The Boston Bruins were trying to emulate the Montreal Canadiens by coming back from a 3-1 series deficit with hot goaltending and a renewed team effort.
Instead they aired a repeat of the 2007-08 Canadiens – taking the conference crown, beating their main rival in the first round, only to slip vs. a team they had beaten handily 4 out of 4 times over the year.
It must be said that Bruins prolonged the agony (and interest) longer than last year's round 2 Montrealers, but in the annals of the Stanley Cup they don't make room to record the details of teams who slip two rounds away.
It was the rare piece of satisfaction that remained in these playoffs where only exciting hockey and academic interest remain. The Bruins were the only team left that I either loved or hated – and to see them go (especially after being taunted and lumped under the term disgrace by the collective smugness) was a pleasure. It is also a big feeling of escape, because the Bruins that dominated the Canadiens looked good enough to emerge from the East, and that would be too close for comfort.
Incidentally, the Bruins probably brought it on themselves as it's never a good idea to plagiarise. Same coach as our 3-1 comeback? Michael Ryder? Mark Recchi? It's been done... It's also probably not a good idea borrow a chief rival's fight song (which proved a loser anyway).
[I should note that the song here was "created" by the "Gifted" Losers some time after the Canadiens were eliminated from the playoffs. The Bruins are only one of the teams featured with the interchangeable lyrics (lame). Nevertheless, one hapless Bruins blogger posted it, so...]
The better and original version, with its own lyrics and player contributions is form 1991: "Courtnall in flight man, what a goal!"
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