Thank you Chicago Tribune

And NYC and all those around our world who have stood with Boston - Thank You. 

Boston will be what it has always been, a beacon of Freedom to all.

These cowards have messed with the wrong city.

The Boston Bruins will take Game 7 tonight...

The Boston Bruins will take the Capitals in Game 7 tonight - Go  BOSTON - On to Victory and sending the CAPS packing !!!

The Boston Sports Scene - Red Sox, Bobby Valentine, Bruins, Patriots, Tebow and all the hype

As many might have guessed, I am a sports fan of all Boston Sports. We are the ones who have captured all 4 major trophies ( Super Bowl, World Series, Stanley Cup and NBA Championship) in the last 7 years. It is something no other City/Region can match.

The Red Sox are trying to reform themselves after a disastrous end to last year's season. The sports version of the " talking heads " a.k.a. commentators are up and down over the new manager, new rules and the reshuffling of the deck. Ultimately, it all comes down to one game at a time over 162 game season....I am not thrilled with what happened last year but I am a RED SOX fan so I have to be optimistic...Last year they started crappy, excelled over the summer and crapped out in the end....This year is a new path and will be interesting to say the least.

Patriots and Tebow...doubtful. Very, Very doubtful. No real need to bring him here and likely not what Belichick wants....not worried about it....way to much hype.

Bruins....not living up to last year but still in the hunt.....we shall see what the next two weeks holds and how they fare once the playoffs begin...everyone underestimated them last year, and that was to the Bruins advantage.

I feel we need to stop over analyzing every little aspect of the season/players/games and let's get back to enjoying watching the guys play...really.

Tim Thomas - MVP and Patriot

There's a reason why Tim Thomas was the League MVP last year....There's a reason why he has the phrase " Don't tread on me" on his helmet.

I'm sorry so many of the media got unglued because Tim Thomas has integrity and won't be used for a political photo-op with the feckless pol in the White House.

It takes COURAGE to stand up for yourself and that is something Tim Thomas has in spades....too bad this simple concept is something that most of the media can't grasp. I salute Tim Thomas as he has my respect. The Fool in the White House, not so much.

Thanks Tim. True Patriots stand with you for making a gutsy and strong stand against all that is wrong in Washington, DC. " Protest is Patriotic" was what we heard from the DEMS over the previous administration's term.....now, they are 100% against it because it involves protesting the person they prefer.

Tim Thomas is a MVP and I can easily see why....we need more Patriots like him. If more people stood up for what is right, we would have less of the embarrassments we see in government. There is very little leadership among our politicians. We need more people like Tim Thomas who are willing to call it like it is and are not afraid to take a stand.

Bruins Goalie Tim Thomas shows courage and takes a hit from the media

I was able to listen to the media outlets pile on Boston Bruins Goalie Tim Thomas yesterday for not attending the White House visit with the Bruins yesterday. The media were in full dump mode as I heard radio, print and TV reporters all say that what he did was wrong.

To the pundits and the media, I say you are wrong.

Tim Thomas was exercising his right to protest the issues that are wrong with Washington, DC and especially the light weight in the White House. " Protest is Patriotic " was the mantra we heard from the lefty looney libs for 8 years when President Bush was in the White House. The level of venom they directed against anyone and every one in power they didn't like was unbelievable.

Now, because the Bruins Goalie has issue with the way our Government is mis-managed, suddenly protesting is wrong? He should give up his moral and ethical indignation and make nice-nice with those who are driving our country into a ditch ?

I support Tim Thomas. If you feel that attending a White House Photo-op is something you don't want to do, then you are well within your rights not to attend.

If this was done when there was another President in place, I would feel the same as the day we condemn civil protest, we are on a slippery slope. Tim Thomas made a polite and mature protest. He didn't camp out on the White House lawn, or demand payment from the government. He declined an invititation. It is up each individual person to decide on whether to go, not the media.

Courage is taking a difficult stand when all around you are pressuring you to give in. Thanks Tim for making and taking the tough stand.

We stand with you.

Holidays come early for RED SOX fans

Valentine's Day came early for Boston Red Sox fans....Training camp will be opening in about 75 days or so....Like most years, 2012 will be an interesting year for the faithful fans of Fenway. Red Sox baseball can wait a few months as the team needs to do some rebuilding with the fans...Like any other season, high hopes are on the horizon.

