Yeah I know we've been slacking around here lately. But it's that time of the semester where all of us are swamped with the work we should have been doing when we were going to hockey games/watching the B's. Sorry I'm not sorry.
Alas, the Stanley Cup playoffs are upon us. Games got underway league-wide last night, with the Caps, Canucks, Predators, Red Wings, and Penguins all posting game 1 victories. BU's own Matt Gilroy posted the Rangers lone goal in their 2-1 OT loss to the Caps. But the series that every hockey fan in Massachusetts wants to see starts tonight, when the Canadiens and their idiotic french canadian fans roll into town.
The history behind this rivalry goes back to the 1920s. This playoff series will be the 33rd playoff series between the two teams, the Habs having won 24 and the Bruins having won 8. To be fair, the Canadiens won literally 18 playoff series in a row against the Bruins between 1947 and 1987. All time, these teams have met 711 times. 711. Think about that for a second. Between 1924 and 2011, these two teams have met almost a thousand times. For a sport that plays half as many games per season as baseball, that's astounding.
But the great rivalries cannot be measure in statistics or wins and losses. Much like the Yankees-Red Sox, the Bruins-Canadiens rivalry can only truly be measured by the unforgettable moments and people that were a part of it. Don Cherry and the too many men penalty. Rocket Richard and Hal Laycoe. Cam Neely and Andy Moog - the Habs Killers. Kyle McLaren and Richard Zednik. Zdeno Chara and Max Pacioretty. The list goes on and on.
So if you're watching the Bruins game tonight and you're wondering why people are making such a big deal out of it, well now you know. Its about history. And although I'm fairly confident the Bruins take care of business against Brian Gionta and his band of merry midgets, I know one thing for certain - history will be made.
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