Devil Doc
When Death smiles, Corpsmen smile back
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2005
- Messages
- 11,595
Dear Boston Bruins,
I'm glad I remained in hiding Monday night. It's been so long since I've been in Boston. I remember my last trip. But you weren't around to see me.
I need you to know something before you take the ice for Game 7 tonight: I don't like the Canucks. They bite. They whine. They take cheap shots when you're not looking. They can't skate, or at least it seems that way with how often they're diving to the ice. They don't play the game the way it should be played.
Off the ice, they show no respect. Although I did find it humorous that Roberto Luongo, who looks like he uses a half-quart of Valvoline in his hair, sounded like a mechanic when he said he's been pumping up Tim Thomas's tires all series.
No, I don't like these guys at all. Hockey is about guts. And you guys have it.
I like the way Brad Marchand and Shawn Thornton play. They play with a chip on their shoulders. They play on the edge. I also like that Patrice Bergeron. He's an all-star that plays like a third-line grinder. He does the little things it takes to get to this point. He doesn't care about numbers, he cares about his teammates.
Same goes for leaders like Mark Recchi and Zdeno Chara. I know Mark; we've met a couple times. The guy is a proven winner. Chara plays with the heart of a lion. I heard about his speech between the first and second periods of Game 3 - after Nathan Horton went down. That's what a captain does. He doesn't cower or look for the referee to bail him out like that Sedin ... or that other Sedin. I can't tell them apart, I just know they're both about as tough as a wet paper towel.
You guys know that it takes a total team effort. You depend on Daniel Paille as much as you depend on David Krejci. You lean on Gregory Campbell as much as you do Milan Lucic. You need youngsters like Johnny Boychuk, Adam McQuaid and Tyler Seguin as much as you need veterans like Dennis Seidenberg, Andrew Ference and Chris Kelly.
Coach Claude Julien gets it, too. He knows you can't win without all four lines contributing. I don't think Vancouver's coach knows that.
I also realize history isn't on your side tonight. Road teams have only won three of the 15 all-time Game 7s in the finals. But this is the first time in your 87-year history that you've reached a Game 7 in the finals. And this is the first time the Canucks have ever hosted a Game 7 in the finals. So, history can take a hike as far as I'm concerned.
Tonight is going to be about will. It's going to be about performing in an adverse situation under hostile conditions. But you guys have done that all playoffs. Remember when you took two from your arch-rivals in their own barn in the first round? You swept away the memories of an epic collapse in round two, then you struck down an up-and-coming powerhouse in the conference finals, which also went to a Game 7. You know how to get this done.
I don't like the Canucks. But I wouldn't mind going for a skate around the ice in Vancouver. I just hope it's you holding me, Boston. It's been a long time.
Sincerely,
The Stanley Cup
By Gavin Faretra, for the Concord Monitor.
I'm glad I remained in hiding Monday night. It's been so long since I've been in Boston. I remember my last trip. But you weren't around to see me.
I need you to know something before you take the ice for Game 7 tonight: I don't like the Canucks. They bite. They whine. They take cheap shots when you're not looking. They can't skate, or at least it seems that way with how often they're diving to the ice. They don't play the game the way it should be played.
Off the ice, they show no respect. Although I did find it humorous that Roberto Luongo, who looks like he uses a half-quart of Valvoline in his hair, sounded like a mechanic when he said he's been pumping up Tim Thomas's tires all series.
No, I don't like these guys at all. Hockey is about guts. And you guys have it.
I like the way Brad Marchand and Shawn Thornton play. They play with a chip on their shoulders. They play on the edge. I also like that Patrice Bergeron. He's an all-star that plays like a third-line grinder. He does the little things it takes to get to this point. He doesn't care about numbers, he cares about his teammates.
Same goes for leaders like Mark Recchi and Zdeno Chara. I know Mark; we've met a couple times. The guy is a proven winner. Chara plays with the heart of a lion. I heard about his speech between the first and second periods of Game 3 - after Nathan Horton went down. That's what a captain does. He doesn't cower or look for the referee to bail him out like that Sedin ... or that other Sedin. I can't tell them apart, I just know they're both about as tough as a wet paper towel.
You guys know that it takes a total team effort. You depend on Daniel Paille as much as you depend on David Krejci. You lean on Gregory Campbell as much as you do Milan Lucic. You need youngsters like Johnny Boychuk, Adam McQuaid and Tyler Seguin as much as you need veterans like Dennis Seidenberg, Andrew Ference and Chris Kelly.
Coach Claude Julien gets it, too. He knows you can't win without all four lines contributing. I don't think Vancouver's coach knows that.
I also realize history isn't on your side tonight. Road teams have only won three of the 15 all-time Game 7s in the finals. But this is the first time in your 87-year history that you've reached a Game 7 in the finals. And this is the first time the Canucks have ever hosted a Game 7 in the finals. So, history can take a hike as far as I'm concerned.
Tonight is going to be about will. It's going to be about performing in an adverse situation under hostile conditions. But you guys have done that all playoffs. Remember when you took two from your arch-rivals in their own barn in the first round? You swept away the memories of an epic collapse in round two, then you struck down an up-and-coming powerhouse in the conference finals, which also went to a Game 7. You know how to get this done.
I don't like the Canucks. But I wouldn't mind going for a skate around the ice in Vancouver. I just hope it's you holding me, Boston. It's been a long time.
Sincerely,
The Stanley Cup
By Gavin Faretra, for the Concord Monitor.