For now, let's cheer on the New England Patriots and the Boston Bruins...They deserve their time in the sun, and Baseball will be back in Spring.

Sunday Musings

While there are news stories worthy of note, I felt like posting some Sunday Musings:

- We are losing the WW2 Vets at an alarming rate. Do the math - as WW2 started 70 years ago (70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor in December 2011), if you were in WW2, you have to be at least 85 years old.

- Occupy Wall Street and other cities have made a fuss but no real change in the political landscape. The movement has been beset with negative actions of individuals who have given them a black eye. The Tea Party protested but went home and went back to work. The Occupy movement needs to produce something substantial besides a major mess in each city where they reside.

- The NFL rules. NFL games have gotten the highest ratings this fall of any TV shows. Today we have PATRIOTS vs. STEELERS. An awesome contest and the game of the week as far as I am concerned. PATS by 7.

- The Presidential Election in 2012 is about one year away and Americans see the POLS (on both sides of the aisle) as inept, ineffective and largely the cause of our problems. Incumbents will be dumped in record numbers, starting with the President and his minions. Start packing Mr. President as there is nothing you can attempt to do in the next 12 months that will change people's opinions that you are the most inept of all POLS.

- Snow hit the Northeast and as expected, those living inland in PA, NY, MA & CT got the worst of it. Those along the coast got wind & rain but little snow. Living near the ocean has always been the best place to be regardless of the season. The mountains are beautiful and I enjoy visiting, but the coast is the place to be.

- The Bruins are off to a slow start. The Stanley Cup champs need to get in the game and prove that 2011 was not a one-off. Boston will do better.

- Enjoy the day. Time is the one item we cannot get back as much as we would like to and it is the item we need to spend wisely.

Tim Thomas wins Vezina Trophy as NHL's best goaltender

AWESOME...Brilliant....simply BRILLIANT....well done, sir.....we in BOSTON knew you were the best even when all others doubted you.....Congrats.


Tim Thomas wins Vezina Trophy as NHL's best goaltender
By Steve Silva, Boston.com Staff June 22, 2011

Tim Thomas won his second Vezina Trophy competition for the NHL's best goaltender tonight at the league's annual awards ceremony in Las Vegas.

The Bruins netminder, who took home the award in 2009, beat out the Nashville Predator's Pekka Rinne and old friend Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks for the honor.

Thomas was named on 26 of 30 ballots in voting by the NHL's general managers and was the top selection on 17 for 104 points, according to NHL.com, topping Rinne who had 84 while Luongo was a distant third with 33.

Thomas led the NHL with a .938 save percentage, best in the history of the National Hockey League, surpassing Dominik Hasek's .937 set in the 1998-89 season. He had a record of 35-11-9 in 57 games this season, with a league-low 2.00 goals-against-average to go along with nine shutouts, a career high. He won his first eight decisions of the season to set a Bruins record.

"First off I'd like to start out by congratulating Roberto Luongo and Pekka Rinne on fantastic seasons," Thomas said after he took the stage to accept his award. "I'd like to thank my teammates, who, without I ... you can't win the Vezina Trophy, goaltending is the most team-dependent position that there is in hockey.

"I'd like to thank my family and friends for their longtime, unwavering support through all of the ups and downs."

Thomas also spoke about coming back from hip surgery a little over a year ago, and the healing process that enabled him to be a top performer this year.

"A little bit over a year ago, I had hip surgery," Thomas said. "I didn't know if I'd be able to play at the level that I'd become accustomed to playing with ever again, and so I'd like to thank Dr. Bryan Kelly for doing the hip surgery and doing such a fantastic job."

Thomas then gave special thanks to Dennis Thompson and Jay Schroeder for a system they used to recover his hip from the surgery, which Thomas said increased his athletic performance immensely.

Thomas closed his remarks by thanking God.

The 37-year-old native of Flint, Michigan recorded a 1.98 GAA, winning 16 games in the postseason run that led to the Bruins first Stanley Cup title in 39 years. He was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the postseason.

John Hamm, who plays leading man Don Draper on AMC's slick series Mad Men, handed off the trophy to Thomas during the presentation at the Pearl Theater at the Palms hotel.

