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4.20.08 17:00
Forever a city boy, Diehard had to make his way down to Swansea, MA for the first time as the family was having a big function celebrating Mai’s 90th year around the sun. And boy did she look marvelous and feisty. On the floor dancing with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren & great-great-grandchildren. It was the only reason I was not in attendance at game six where the Bruins continued playing pretty solid, physical and opportunistic hockey. Sorry coach Julien, the playoffs is not a good time to teach players a lesson. Doghouse, schmoghouse. Phil Kessel belonged in games 2,3 & 4. If anything he got this team on their current scoring trend it was that first goal in game five. Since that power play tally by the re-inserted Phil Kessel in Game five, the B’s have scored nine goals with Kessel scoring three of them. And Boston has cracked the lock of Carey Price in the Montreal net. Kessel opened the floodgates for a team that not only couldn’t buy a goal, they couldn’t even get quality shots on the Canadien goaltender. Just look at the Bruin tallies. Svobotka, Lucic, Metropolit, Sturm with two including the game winner in game six. My hockey buddy Joe Cronin would be proud of Marco how he held and held the puck getting Carey Price down and out before putting the puck in the net sending the garden rocking to its foundation. A noise level we Bruin fans haven't heard in too long a time. Who would have thunk it? Despite playing well in all games except game one, the Bruins look like the gang that couldn’t shoot straight. Now for their efforts they get an all expense trip back to Montreal, PQ and try to win a game seven IN the Bell Centre. Winning Game 7, no problem eh? The Bruins have lost all 20 series in which it trailed 3-1 and this is the only time they have made it to a seventh game. The B’s have played two game 7’s in Montreal — 3-1 in the 1952 semifinals and 5-4 in overtime in the infamous too many men semifinals in 1979, after leading with less than three minutes to play in regulation. Montreal has won 23 of the 30 playoff series versus Boston teams, including four of six that went to a seventh game. But who knows what can happen Monday night. And the similarities of this playoff series and the one in 2004 are frightening. Boston was the number 1 seed and Montreal was the eighth. Montreal won game 2 in OT as they did in 2004. Boston had a 3 games to 1 lead and Montreal won game five in Boston 5-1 in 2004. The Bruins won game five in Montreal earlier this week. Boston had Rookie of the Year goalie Andrew Raycroft in 2004. Carey Price is a rookie for Montreal. Montreal forced a seventh game with a win on home ice in game six 2004 just like Boston did last night. Whew. Monday night will be nerve wracking for all concerned. Saturday night, as the game was going on, I was with my huge family enjoying our Matriarch’s natal day. But after several text messages and voice mail from friends that knew I was not at the “garden”, messages that I did not answer, and no radio on the way home, I sat down and watch the entire game like it was live and had the same emotions that the 17 thousand plus that were there had. Phil Kessel’s first goal! I actually said WOW before Jack Edwards did. And did you see him play defense when Chara was caught up ice after a rushing the puck. Remarkable. I wonder if he’ll be a healthy scratch Monday. Somehow, I doubt it. Go Bruins. And don’t forget, you can hear all the action with Dave Goucher and Bob Beers on WBZ Newsradio 1030 and WBZ1030.com.
-Diehard
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