Game 7 - Bruins v. Blues

[PedroSpecialK]

Game 7. Stanley Cup Finals. If you need any reason or words to get amped up, visit your doctor.

This team's been put through the ringer this year - it goes without saying that they've had more injuries than could reasonably be expected. 39 skaters + goalies used in the regular season, and they responded with the second highest point total in the NHL. No different in the playoffs - the top 6 forwards are to a man all banged up, Clifton and Kampfer have played on the blue line in the SCF, the Captain has been playing with a broken fucking jaw.

Win this game, and this team - this core especially - is immortalized. Bergeron, Chara, and Rask are guaranteed numbers in the rafters at minimum. Justice is served. Tyler Bozak remains an UDFA footnote that skated with Kessel once. David Perron goes down in history as yet another Québécois loser and the St. Louis village bicycle. Robert Bortuzzo goes back to delivering Papa Gino's. Jordan Binnington is not good. Zach Sanford won't have played in six weeks. Pat Maroon will still be from St. Louis.

To say the Garden will be buzzing would be like saying St. Louis is only slightly a cultural dystopia.

The theme change means Apple Music, Giphy, and Pinterest are the only supported embedded media formats - but click the link. The Civic has been protected - now win it for Neely and Haunted's mom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSR6ZzjDZ94

 

[[icon]]

Great intro PSK

Let's Wheel Gangsta-Papi out for one of his epic This is our City pregame speeches.

 

[bsj]

If you are going to the game, my one ask is be loud and do not let an early deficit quell you. This is why road games have been winnable by both sides. Make life hard for the Blues for 60 minutes

 

[Zososoxfan]

As Boston sports fans, we have received more gifts in the way of championships and dynasties over the past 20 years than any fans from any city ever had. And you know what, I enjoy every. single. one. This city savors its sports and never loses its love for success. It's not just the titles. Of course those are excellent and awesome, but it is the journey, the struggle, and the steps along the way that make it great.

Going into these playoffs, the Lightning looked to be on a mission and unbeatable. Well, they shit the bed and the city of Tampa is still not recovered. Seriously, I live here and people are so so grateful that the Rays are off to a good start to distract them from the fact that their best team is years crashed out in horrifying fashion. Meanwhile, the Bruins were in an absolute battle with the Laffs. The Laffs were a very tough opponent with plenty of goonery to go around, but the Bruins vanquished them and marched onward. Then came CBJ and I'm not gonna lie, I was a nervous wreck going into game 4. CBJ was by far the most physical team I had seen in the playoffs and CBJ just seemed to have the puck luck and matchup problems to squeak by. Bob was on fire. Then, Tuukka got hot himself and the boys blew the doors off them. That's when I thought we might have something special going on here. That hot streak continued as the Bruins just absolutely obliterated the Canes like the expansion franchise they will always be. Lest we forget, the Canes were the darling of the casual sports public what with their cheeky team celebrations and carefree attitude. Well, the Bruins also had a fun, cool, and new way in mind to send off the Canes--a furious sweep and business-like handshake line. Which brings us to the forsaken Blues.

Like many others, I had a hard time developing much antipathy towards the Blues at first. For as much as St. Louis is an awful city and Missouri is an awful state, I always do feel bad for fans when their beloved franchises are taken away from them by cold-hearted dickwads like Kroenke. The Rams captured the public imagination at the turn of the millennium with the Greatest Show on Turf and the Warner redemption story. But much like then, Boston has come along and now it is time to snuff out those hopes and dreams.

Let's be clear--this team is a by and large a bunch of giant assholes. Even St. Tarasenko, who is a talented player, has taken his turn at diving and shithousery. These assbags hit after the whistle. They 'finish' checks months after the puck is gone. They've hit Rask more than any team has hit a goalie that I can remember and by a very wide margin. If there has been a minute of ice time where a Blues player hasn't held a Bruins' stick, I haven't seen it. Vancouver was easy to hate because they owned the fact they were heels. These shitheads pull the same nonsense and still want the benefit of the doubt and act incredulous in the rare instances where they get called on their bullshit. Their coach is a relic of a bygone era when skating was a nice secondary skill. Fuck these guys.