“I’m a big fan of goalies,” Hamm said on NHL Network prior to the award show. “I was a catcher in high school baseball so anybody who straps pads on and gets stuff thrown at them at 100 miles-per-hour deserves a trophy.”

THE BOSTON BRUINS - STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS

WINNNNNAH !!!! THE BOSTON BRUINS - WORLD CHAMPIONS

GAME 7 Looms large for the BOSTON BRUINS

FOR BOSTON - The Boston Bruins have faced the doubters, the nay sayers. They have listened to the constant remarks from teams like Tampa Bay and others. They had to fight for this tooth and nail.

Now, after a drought that has lasted since 1972, they are pearched on the edge of SUCCESS.
Vancouver has acted liked they owned the cup from the start....Not like the dreaded Pin-Stripers from NYC but still a cocky arrogance that was turned back at every corner that this series has rounded. Oh and a message to Mr. Luongo - You have shown that when the heat is on, you fold up like a cheap card table.

Now, GAME 7 looms large. One Game, winner-take-all. Such as it ever was.

FOR BOSTON.....THE BOSTON BRUINS will push on to show the world who is the best hockey team this year. BOSTON - GO BRUINS !!

Full Cup
Bruins romp again at Garden to force Game 7
By Fluto Shinzawa
Globe Staff / June 14, 2011

There will be one more flight west. One more night in a Vancouver hotel. One more game.

Had the Bruins dropped Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Canucks last night at TD Garden, tomorrow probably would have been breakup day. For the final time this season, the Bruins would have gathered at their home rink, packed up their items, held exit interviews, and said their goodbyes.

Instead, they will be pursuing the greatest trophy in sports in the grandest spectacle of them all: Game 7.

“Not too many people counted on us being here right now,’’ Mark Recchi said after last night’s 5-2 win before 17,565. “It’s a great feeling. We battled real hard tonight. We came to play. It comes down to one game. This is what we dream of. When you’re a little kid playing street hockey, you’re in Game 7. We’re going to go out there. We’re going to lay it on the line just like they are. It’s going to be a pretty exciting game. We’ve got to go find a way to win a game and win a Stanley Cup. We’re going to do whatever we can.’’

The champagne that was on ice for the Canucks last night is only an afterthought. The Cup that was in place for the Canucks to hoist must now travel west to accompany both teams.

Last night, only one club could have claimed the Cup as its own. Tomorrow, because the Bruins did something good last night, they can do something great.

The day started with focus. The Bruins didn’t think about their season coming to a close. In the home dressing room, there was a quiet confidence as the Bruins tried to bundle their collective energy toward a single goal: living to see another day.

“It was very quiet in here,’’ said the usually chirpy Brad Marchand. “It was tough to figure out if it was nerves or just guys being calm and focused. It seemed like everyone was very prepared and very excited to get underway.’’

After warmups, the calm was gone. As the Bruins bosses had hoped, the mood rose another level while the players prepared for battle. The Bruins weren’t afraid of what was ahead of them. Instead, they couldn’t wait to get their job started.

So, what was quiet and poise ramped up to energy.

“Excitement, that’s for sure,’’ Michael Ryder said. “We were all pumped up. We knew that we had to come out hard, especially early in the game. I think it was pretty intense in here. Everyone was jumping around, getting ready to go. We knew what it meant. We knew the fans would be behind us. We wanted to make sure we set the tone early and got the fans into it.’’

Soon after the Bruins hit the ice, all that buildup, tension, and excitement exploded into a four-goal supernova. Marchand snapped a shot over Roberto Luongo. Milan Lucic hit a shot that dribbled between Luongo’s pads and rolled over the goal line.

Nathan Horton, his season over because of a concussion suffered in Game 3, stood in the Zamboni entrance during a television timeout at 7:27. With a smile across his face and rally towels waving in both hands, Horton gave the Garden even more juice.

“We didn’t know they were going to be doing that, showing him up there,’’ Marchand said. “For him to come in and give us that boost of energy is unbelievable. Obviously, the crowd loves it, loves him, and they’re supporting him every minute of the day. It was great to see him out there. He gave us a big energy boost.’’

That was nothing.

