Not Our Year

(There was no way I was showing Chicago skating around the Garden with the cup)

Shock. Heartbreak. Embarrassment some might say. These are all words to describe Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The Bruins were trying to win to extend the series to a deciding Game 7 while the Blackhawks were looking to end it all. You would think that Boston would be the more desperate team, and well, they showed it in the first period. They dominated play throughout and they would go up 1-0 on a goal by Chris Kelly. Paille shot one towards the net that was probably going over it, Seguin grabbed it and dropped it to the ice, then made a great pass in front of the net to Kelly who one-timed it home. In the 2nd Period, Jonathan Toews grabbed a puck and flew up the boards and got to the net when he shot it 5-hole on Tuukka Rask to tie the game at 1. Then, with about 8 minutes to go in the third period, David Krejci setup behind the Chicago net and passed it to Milan Lucic who was right in front. He shot it, but it rolled off his stick a little, and that change in direction might have surprised Corey Crawford, and it found the back of the net to give the Bruins a 2-1 lead. Game 7 looked possible. Then, with 1:16 remaining in the game, and with Chicago's goalie pulled, Toews skated up the ice and threw a pass over to Bryan Bickell out in front, who tapped it in on the open side to tie the game at 2. Now everybody was thinking overtime, where the Bruins could have still won. Then, 17 seconds later, Chicago shocked everyone. Johnny Oduya shot in a puck from the point, it got deflected by something (I haven't watched the replay, really, I don't care what it hit) and went in by Tuukka Rask, who didn't have a chance on it. The Blackhawks had a 3-2 lead with less than a minute remaining, and....that one hurt. It brought the energy right out of the building and left the Bruins in disbelief. They only had 58 seconds to try and score, and it didn't happen. The Blackhawks are Stanley Cup Champions, Patrick Kane won the Con Smythe Trophy, and a game that looked promising at the beginning ended in the worst possible way for the Bruins.

Well, that's that then. Even though I'm disappointed, the Bruins shouldn't think they let everyone down. They still made it to the Finals and came within two games of winning it, I would call that a successful season, especially since everyone was ready for a first round exit in Game 7 against Toronto. Also, we have learned that Patrice Bergeron broke a rib in game 5 and also tore rib cartilage and he played through it. He also separated his shoulder in game 6. Too bad he didn't get rewarded for that.

See you in October.

~Anthony