The Bruins are better. The Bruins are faster. The Bruins have a MUCH better goaltender. The Bruins have a much better coach. The Bruins have true leaders on their team. It's time to put these assholes down for the count. Don't make it close. Beat the everloving shit out of them. And if the Blues choose to get up off the mat, slam them back down again. Beat them to every loose puck. Pepper the net and let Binnington cough up rebounds like he has so many times before. When Rask gets hit, and make no mistake he's going to get hit, stand up for him and kick the shit out of the guy and don't get a penalty doing it because they'd do the same thing on the other end.

Play like Bruins. Play like Champions.

1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16

PROTECT. THE. CIVIC.

 

[TSC]

I'm not trying to be selfish here - but in my lifetime I've never been able to properly celebrate a Bruins Stanley Cup. I'd really like to do that.

This entire season has been such a rollercoaster. Similar to the 2017 Red Sox, you never really knew what you had until holy shit...they could have it all. There were moments of brilliance, and some valleys along the way. But holy shit these guys are one game away from doing it.

Also. This is a legacy game.

 

[PedroSpecialK]

As an aside - look for @veritas and myself two seats over from the Blues' bench. Taking sign ideas, I am a fan of @Boston Brawler's Theodore Rex / Craig Berube separated at birth idea.

 

[RSN Diaspora]

On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, my personal trainer comes over to my house at 5:30a to beat the shit out of me for an hour (Mondays and Fridays he works with the Diasporette). Ordinarily, I'd switch days with my wife, but it wouldn't work this time so I'm going to have to be able to get out of bed at 5:00a on Thursday. There are two ways this happens: I've got a pulsating headache and I'm pissed at the world because the Bruins blew a golden opportunity to hoist the cup and now not only do I have to exercise, but I also have to head to a business trip later that day in Atlantic Fucking City, or; I'm so chipper that I can go sweat out a twelve-pack consumed up to five or six hours prior with a muscular sadist who lives to make me feel pain with a 24-hour smile on my face, in spite of the fact that my day ends in New Jersey.

Please Sports Gods, give me option B.

 

[joe dokes]

As an aside - look for @veritas and myself two seats over from the Blues' bench. Taking sign ideas, I am a fan of @Boston Brawler's Theodore Rex / Craig Berube separated at birth idea.

SUQVIST

(oh, to be 12 again)

 

[Saints Rest]

As an aside - look for @veritas and myself two seats over from the Blues' bench. Taking sign ideas, I am a fan of @Boston Brawler's Theodore Rex / Craig Berube separated at birth idea.

Simple: Berube, shattered, shattered.

 

[Kenny F'ing Powers]

I'm always cup half full, overconfident with the Bruins. Like to rally against people crying in game threads. Bruins always got this.

I dont feel it this game. I dont know why.

Someone tell me how much of a coward I'm being, please.

 

[RSN Diaspora]

Someone tell me how much of a coward I'm being, please.

Sack up, you pussy. We're winning this game.

 

[MiracleOfO2704]

As an aside - look for @veritas and myself two seats over from the Blues' bench. Taking sign ideas, I am a fan of @Boston Brawler's Theodore Rex / Craig Berube separated at birth idea.

I don’t think it can be anything else. The world needs to know.

I'm not trying to be selfish here - but in my lifetime I've never been able to properly celebrate a Bruins Stanley Cup. I'd really like to do that.

This entire season has been such a rollercoaster. Similar to the 2017 Red Sox, you never really knew what you had until holy shit...they could have it all. There were moments of brilliance, and some valleys along the way. But holy shit these guys are one game away from doing it.

Also. This is a legacy game.