At 8:35, with Recchi setting a screen in front, Andrew Ference ripped a slapper that sailed past Luongo to give the Bruins a 3-0 lead.

During the Final, Luongo has had more ups and downs than a yo-yo. He has posted two shutouts at home, allowing just two goals in three games at Rogers Arena.

But at the Garden, Luongo fished eight pucks out of his net in Game 3. He was pulled after giving up four goals in Game 4. Last night, after three pucks went past him — one of the dribbling manner — in less than nine minutes, Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault had seen enough.

Just moments after Ference’s shot hit the back of the net, Luongo was skating toward the visiting bench for the second time in his last two visits to the Garden.

Then, after relief netminder Cory Schneider had been in goal for only 70 seconds, Ryder tipped a Ference shot into the net to give the Bruins a 4-0 lead.

“We needed to come out hard tonight,’’ said Bruins coach Claude Julien. “I thought our guys responded. We needed to come out hard the last two games before that, because we were trailing, 2-0, in the series. Our guys have responded well. Now we have to make sure we don’t get comfortable with our game. We’re willing to bring it to Vancouver with us, because that’s what it’s going to take to win.’’

Unlike their two previous stops in Boston, the Canucks pushed back. Henrik Sedin made it 4-1 at 0:22 of the third. Jannik Hansen thought he had trimmed Boston’s lead to two at 3:17 of the third, but video replay showed his shot hit the left post.

But Boston’s cushion was too large.

And now it’s come down to this. Next win is for the Cup.

“There’s no pressure,’’ Recchi said. “Go play. Go out and have fun with this. It’s what you play for and what we’ve worked hard for all year. We’re going to have a blast doing it.’’

Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawa@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeFluto.

© Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.

ONE GAME AT A TIME.....

The BOSTON BRUINS are now learning what the PATRIOTS, RED SOX and CELTICS all learned over the last few go-rounds in the FINALS....ONE GAME AT A TIME....

That's how the other three teams from BOSTON were able to push through to final victory...one game at a time....There is no tomorrow....WIN or go home....Boston Fans have been here before.

Once again, the VANCOUVER SHA-MUCKS will be trying to pursue a 'wounded bear" into his lair...Not a wise move.

GAME 6 in BOSTON will be one for the ages.....ON to VICTORY for BOSTON !!!!!


It really is one game at a time
By Bob Ryan
Globe Columnist / June 11, 2011

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — One of these days people will realize this simple fact: There is absolutely no such thing as game-to-game “momentum’’ in the world of sports.

Tweet Be the first to Tweet this!ShareThis One game is one game, or in the case of Games 3 and 4 in this series, two games are two games, especially when the team getting its butt resoundingly kicked is the team playing on the road.

Teams good enough to reach the Stanley Cup Final have the capacity to clear their heads and move on. That’s what the Vancouver Canucks did after losing two games by a combined 12-1 score in Boston. They returned home to Rogers Arena, beat the Bruins, 1-0, last night, and now are one win away from having their names inscribed on the most famous trophy in North American sport.

And as for all the hullabaloo about Roberto Luongo’s psyche? Next question.

He was pretty bad in Boston, although he was hardly alone in stinking up the joint. But he answered those who thought Canucks coach Alain Vigneault had lost his mind in starting him last night by posting a 31-save shutout. This is not to say he was the better goaltender, because he wasn’t. Tim Thomas faced more quality shots. But all a man can do is stop what’s thrown at him, and Luongo did that.

“He was really good,’’ said Canucks center Ryan Kesler. “He responded well. That’s what elite players do. He was our best player tonight.’’

It was a game of mounting tension, scoreless for more than 44 minutes before the villainous Max Lapierre found just enough space on the short side to get one by Thomas on a play initiated by defenseman Kevin Bieksa, the chap whose weird goal against San Jose had gotten the Canucks into the Final. Also assisting was Raffi Torres, the professional noodge whose goal had settled the first game a scant 18.5 seconds before the teams would have headed to overtime. Losing to the firm of Lapierre & Torres makes the loss just a bit more annoying.

It would be wise for Bruins fans to remember that players don’t really care about the final score, no matter which side they are on. “It doesn’t matter if it’s 1-0 or 8-1,’’ said Luongo. “A win is a win and a loss is a loss.’’

