| 15 June 2011
The year was 1972 and i remember it like it was yesterday. I remember clearly Bobby Orr's game winning goal. I remember how he recieved a 10 minute misconduct for complaining to the referee. I remember the Gerry Cheevers shut out. I remember Bill Hewitt on hockey Night In Canada counting it down. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, Orr has the puck, 4, 3, 2, 1, The Boston Bruins have won the Stanley Cup. But the most vivid moment of that series was was Brad Park going in on a break away with a chance to pull the Rangers back into the game. He had Cheevers beat but wrang it off the crossbar. I jumped up out of my chair and did my fist pump with the usual roar. At the same time the Bruins emptied their bench to congratulate Cheevers on a play that he didnt even have to touch the puck. I remember going to church on the Sunday after the Cup win and the priest saying "just like Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito and the Boston Bruins are super stars, so was Jesus Christ."
I witnessed the 2 Cups in three years. The record smashing season in 71. The superb season in 73 that both ended in dissappointment. I remember the Cup Final in 74 against the Flyers. Gilles Gilbert vs Bernie Parent in game six. An epic goaltending battle. I remember the Orr penalty with 3 minutes remaining. The Phil Esposito broken Skate with under a minute to go. But once again I was heartbroken. What could have been a dynasty with 4 or 5 cups in a row turned into a powerhouse team that could only manage 2 Cups and fell to some bad luck, untimely injuries and hot goaltending. When I hear Frank Sinatra or Elvis Presley sing My way and I hear the line "we've won, we've laughed and cried, we've had our fill, our share of losing" I immediately think back to the early 70's.
Fast forward to 2011 and game 6 between the Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks. Time and some rather tragic times have mellowed me a bit. Sitting in my chair having a cold one, nerves were in check, anxiety was in check, and I knew our Boston Bruins had given it all they had. My son, laying on the couch, I could tell was very nervous. When Brad Marchand scored he jumped up that couch and jumped up and down screaming yes, yes, Marchand, yes !!
Immediately, it brought me back to the day when Brad Park would miss that breakaway that could have turned the game and the series around. I didn't get excited for myself, or for the Bruins for that matter. I realized at that moment that there was a whole generation out there that didn't have the chance to experience this moment like I had. And to experience it 3 more times in just over 4 minutes brought more joy to me than the fact the Bruins had built up a commanding 4-0 lead.
For this reason alone I want the Bruins to prevail in game 7. Not for me, not for the players, but for those fans who have never had the chance to experience. Because we never know when opportunity will come knocking at the door again.
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