What, being in hostile territory at 0300 didn’t do it for you?

As much as we’ve all been through this once, it doesn’t ever get stale. After 9 Super Bowls, the whole routine of the Pats possibly winning another championship doesn’t have the same energy. The Sox have won 4 World Series in the last 15 seasons, and none of them had a do-or-die Game 7. Hell, their most competitive WS required a technicality to get it back to Fenway for a Game 6. The Celtics? Meh.

But this team. There’s something about them, skating in a one-game playoff with a 35-lb. chunk of silver on the line. Like most of you, I was ready for Game 7 against Vancouver as soon as Game 6 wrapped up. The anticipation was brutal. We wondered out loud if an order of Luongo Tambellini would be greasy or the greasiest. We debated why the ace of the San Francisco Giants would play as Vancouver’s 9th defenceman of the series. But most of all, we were ready to experience something so precious few of us had in our lifetimes. Robert Gordon celebrating with Noel Picard’s stick in his skate was a marvel of film, half legendary, half history. Johnny Bucyk skating around Madison Square Garden was a flash across our eyes, a fleeting memory barely there. That night, scattered across the country, we saw a dominant forward pair come of age, and our favourite team kept the Stanley Cup away from a team that deployed a line of Raffi Torres, Max LaPierre, and Jannik Hansen. The Hockey Gods smiled on us that night.

Tomorrow night, this team has another chance to make history. That dynamic forward pair is eight years older, that much closer to the hockey graveyard. The captain still rules, but Father Time is taking its toll. I don’t want to be that guy, but for players like Patrice Bergeron-Cleary, David Krejčí, Zdeno Chára, and Tuukka Rask, this could be their last chance to be the centrepieces of a championship team. By this time next year, Torrey Krug may ply his trade somewhere else. For better of for worse, the next Bruins team to make it this far is likely to look pretty different than this year’s squad. I want them to have a legacy of multiple Cups, not because they’re my favourite team, but because that’s the honour they deserve.

To do that, they’re going to have to overturn this year’s version of Torres-LaPierre-Hansen. Ivan Barbashev and Oskar Sundqvist have already been suspended in this series for their dirty play, and Alex Steen is the disappointing son of a Winnipeg Jet. No, not the modern, somewhat competent version, the version so bereft of titles that they hung a giant picture of the Queen in their arena to fill the space. The rest of the team is the strongest group of whiners and divers assembled since that Vancouver team, made complete by media darling Jordan Binnington. Imagine, if you will, Roberto Luongo’s entitlement to the crown with nary a shred of his talent. Voila, you just made a Binnington. Most of us probably heard about him taking the reins back in January and swore Craig Billington retired years ago. Now, we all have to hear every talking head talk about how cool he is when he flops around, alternating between diving for a penalty and giving up gigantic rebounds. St. Louis’ last hope couldn’t hang in Peoria last year. His options were the Coast or playing third wheel to Zane MacIntyre and Dan Vladar. He chose third wheel. And naturally, this turd stew is stirred by Craig Berube, a Theodore Rex-looking scumbag whose entire NHL career is documented on hockeyfights.com . No, not his fighting highlights, his entire, dirty, low-end career.

This Blues team is dishonourable. They don’t deserve the privilege of skating the Holy Grail around the TD Garden ice. They Hockey Gods can’t, and won’t, let that happen. The Boston Bruins will put their names on the Cup again, and cement their legacies as some of the greatest players of our generation.

https://youtu.be/yX39J_YyKbs

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

It has been 49 fucking years since the Bruins have skated with The Cup on Home Ice. Since then, The Cup has been skated around the Garden by multiple other teams.

This must be changed.

The Cup must be carried around Garden Ice by the Bruins.

Tomorrow night.

 

[nattysez]

https://twitter.com/jprutherford/status/1138199635238051840
So the Blues are basically announcing that they intend to play dirty tomorrow night. The NHL has brought this on themselves. I'll be curious to see if the refs have the stones to issue some majors if the Blues goon it up. If not, this game could get really ugly.