Nothing in professional sports is more misleading, or more aberrational, than the rout. There is always a point in routs that what happens afterward is of relevance only to the stat man doing his job and the fans who love to see scores mount. The Canucks didn’t care whether the final score of Game 3 was 4-1, 8-1, or 118-1. They had lost, period. And when they lost Game 4 by a 4-0 score, their immediate rationalization was, “Hey, we’re still tied and we’ve got two of the next three at home.’’

“It doesn’t matter,’’ insisted Kesler in reference to the Boston disasters. “It’s a loss. You look at the video. It just doesn’t matter how big you win by or how much you lose by.’’

The Bruins could not complain about the officiating. Here they were, the road team, getting four power plays — the first at 1:39 of the first period — before the Canucks had any. Milan Lucic tested Luongo on the first one, but that was the only true top-quality scoring opportunity in those power plays. Luongo demonstrated that he was alert and focused, but the reality is he was being very well-served by his mates, who had come under fire locally for letting him down badly in Boston.

If you were grading these teams on the eye test, the Bruins were the better team in the first period, but the Canucks were clearly the aggressors in the second. And there’s no doubt who won the third.

“I think tonight, as a whole, they were the better team,’’ said Bruins coach Claude Julien. “We have to acknowledge that.’’

Once again, the individual story of the game was Thomas, who continued his sparkling play, and who, depending on the outcome of the series, remains the leading candidate to win the Conn Smythe Award as the outstanding player of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The winning goal was only the second scored on him in more than eight periods of play, and he was so frustrated he banged his fist on the ice after retrieving the puck.

It might be a reach to say the Canucks were totally transformed with the change of venue, but they definitely looked more comfortable. “We lost our focus in Boston,’’ acknowledged Henrik Sedin (at least I think it was Henrik. No, just kidding). “We got our confidence back tonight. Yeah, we were more focused. We got a little bit rattled on the road and got away from our game.’’

They certainly came out flying, racking up a 23-13 hit advantage in the first period. Who knows? Perhaps they felt they had let the Green Men down after they had traveled all that way to see them play.

It was the third one-goal game the Canucks have won on their home ice. That’s nice, but not particularly relevant to the Big Picture. In order to celebrate properly, they will need to win one more — somewhere.

“I’ve said it a thousand times,’’ sighed Vigneault. “Now I’ll say it a thousand one. It’s one game at a time.’’

Call it a cliché if you like, but true professionals realize there is no other way to approach it.

Bob Ryan is a Globe columnist and host of Globe 10.0 on Boston.com. He can be reached at ryan@globe.com.

Bruins fans donate Jackpot to Western Massachusetts Tornado victims

This is the kind of people that make BOSTON the special place it is.....BRAVO ZULU to
Steve & Joyce Eby of Braintree, MA for showing what world class fans there are in Boston.....awesome.

Glad to be able to share along some good news for a change.....GO BRUINS !!


Bruins fans use jackpot score to help victims of tornado
By O’Ryan Johnson - Boston Herald
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 -

A bighearted Braintree couple had no trouble figuring out how to spend a $10,000 windfall from Monday’s 50/50 Bruins raffle — they swiftly donated the entire jackpot to the Red Cross to help the twister-ravaged areas in and around Springfield.

“Once we got in the car and the shock wore off, we agreed: We can’t keep this money,” said Joyce Eby, 48. “It’s not like we couldn’t use it ourselves, but I feel like it wouldn’t be right. I feel like this is supposed to go to the Red Cross to help these people. It’s a crazy world. We get snow. We don’t get tornadoes. We need to help each other. These are our neighbors. And who’s better than the Red Cross?”

Season ticket-holders Eby and her husband Steve, 47, were looking for a way to help the tornado victims in western Massachusetts when she took the last $10 in her purse and bought the charity raffle ticket at the Stanley Cup finals on Monday.

“We haven’t missed a game yet in the playoffs,” she said. “So last night I felt this need to get up. I really felt compelled to buy these tickets.”

In the so-called 50/50 raffle, fans buy a ticket and half the cash goes to charity, with the other half going to the winning ticket-holder. The Boston Bruins Foundation, which runs the raffle, has raised $6 million for several charities since 2003, and had planned to give $10,000 to the Red Cross on Monday night.

Now, the Red Cross will get $20,000 thanks to Eby and her husband — who have two kids and their own home repairs under way, but saw a greater need in their neighbors across the state. However, she admitted, regifting the winnings was not completely altruistic.

“We need some good karma,” she said. “We want the Cup!”

ojohnson@bostonherald.com

A Wounded Bear....

A Wounded Bear is a very, very dangerous animal....The Vancouver Canucks found that out tonight in Boston.... THE BOSTON BRUINS will work back to VICTORY one game at a time....Vancouver will learn that tangling with a Wounded Bear is not something any sane person would consider.

Sweet revenge: B's clobber Canucks 8-1
By: Mike Petraglia - WEEI.COM

The Bruins responded to a late, devastating late hit on Nathan Horton with a four-goal second-period explosion and manhandled the Canucks, 8-1, Monday night in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals. Game 4 is set for Wednesday night in Boston before the series returns to Vancouver for Game 5. Tim Thomas stopped 40-of-41 shots in another brillant playoff performance.

Just over five minutes into the game, Horton skated into the offensive zone on his second shift of the night and was leveled by a late hit from the blindside by Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome. The Bruins top-line forward was laid out on the ice for several minutes and examined by Bruins medical staff before a stretcher came on the ice to take him off. Horton was taken to Mass General and had movement in all extremities but is expected to stay there for further evaluation. Rome was given a game misconduct.

The two teams played a scoreless tie in the first, with the Bruins managing just six shots. But just 11 seconds into the second period, Andrew Ference fired a shot on Roberto Luongo from the left point and it found its way through a screen and past Luongo, who would give up all eight goals on the night. Four minutes later, Mark Recchi received credit for a goal that went off the stick of Ryan Kesler for Boston's second power play goal of the series and Recchi's fourth of the playoffs.

With Luongo shaken and the Canucks playing wrecklessly with the puck on the power play, Brad Marchand broke in alone and scored shorthanded as the Vancouver goalie dove forward and left the net open. David Krejci then added his NHL-leading 11th of the playoffs with 4:13 left in the period to cap the second period domination.

After the Horton injury, the Bruins won the physical battle, outhitting the Canucks, 40-31. Shawn Thornton, who drew the penalty that led to Recchi's power play goal, was inserted into the lineup to replace Tyler Seguin and provide a physical presence. He was tossed from the game with 12:02 left in the third on a misconduct. Later, Andrew Ference, Dennis Seidenberg and Milan Lucic were thrown out as were Alex Burrows, Daniel Sedin and Ryan Kesler.

The Bruins lost their shutout when Jannik Hansen scored on the doorstep with 6:07 left.

IN THOMAS WE TRUST - A SALUTE OF SUPPORT TO THE BOSTON BRUINS FROM THE 26TH YANKEE DIVISION

The enclosed picture is located at FOB PHOENIX near Kabul Afghanistan. This is where the 26th YD YANKEE DIVISION, 181ST INFANTRY is located.

The 26th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the United States Army. As a major formation of the Massachusetts Army National Guard, it was based in Boston, Massachusetts for most of its history. Today, the division's heritage is carried on by the 26th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade.

The 26th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade ("Yankee"[1]) is a Combat support brigade of the United States Army. Its headquarters is maintained by the Massachusetts Army National Guard. It is the modern incarnation of the 26th Infantry Division.

These men(and ladies) don't know the meaning of the word " QUIT" and they are steadfast in their support for the BOSTON BRUINS.....

We maybe down 2 games - 0 BUT we can fight on just like the 26th YD has done and will continue to do !

To the BOSTON BRUINS from AFGHANISTAN - FIGHT ON !! WE ARE PULLING FOR YOU !

The BOSTON BRUINS head out to Vancouver in the QUEST FOR THE STANLEY CUP

Those of us who are older than a certain age,(and I'm not telling you what age that is), can remember the days of "The Big Bad Bruins". Boston was a huge hockey town and playing "pond hockey" with your friends was the sport of choice in the winter. We would get dressed up, my Mom would hand us a bag lunch and we would head out to the local pond in the woods for an all-day hockey fest. Each of us would want to be Bobby Orr or Phil Espisito...These were our Heroes and Hockey was huge...Every kid wanted to find new hockey skates & a new hockey stick under the Christmas Tree.

