wasn’t playing with a team that struggled at time’s for offence. In just his second game against Tampa Bay he showed us why he was picked #2 in the draft with a 4 point second period. He’s going to have a bright future in the black and gold.

• Nathan Horton: With three game winning clutch goal’s in the playoff’s Bruin’s fan’s held there breathe when he was the victim of a late hit by Vancouver’s Rome. Out for the playoff’s with a concussion just how would the Bruin’s deal with losing him. “Win it for Horty” soon became the battle cry and Bruin’s finished the next two games scoring 8-1 and 4-0 respectively.  He help the Bruin’s win without being there. Here’s a touching video shown during game 6:

Thank you 2011 Boston Bruin’s for bring home the Cup!