A Flair for the Dramatic

Patrice Bergeron certainly has a flair for the dramatic, doesn’t he?

First, his game tying and then game winning OT goal verses Toronto in Round 1 and now this.

 

While credit goes to Bergeron for scoring the goal, mad props go to Jaromir Jagr for making it all possible.  His play on Evgeni Malkin along the boards makes that goal possible.

Forget the fact that Jagr is practically pre-historic in hockey years – he is still got it. Oh and Brad Marchand’s pass wasn’t so bad either.

Gregory Campbell is wicked hahd corah.  He blocked a Malkin shot and remained on the ice as the Penguins continued to pressure on the power play.

We all know Campbell is one bad mamma jamma, but this was just amazing.

 

At first I was all “Why is he limping to the side like his leg was broken? This ain’t no time for the Humpty Dance!”

Well, turns out the Campbell’s leg was, in fact, broken.  Just to reiterate – Campbell played that whole time WITH A BROKEN LEG! I will cut anyone who says that hockey players aren’t the toughest athletes out there.

Campbell is done for the remainder of the playoffs and the Bruins will miss his physicality and depth. However, I have a feeling that his steely determination and self-sacrifice will serve to be an inspiration for his teammates as they prepare for Game 4 and the potential sweep.

David Krejci’s campaign for the Conn Smythe continues.  He is out there shaking hands and kissing babies…and getting all the points. He scored his 9th goal of the playoff and remains as the league’s #1 point-getter this post season with 21 points.

 

Penguins did play their best game of the series last night…but the Bruins were just a little bit better.

Vokoun recovered well from his first two performances and was excellent in net…but Tuukaa was better.

 

Although the series is now at 3-0 Bruins, this series, and the playoffs in general, have been anything but easy for the Bruins. Just look at Bergeron’s face.

His bruised and battered visage is a testament to how hard the Bruins have been working, not only in this series but the entire playoffs.

After their Game 7 victory over the Leafs, the Bs seemed to have flipped a switch and reverted to the way they played in their 2011 run to the Stanley Cup.  They are mucking and grinding and playing with a grit and grime that has been their calling card. It might not always be pretty and the goals might not make it to the Top 10 on NHL Network, but they are getting it done when it counts the most.  They are a team that has committed themselves to leave it all out there on the ice, each and every time.

Game 4 is Friday in Boston and the Bruins will have the chance to close out the series with a sweep of the Pens.  If you had told me at the beginning of the playoffs that this is where we’d be right now, I would have called you crazy.

Say what now?

We both would have. The Pens regular season domination was enough to make anyone believe that their road to the Stanley Cup Finals was all but assured.

But the NHL Playoffs are a fickle thing.  They can dismantle contenders with incredible ease.  Or make champions out of underdogs.

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Leave a Reply to Alex Cancel reply

  1. jana Reply

    I feel like these are the Bruins who were playing in the beginning of the season. So I’m happy they’ve gotten their groove back for the playoffs, because let’s face it: NO ONE thought they’d be up 3-0 against the Pens.

    I can’t believe Campell. When he went down last night, I was yelling at the tv for the refs to blow a whistle! Hello? Man down! Man down! I’ve got serious mad respect for him.

    Though if there should be a Blackhawks v Bruins Stanley Cup series (which on the one hand, would be TOTALLY AWESOME with two original six teams), I don’t know who I’d cheer for. I’ve decided that if that happens, I’m going to let it come organically.

    Here’s the one thing that bothers me about the picture of Bergy: It’s been tampered with. Yes, he’s beaten up and bruised, BUT, someone has played with the contrasting to make those cuts and bruises look deeper and worse. As someone who dabbles in photography, it bothers me. Of course I get that it’s done to be dramatic, and it definitely gets the job done, but it still bothers me nonetheless.

    All that said, LET’S GO BRUINS!!

  2. Alex Reply

    Thank you for not rubbing it in.
    Sincerely, a hopeless Pens fan.

  3. I’m used to being an outnumbered hockey fan in the real world, now I’m experiencing it on the internet.

    High fives, Chuck. You, Jana and Me: Party of Three.

    I’m going to feel so lonesome if there’s a Hawks-Bruins final. I will obviously be cheering for the Hawks, but it will be bittersweet. Hopefully it will be a good solid series that leaves me respecting both teams at the end of it… a girl can dream.

    • Party of FOUR Jess! Srsly woman !! God dammit – Bergeron is my favourite current player. Those of you who are my friends on Facebook can look at the pic of me an him. Yeah. I am stunned. Still going with B’s if its an original six final. But it could be AWESOME

      • OOPS! Sorry Cass!

        Let’s include Chuck’s roomate too, then we will be Party of Five. Dibs on being Lacey Chabert.*

        *Note: I never actually watched Party of Five.

  4. 'drea Reply

    Another Bruins fan checking in… at least I’m on the west coast so I wasn’t up until all hours of the night.

  5. Holly Reply

    I love this team. Bergeron jumping up and down on his skates after getting the GWG (again), the Player of the Game Army Rangers jacket, Chara saying they were winning it for Soupy, Tuukka the David-Carradine-as-Kung-Fu of goaltenders, Lucic basically laughing in Cooke’s face…

    …how can we not love this team???