As time went forward, Hockey lost some of the luster after the Bruins became regular cellar dwellars...we had the 1980's USA Olympic Team which had many hometown players from the Boston area. The Bruins teams we had in the late 1980s and early 1990s had some of the best players we had seen in Cam Neely, Ray Borque and Andy Moog. Those were good days but still no Stanley Cup while the other teams in Boston,(Patriots, Red Sox and Celtics) all made efforts to once again stand on the top of the mountain....Only the Bruins lagged behind.

NOW, we will see if the 2011 BOSTON BRUINS can recapture the magic and the title of the BIG BAD BRUINS....THIS will be good.

‘It’s unbelievable!’
Fans fired up as B’s skate into finals
By Ira Kantor
Tuesday, May 31, 2011 - The Boston Herald

Hundreds of devoted fans clamoring for a long-sought Stanley Cup triumph sent their hometown heroes off with cheers at TD Garden yesterday, as the Bruins [team stats] headed for Vancouver and a brutal battle with the Canucks.

“It’s the first time they’ve advanced to the finals since I’ve been alive,” said Colleen Donovan, 21, of Lynn. “It’s long overdue. We don’t have any passengers on this team. Everyone’s up front.”

Season-ticket holder Danny Fortunato, 54, of Beverly brought along his son, Michael, 18, who was not only wearing a Bruins jersey coated in autographs but also was draped in a Bruins flag. The die-hard fans have a Bruins “shrine” in their home full of team paraphernalia.

“The players are really into the fans and vice versa. You can just feel it throughout Boston — it’s like a family atmosphere,” said Danny Fortunato, a social worker. “You don’t see it every day like this. You got to take it all in. We’ll be following them the whole way.”

“I will not move,” added Michael Fortunato, “I don’t want to a miss a second of it.”

Fans proudly draped in black and gold stood behind a yellow barricade in the Garden’s parking lot chanting, “We want the Cup!” and, “Let’s go, Bruins!” as star players, including defenseman Johnny Boychuk and center Tyler Seguin emerged from inside to slap high-fives and sign autographs.

“It’s unbelievable,” Boychuk told the Herald. “Everybody’s dream is right now. We just got to make sure we fulfill that dream.”

Seguin called the fan support “phenomenal.”

“Everyone wants the Cup back here in Boston,” Seguin, 19, told the Herald. “If hockey wasn’t in Boston the last few years, it definitely is right now.”

Game 1 of the 2011 Stanley Cup finals takes place tomorrow night in Vancouver. The Bruins have not won a Stanley Cup since 1972.

“It’s such an awesome feeling,” said Julie Happel, 45, of South Weymouth, who came to the Garden with her husband, Fred, and sons Michael, 9, and Sean, 4. “It’s true hockey at its best.”

Jay Dellisola of Lynnfield said he encouraged his two sons Alex, 14, and Jack, 7, to stay up late on school nights to watch the Bruins’ nail-biting playoff games.

“I was 7 when [Bobby] Orr won us the Cup, now (Jack’s) 7. It’s a sign,” said Dellisola, who predicted the Bruins would win in six games. “I don’t think they’ll let this chance fly by. It’ll be a great two weeks.”

" Can it never be easy??" CAM NEELY leaves his mark on the new Boston Bruins

The loud sound you heard the other night was me cheering the BOSTON BRUINS on as they took out the Montreal Canadians...I got to watch the overtime period on AFN (Armed Forces Network) from Bagram, Afghanistan and see the "Black & Gold" take out the Habs.....AWESOME....

Here is one of the main reasons why the Boston Bruins have been on an upward track, the quality of their leadership, in General Manager CAM NEELY...Number 8 brings intensity to the team even if he is off the ice.....


BOSTON BRUINS

Neely leaving his mark on the Bruins
Boston Globe by Christopher L. Gasper, Globe Staff April 28, 2011

When P.K. Subban's power play blast that should have had a NASCAR sponsorship logo on it whizzed by Tim Thomas with 1:57 remaining to give Montreal new life in Game 7, Bruins President Cam Neely, peering down from his presidential perch, was thinking exactly what most Spoked-Believers were.

