Another season, another heartbreak

No matter how many times it happens it will hurt no less. Even if you expect it to happen you can’t avoid the emptiness you feel after its over. No, I’m not talking about a relationship ending or a bad break up. I’m talking about the Boston Bruins and their ever so common trend of breaking their fans’ hearts season after season. After last years game 7 OT loss to the Carolina Hurricanes I had hope for the Bruins this season after they gained some much needed playoff experience. But they proved me wrong once again and blew it in the second round. Providing all of Bruins nation with another disappointing end of season heartbreak.

It was looking up for Boston towards the end of the regular season and into the first round of the playoffs. The offense was starting to heat up at just the right time and the defense was shutting down opposing offenses at any chance they got. Winning six out of their last ten regular season games, and in the four losses letting in two or less goals, the playoffs looked bright for Boston. They soon learned that their round one playoff opponent would be the number three seeded Buffalo Sabres. Although a lot of people doubted the Bruins they came ready to play. Despite dropping game one in disappointing fashion scoring one lonely goal the Bruins roared back and scored five in game two. With the series even at 1-1 it was back to Boston.

Everyone in Boston knew how hard it was to win at home for the Bruins this season. That didn’t matter as Boston took games three and four at the Garden. Game four being that double overtime thriller resulting in the Bruins winning 3-2. As the series traveled back to Buffalo with the Bruins leading 3-1 the Sabres were not about to lay down and die. Game five went to the Sabres as they handed the Bruins an embarrassing 4-1 loss. As game 6 approached the Bruins were set on closing out the series at home. They did just that with a 4-3 win in front of a noisy home crowd at the Garden. As soon as the Bruins knew they were advancing to the next round the Philadelphia Flyers were already waiting to get the series started. Rolling right over the New Jersey Devils and Martin Brodeur 4-1 in the series the Flyers were amped up and waiting for Boston.

Nobody expected the first three games to be won by Boston, but that’s exactly how it went. Game one being another overtime thriller with the winning goal scored by the one and only Marc Savard making his triumphant return from his concussion. Boston’s offense began to heat up and managed to score more than one goal a game, as we all saw them struggling the entire season. Games two and three also went to Boston with scores of 3-2 and 4-1. One more game was all that was needed to finish of the Flyers, but the Boston just couldn’t get it done. Games four, five, six, and seven all went to Broad Street. With scores of 5-4, 4-0, 2-1, and 4-3 the Bruins playoff fire was extinguished in an extremely disappointing fashion. They made history as the 2009-2010 Boston Bruins became the third team in NHL history to blow a 3-0 series lead. Not to mention the extreme irony that was game seven. The score exactly paralleled the series, as the Bruins blew a 3-0 goal lead in game seven exactly as they had done in the series.

So what went so wrong? The blame cannot be pinned on one player or one person in particular. It seemed as if with a 3-0 series lead Boston felt as if they had it in the bag, well that proved to obviously not be true. The heart and drive that the Bruins had in round one as well as the first three games of round two diminished slowly as the series continued. When Philly won game four they suddenly had life, a reason to keep playing on. A big part of Boston’s demise can be contributed to giving Philly that life. After losing game four I began to panic a bit at the thought of blowing a 3-0 series lead, that was the problem Boston did not panic at all. Even when game seven came along they were still not panicking. Players were quoted saying “We just have to go out there and play our game, and have fun.” After dropping three consecutive games you think they might change it up a bit in order to get that game seven win.

Game seven couldn’t of started out better for Boston, jumping out to a 3-1 lead going into the second. But once again they allowed the Flyers to score a goal late and regain some life. Can you see a trend happening here? Heading into the third period the score was tied at 3-3 and once again the Bruins failed to score that lone goal that would have been the game and ultimately series winner. After giving the Flyers life in the first period their series ended with a 4-3 defeat handed to them on home ice. The Garden was stunned as the Bruins hung their heads in shame.

As the lights went out in the Garden the Bruins season was abruptly over. Leaving all of Boston wondering “How many seasons of this can we take?” It’s as if the Bruins would show their fans a light at the end of the tunnel and then give up and suddenly there’s nothing but darkness left. It’s safe to say there’s some changes that need to be made in Boston. No I’m not saying fire Julien or get rid of Chara, but bring in a goal scorer and give fourth line players fourth line minutes. Expect more out of your “top guns” and settle for nothing less. Not to mention that when momentum is on your side you need to take advantage of it. The 2009-2010 Boston Bruins season has ended in dramatic, disappointing fashion as so many previous season have. Despite that fact we all know that when the 2010-2011 season rolls around we will all once again tune into NESN and hope for Stanley’s return.

Oh yeah, one more question, Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin?