Boston Bruins 2007-08 season (A Retrospective)

Wayne Blogged The...Boston Bruins 2007-08 Season A Retrospective
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It's usually around this point in the summer when I really begin to miss hockey season, and look forward to October. This year is no different, and lately I've been YouTube-ing videos of games 3,5, and 6 of this year's Boston/Montreal playoff tilt.

Last season was one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory. Especially after the B's were presumed dead in late October when Patrice Bergeron suffered a season-ending injury. If that wasn't enough, off-season acquisition Manny Fernandez turned out to be (at least a temporary) bust when the ol' knee injury came back to haunt him. Aaron Ward, Andrew Alberts, Chuck Kobasew, and captain Zdeno Chara were all out for a decent stretch of the season with injuries. But the Bruins continued to play hard under new coach Claude Julien.

Tim Thomas shocked the hockey world with an All-Star year, Marc Savard played like a remodeled Adam Oates, and rookie tough guy Milan Lucic brought a new attitude to the Bruins. Supporting members Glen Metropolic, Marco Sturm, Denis Wideman, Phil Kessel, and David Krecj all helped push this team of spare parts into the postseason for the first time since the lockout.

And it had to be the Montreal Canadiens in the first round. I would have taken Pittsburgh over Montreal. Anybody over Montreal...

Make no mistake, I loathe the Habs. They're the only professional sports team I honestly hate. Their cheap style of hockey is the most annoying spectacle: classless diving, instigating, and unsportsmanlike flashiness. And don't even get me started on their fans; invading opponent's arenas with their flamboyant "ole'" chants. Singing "hey, hey, hey, goodbye" after GAME 1!! And their bad haircuts...

My hatred for the Montreal Canadiens is so deeply rooted. I've hated the Habs since I started watching hockey in 1990 (age 2...). So try to imagine my excitement being present at Game 3, in overtime, when Marc Savard scored the game winning goal, jumpstarting the Bruins and beating the Habs for the first time in 2008, and half of 2007.

And although the Black and Gold blew it in Game Seven, they only lost the series by one goal. Game 4's 1-0 loss was painful, as was Game 2's OT loss. Sadly, The Bruins ended the series in a similar fashion they began it, flat-footed and outplayed.

But I have nothing but good things to say about this Bruins team. And about the Bruins future. This season was incredible, down to the last game. With Bergeron back, and Manny on the mend, the B's have a good shot of extending their season. And I have a good shot of extending my playoff beard, so it's a win-win scenario.