I Know Painful Playoff Losses, That Bruins Loss Wasn't One Of Them

Despite our unprecedented success for the last 16 years or so Boston still knows playoff pain, and we know it well. We don’t get credit for that as people only tell us that we’re spoiled fucks and blah blah blah, but I’ve had my heart ripped out more times than I care to remember since this incredible run has started. Sox in 2003, Pats in 2007, Celtics in 2010, Pats 2011, Bruins in 2013… that’s more devastation than most fanbases experience in a lifetime and we’ve lumped it in with two handfuls of championships. Kevin and I argue about this all the time, I say that while his teams suck I’ve still dealt with more severe pain. I compare it to pregnancy, Kevin just can’t get pregnant and he knows it whereas I’ve often found myself 8 months along then have a miscarriage.

So yesterday afternoon? That didn’t even register. As fans threw beers on the ice at the Senators (“Stay classy, Boston!” morons said) I found myself on the couch not feeling distraught, but rather hopeful. If anything, this series showed that we’ve got a bright future with the black and gold. A few months ago we never thought they’d sniff the playoffs and now they had an AHL roster and Tuukka Rask dragging them to overtime in game 6.

This team wasn’t the team. Even with the 3 of the top 4 defensemen who were hurt, these Bruins, in all likelihood, were not Stanley Cup contenders. But, as someone pointed out to me on Twitter after the game, it had something of a 2007-2008 feel to it. While you knew that wasn’t the team that was gonna do it, it was the team that got you believing again. In 2008 they gave the Canadiens all they could handle and you felt that it was a young team building towards something. This gave me the same hope.

Bergeron is still just 31, Brad Marchand is 28, Tory Krug is 26, David Pastrnak is 20, Brandon Carlo is 20, STUD Charlie McAvoy is 19. There’s a lot of reasons to feel good about this Boston Bruins team and while this wasn’t their year, I’ve got a good feeling that it’s coming again.

The only thing that really pissed me off yesterday was Burrows in that postgame celebration. Other than that, I’m excited.