 

[joe dokes]

https://twitter.com/jprutherford/status/1138199635238051840
So the Blues are basically announcing that they intend to play dirty tomorrow night. The NHL has brought this on themselves. I'll be curious to see if the refs have the stones to issue some majors if the Blues goon it up. If not, this game could get really ugly.

Who knows. With a suspension for Game 8 off the table, the refs might (might) be inclined to give an elbow to the head a match penalty.

 

[tonyandpals]

Who knows. With a suspension for Game 8 off the table, the refs might (might) be inclined to give an elbow to the head a match penalty.

 

[Old Fart Tree]

I’m pretty goddamn fired up.

 

[Mueller's Twin Grannies]

The Civic has been protected - now win it for Neely and Haunted's mom.

Didn't someone's cat die that they were also supposed to win it for? Let's throw that beloved pet back into the mix and all late beloved pets everywhere.

 

[tims4wins]

Didn't someone's cat die that they were also supposed to win it for? Let's throw that beloved pet back into the mix and all late beloved pets everywhere.

That's Neely

 

[NYCSox]

Let's do this. Lead us PSK.

 

[DJnVa]

I'm not trying to be selfish here - but in my lifetime I've never been able to properly celebrate a Bruins Stanley Cup. I'd really like to do that.

This entire season has been such a rollercoaster. Similar to the 2017 Red Sox, you never really knew what you had until holy shit...they could have it all.

Or even the 2018 Red Sox!

 

[MiracleOfO2704]

Seriously, this team has no business being associated with the glory of the Stanley Cup. Shades of Gillis confronting KPD during Game 6.

https://twitter.com/darrendreger/status/1138498406505164800?s=21
Courtesy of Darren Dreger: Blues GM, Doug Armstrong just colourfully instructed the ice crew at TD Garden to get to work. Armstrong was a bit annoyed with possibility of the Blues practice being delayed. Crew member “who pissed in your Cheerios this morning”? Game 7.

 

[joe dokes]

Seriously, this team has no business being associated with the glory of the Stanley Cup. Shades of Gillis confronting KPD during Game 6.

https://twitter.com/darrendreger/status/1138498406505164800?s=21
Courtesy of Darren Dreger: Blues GM, Doug Armstrong just colourfully instructed the ice crew at TD Garden to get to work. Armstrong was a bit annoyed with possibility of the Blues practice being delayed. Crew member “who pissed in your Cheerios this morning”? Game 7.

I wonder if it was a crew member whose son wore number 48 until one of Armstrong's goons smashed his head into the glass.

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Sounds like this goon squad is rattled

 

[Salem's Lot]

People in that organization seem just a little tight right now.

 

[Salem's Lot]

They don’t need ice anyway. They can practice cross checking guys in the head in the locker room.

 

[FL4WL3SS]

Glad PSK started this thread, that's all I gotta say.

That's a lie, I have more things to say.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

I'm nervous. It's a good nervous.

 

[mwonow]

Stops. Scores. Parade. Join the legends.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

I am not sure Eddie J. played in those Finals, but nice pic

 

[Mueller's Twin Grannies]

That's Neely

Oh my goodness, that's right.

 

[Mystic Merlin]

Fuck that team. Devour the shitsicles, you goonish assclowns, FEEEEAST.

 

[kenneycb]

Now here I am hoping that someone did pee in Armstrong's Cheerio's.

 

[BernieRicoBoomer]

Jesus, we gotta wait another day for this???

 

[NickEsasky]

I told you guys we were gonna need this thread. Score early, score often. Leave no doubt.

 

[TheRealness]

I'm always cup half full, overconfident with the Bruins. Like to rally against people crying in game threads. Bruins always got this.

I dont feel it this game. I dont know why.

