The Bruins have 60 wins.
They’re screwed. It’s O-V-A. Over.
Forget the Stanley Cup, they’ll be fortunate to get previous the Florida Panthers or Pittsburgh Pizzutis within the first spherical.
The 2023 Bruins are the 2007 Patriots, 1971 Bruins, and 2011 Red Sox all rolled into one.
Minus the rooster and beer.
The Sword of Damocles is a plastic spork compared to the Old Testament disaster that awaits this staff.
With every victory, with every level, with every flirtation with historical past, or one other document, their doom grows extra sure.
Gas up the hearse.
Hades or bust!
Unfortunately, we don’t have a sarcasm font. Let’s be clear. None of the above is true. At least from this angle. Absurdity, meet absurdity.
The Four Icemen of The Bruins Apocalypse, nonetheless, proceed to experience every day.
We’ve lengthy blown previous the exit signal that learn: “Enjoy The Ride — Next Right.”
The Bruins clinched their fourth Presidents’ Trophy, set a membership document with 58 wins, and tied the membership mark for many factors in a season with a 2-1 win in opposition to Columbus Thursday at TD Garden.
How did they rejoice? Let’s examine in with Patrice Bergeron: “Of course, you’re proud,” he mentioned, earlier than quickly including; “You have your eyes set on something bigger. We know there’s a lot of work in front of us.” They haven’t misplaced since.
The gamers acknowledge this at each alternative. Don’t anticipate a jug of spiked Kool-Aid to be handed across the locker room in the event that they don’t win all of it, both. This stuff is loads tougher than it seems in your display.
Boston has been caught in a Bear Trap. The extra profitable – and issues have steadily improved because the Winter Classic – the higher the expectations.
Or calls for.
Or worry.
The Bruins have received only one Stanley Cup prior to now 51 years. If that doesn’t sober you up, it may be time to affix AA. Would you fairly they win 40 video games as an alternative of 60?
Cynicism stays an integral strand in our DNA. Our fathers, and their fathers earlier than them, had been burned too many occasions by elevated expectations regardless of the staff or season. Much like opposable thumbs, this attribute developed from mere alternative right into a physique half.
Our children have largely been spared that destiny because of the “Score of Success ©” that dominated the primary 20 years of this century.
The Bruins, nonetheless, stay in a 2003-like purgatory due to what occurred or didn’t occur in 2019. That banner received away. A Game 7 loss at house to the St. Louis Blues, the identical staff endlessly bronzed by Bobby Orr in 1970.
Four years. Still stings.
Had the Bruins received Game 7 in opposition to the Blues, we’d have been spared the malaise that has dented this joyride for the previous seven months.
The Cup stays half empty.
It’s so dangerous that David Pastrnak’s pursuit of 60 objectives has morphed into one thing akin to a struggle crime. Never thoughts his incapability to get again on protection. Helping any participant pursue a person objective violates each rule of Hockeydom. Or so goes the screed. Wonder if those self same guidelines apply in Foxboro because the Patriots put together to sacrifice one other season on the altar of Don Shula’s 347 wins.
Just wait till Pastrnak will get ripped for “making all that money but never being good enough to score 60 goals.”
Give it about 8 months.
The Bruins have 5 video games remaining. They want three extra wins and eight extra factors to set new NHL information in every class. They are the fourth NHL staff with a minimum of 60 victories in a season. Among the others, solely the 1976-77 Canadiens (60 wins) received the Cup. The 1995-96 Red Wings (62) received iced within the Western Conference and the 2018-19 Lightning (62) had been swept in Round 1.
Even the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens (nonetheless the most effective single-season staff of all time it doesn’t matter what occurs this spring) couldn’t win the Stanley Cup in April. They did it on May 14 on the rodent-infested, obstructed-view laden, you-can-still-smell-the-cigarette-smoke, Boston Garden. The Habs closed out a four-game sweep with a 2-1 OT victory. Boston received outscored 16-6 within the sequence. The Green Line was nonetheless 38 minutes late after Game 4.
What might derail this Bruins prepare apart from historical past?
Goaltending. The Bruins don’t have Tuukka Rask to kick round in the event that they fizzle within the postseason. Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark have mixed for a 2.12 GAA and have collectively stopped 92.9% of opposing photographs. Will they get the yips in the course of the postseason? The playoffs can do unusual issues to goaltenders. In each instructions.
Success. The Bruins haven’t confronted severe stress in months. Could they arrive out flat within the first spherical (see the 2018-19 Lightning)? Hard to examine given their expertise.
Balance. Bergeron and Pastrnak at all times draw the iron of opposing defenses. Boston’s depth has powered this regular-season, 18-wheeler. Can it preserve issues rolling till Father’s Day? The final week or so ought to have calmed some nerves.
Speed and toughness. Or lack thereof. That’s Boston’s largest tactical concern. Those shortcomings finally doomed the Bruins 2019, together with Rask being Rask. The staff has stacked its protection and forwards to be playoff-ready. Has Don Sweeney completed sufficient this season to repair the potholes?
Injuries. The nice unknown. The Bruins ought to be entire when the postseason begins. Bergeron ought to have his well being again. The identical holds for Taylor Hall.
The Road to the Stanley Cup is the hardest postseason grind in sport. As many as 28 video games over 4 grueling sequence. Sixteen wins.
And they nonetheless shake fingers when it’s over.
In the meantime, strive not to surrender earlier than they do.
Bill Speros (@BillSperos & @RealOBF) may be reached at [email protected].
Source: www.bostonherald.com