"I was like, 'Can it never be easy?' said Neely, who wore a suit and a look of relief after his Bruins knocked off the Canadiens 4-3 in overtime last night at TD Garden to advance to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

"That was the first thing, like, man, 'It's just never going to be easy.' But I guess that is what makes it a little sweeter."

It doesn't get much sweeter in recent history for the Bruins, who ended their run of Game 7s gone bad against their biggest rival and rallied from an 0-2 series deficit for the first time in franchise history to do so. Seventeen years after they won their last Game 7, also against the Canadiens, it was No. 18 (Nathan Horton) who delivered the Bruins from the brink of yet another playoff disaster with the winner in OT.

The validating victory earned the Bruins a date with redemption and the Philadelphia Flyers in the land of broken dreams, known to the rest of the NHL as the second round. It also got the president's seal of approval for a gutty performance.

"They showed some great character in pulling this game out. I think it was a series where our team just wasn't going to be denied," said Neely.

Character, resolve, determination, and timely tallies -- It's called Bruins with Neely at the helm.

Those were characteristics that defined Neely's Hall of Fame career in Black and Gold. Old No. 8 has left his imprint on this Bruins team since becoming the eighth president in team history last June, 33 days after the collapse against the Flyers. He has brought leadership, accountability, and a sense of urgency to Causeway Street. Last night it showed.

Neely is already on record as saying that he feels like this club has Final Four (re: Eastern Conference finals) talent. That's still debatable, but what isn't is that Neely has raised the bar.

That's why this win was huge for Bruins' leadership, from Neely to General Manager Peter Chiarelli to coach Claude Julien to captain Zdeno Chara, finally on the winning side in a Game 7 in his sixth try. As a group the latter three had been 0-3 in Game 7s with the Bruins.

If it got to 0-4 it was over and out for Julien, and probably Chiarelli. A first-round exit after heartbreaking losses the last two years in the second round would have left Neely with no choice but to reboot the Bruins behind the bench and in the front office.

"You don't want to think [about losing] during the game," Neely said. "You just want to think about winning. Obviously, everybody knew what was at stake in Game 7 in the first round when you think you shouldn't be in that situation necessarily. But it was good to pull it out."

Still, you get the sense that Neely is reserving judgment until the playoffs are concluded. He's looking at the big picture, and a second-round exit for the third year in a row would probably negate the euphoria of breaking the Game 7 hex. Neely was asked if this was a big win for Julien, whom Neely issued a tepid vote of confidence for in December.

"Based on how we finished last year and coming into this year, we had a lot of expectations to do really well," Neely said. "We had a good regular season. We knew it was going to be a tough series against Montreal, just based on how we played each other throughout the regular season. In this sport there are always expectations and there are always pressures."

Neely clearly has the hang of this executive thing because that was a suit-speak answer, but what else can he really give without making a false promise or undermining his coach? The second-round is still the Rubicon the Bruins must cross. Last night's win, no matter how cathartic, doesn't change that. That's the type of clear-headed vision you want from your pucks president.

But any potential human resources reshuffling takes a back seat to hockey. Instead of waking up this morning to a fed-up fan base and pondering the fate of the franchise after another playoff failure, Neely is looking forward to a rematch with the Flyers.

"No matter who you face in the second round you want to continue on, said Neely. "Philadelphia, it probably gives a little extra incentive."

Of course it's not all handshakes and happiness for the Spoked-Bs heading into Round 2. There are some real concerns. The first line delivered the game-winner last night on Horton's third goal of the series, but it ended the series with six points, or as many as Chris Kelly had on his own. Flyers center Danny Briere had six goals and seven points in Round 1.

Then there is the power play, which went from feckless to reckless last night, when a second-period Black and Gold gaffe led to a shorthanded goal for the Canadiens that tied the score 2-2. The Bruins' power play was 0-21 in the series, and it looked even worse.

"It's something that I know everybody has talked about. We've talked about it internally," said Neely. "The guys are working on it. The coaching staff is working on it. ...I think we have to improve on it for sure."

But we'll worry about that when the puck drops on Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center.

We know by now that it's never easy with Bruins. Easy isn't in their vocabulary or DNA, but these won't be the same old Bruins because Neely won't allow them to be