Someone tell me how much of a coward I'm being, please.

Jesus fuck Ms. Cleo, again with this. Can you tell me whether I should buy a fucking powerball ticket today too?

Sack up. They are winning this fucking thing.

 

[Boston Brawler]

As an aside - look for @veritas and myself two seats over from the Blues' bench. Taking sign ideas, I am a fan of @Boston Brawler's Theodore Rex / Craig Berube separated at birth idea.

If you do go with it, I just want you to perhaps accidentally fling it onto the Blues bench when we win. And hopefully a camera will pick up Berube Rex staring at it in his most public terrible moment.

 

[nolasoxfan]

WIN!

 

[doc]

I would love to see this on the Jumbotron during stops in play


https://youtu.be/_uVz1Epv9q0


Damn can you not embed media on this thing?

 

[TSC]

Sack up, you pussy. We're winning this game.

I hope Mrs. RSN is ready for another hump and change in between the 2nd and 3rd.

 

[BigSoxFan]

Just had ticket fall through last minute at work. I’ve attended some big Boston sports games (SB42, SB52, 2003 Zimmer game, etc.) and most have gone...poorly.

Bruins just dodged a major bullet.

 

[TheoShmeo]

Will be in the building courtesy of Tony S! Let’s not forget Neely the Cat. That hockey loving feline.

Could not be more excited.

One of my closest friends is, oddly enough, a rabid Canadiens fan. She hates the Bruins like I hate the Yankees. Sorry, dudette, but your misery is coming. Feel the inevitability.

Kidding and personal angles no one cares about but me aside, I think there’s a lot to be confident about heading into this one.

The Bruins are the better, more skilled team. Berube’s “goon it up” comments were as foolish as his prior ref baiting was excellent. The zebras have been told in advance that the Blues are going to play dirty. And in addition to those two factors, Rask is playing out of his head. Last, even though the Bruins have lost two at home, it’s still a tremendous advantage to be in your own building and environment.

Bs win. The Cup gets raised by the locals. Dare to believe.

PS: planning to go to the Sox until about 6:30 and then head over the Garden. Plan is to leave the car in one spot and Uber or T around and leave after we’ve grown tired of luxuriating in the Cup. Any tips for good parking in between Fenway and TD Garden? Just whatever makes the most sense under the circumstances....

 

[RSN Diaspora]

I hope Mrs. RSN is ready for another hump and change in between the 2nd and 3rd.

I’m going to casually mention that the Bruins have never lost an SCF game when we’ve had sex in between the second and third periods and see where it gets me...

 

[Clemente]

You can park at the Pru Parking Garage, and with your Red Sox Ticket the cost is $18.00. 20 minute walk to Fenway. Basically mid-way between Fenway and Garden.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Win tomorrow and so many things come to light. Bergy and Z cement their Hall of Fame status. Marchand gets on that track. Krejci gets 46 in the rafters. Rask gets 40 into the rafters and shuts all the haters up forever. McAvoy gets the torch and becomes the next 10-15 year leader of this franchise and Carlo joins him on that 1st D pairing. Pasta is finally recognized league wide as one of the best young players in the game. Cassidy joins Cora and Belichick in the club.

60 minutes away from immortality. This season started in China and can end with a parade. Play freely and just concentrate on getting shots on Binnington and jumping on the juicy rebounds. The ice will be bad so don't try to be too cute with too many passes. Get as many pucks on net and see what happens. Take the fight to them.

We're fucking winning the Stanley Cup tomorrow.

 

[Murby]

Win tomorrow and so many things come to light. Bergy and Z cement their Hall of Fame status. Marchand gets on that track. Krejci gets 46 in the rafters. Rask gets 40 into the rafters and shuts all the haters up forever. McAvoy gets the torch and becomes the next 10-15 year leader of this franchise and Carlo joins him on that 1st D pairing. Pasta is finally recognized league wide as one of the best young players in the game. Cassidy joins Cora and Belichick in the club.

60 minutes away from immortality. This season started in China and can end with a parade. Play freely and just concentrate on getting shots on Binnington and jumping on the juicy rebounds. The ice will be bad so don't try to be too cute with too many passes. Get as many pucks on net and see what happens. Take the fight to them.

We're fucking winning the Stanley Cup tomorrow.

My thought too on the ice. It's going to be rough ice given the predicted temps. All the more reason to shout from the rooftops: NO SHOT ON GOAL IS A BAD SHOT

 

[tonyandpals]

And here we are. Twenty four hours from 60 minutes that can turn these guys into legends. I don't know how they sleep at night, because I know I'll be tossing and turning. This team has brought me so much joy this season. I'll remember it for the year my son really turned the corner and started to really 'get' the game. Probably came from his first full season on the ice. Tears were shed at game five after the non call lead to the goal, but I know that pain. Kid has seen waaaaaaaaaay more ups than downs and there is no reason for that to stop now. They are the superior team. It's time to execute one last time. Fortunately I have a crazy day tomorrow that ends with a little league playoff game concluding at 7:30, so I'm hoping time flies.

I was glad to have helped a few people get into the building. My rep had tickets before the series at $700ea for this game. Looking like a steal now. Enjoy yourselves gentlemen. Be loud for all of us. Next time I'll be in the building it will be for banner night.

This board is something else. It's awesome to see everyone pick each-other up. I lost my Neely this year and you guys were right there. He's buried in the back yard in a Bruins scarf that my MIL made for me. My kids picked out a little statue and we did some nice planting around it. They like to bring people back there and show them the 'TD cat garden' as we call it. I miss that little guy bugging the shit out of me as I try to type.

Can't imagine what Haunted is still going though, but I know he knows we're all right here for him. If his mom was a cat person I'm sure Neely has found her lap up. He's a drooler, but other than that, he's pretty cool.

 

[staz]

The most hockey-knowledgable friend of mine took his own life in April. He and I traded literally countless texts during Bruins games over the years, so the loss of that in-game social interaction alone these past weeks has been fucked up. Glad to have these game threads as they have helped fill the void. So, win it for Larry.

Bs win. The Cup gets raised by the locals. Dare to believe.

Amen, brotha. I mean, as a fan of Boston's 4 majors, tomorrow might be the apex of it all for my lifetime. Let's go get that beautiful trophy and set it right next to the ones we picked up in February and October.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Amen, brotha. I mean, as a fan of Boston's 4 majors, tomorrow might be the apex of it all for my lifetime. Let's go get that beautiful trophy and set it right next to the ones we picked up in February and October.

Since 2001 we've seen the Pats win it 6 times and if the Bruins win we'll have seen all of the Sox, Celtics, and Bruins clinch championships at home in Boston since 2008. I mean, what else is there? You're right my man: this is the apex.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

I haven't watched an NFL game in 6 years. I don't particularly care about basketball. I stopped rooting for the Red Sox around 2009. I only give a shit about one trophy in North America. But it's not about me.
My six year old son is obsessed, his 4 year old sister is down as well. I'm letting them stay up as long as they can tomorrow, cranky school day be dammed. I desperately want to see my son's face when Z lifts that Cup...just so he can understand and be happy. But it's not about them.
I've been fortunate enough to have won championships playing youth hockey, adult hockey, and old man hockey. I've been fortunate enough to coach teams that have won championships in youth hockey and in High School. What I learned from that is that it's about the team.
I want that team to get what they deserve- Bergy and Zee and Marchy and Pasta and Krech and Tuukka and Backes and on down the line. I want to see Charlie Coyle and Matt Grzelcyk and Noel Accari live out all of our dreams. I know what these guys have put into this season and what a great team they are; no matter the outcome this will be one of my favorite B's teams ever. I want them to cap it off so that for the rest of their lives, they'll always have that moment.