Any expectations the Boston Bruins had at the start of the 2017-18 season can be tossed in the trash. Most thought this would be a bridge season given the fact that the organization was taking a veteran group and combining it with an inexperienced rookie core.
No one really knew how it would turn out. The veteran group met during the offseason and decided it would do everything possible to help the rookie class develop. After a slow start to the season, mostly due to injuries, everything began to mesh around mid-November and suddenly the overall mindset for the season began to change.
Now, there’s a new team goal and it involves playing hockey until mid-June.
After dismissing the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round with a 7-4 win in Game 7 on Wednesday night at TD Garden, the Bruins will now face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“That’s not good for the ticker,” said a relieved Cam Neely after the comeback victory against the Maple Leafs.
Just wait, Cam. It’s only going to get more stressful on the arteries against the Lightning. It was evident early this season that the chemistry in the room and on the ice was strong.
“It’s a special group with special guys and you don’t have a team like this every single year,” said Jake DeBrusk, who scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner in Game 7. “As a rookie, it’s something we took to heart.”
The game has changed in the salary-cap era and all teams, at least the successful ones, are attempting to balance winning with development at the NHL level. The Pittsburgh Penguins did it two seasons ago and won the Stanley Cup. Then they did it again last season for their second straight championship.
That process has been similar in Boston this season. It helps that the veteran group accepted the process and helped develop it.
"It’s huge,” DeBrusk said. “It’s the reason we had such a good season. We’re very lucky. It can go the other way and you never really know coming in. The guys on this team are unbelievable. Everyone has great character. We all get along very well and I can hang out with anyone on this team. It’s a special group and something we didn’t want to go to waste.”
It was close but the Bruins didn’t waste this latest opportunity. Boston needed another third-period comeback like its achieved so many times during the regular season. For coach Bruce Cassidy, he went into this game with the lineup he envisioned at the start of the series. It worked and those players rewarded his decision.
Let’s start with rookie forward Danton Heinen, who was a healthy scratch in Game 6. He scored his first of the postseason to tie the game at 2-2 at 9:10 of the first period. The coach’s advice prior to the game was for the rookie to shoot when he had the chance and that’s exactly what Heinen did and the puck went in.
“It was an awesome feeling,” Heinen said. “Probably the biggest goal I have ever scored. I had chills so it was pretty cool.”
DANTON HEINEN FIRES HOME THE RICK NASH BETWEEN-THE-LEGS CENTERING FEED! THIS GAME IS TIED AGAIN!#TMLTalk 2 - 2 #NHLBruins
(#BOSvTOR - Series Tied At 3) #Game7 pic.twitter.com/8YcNfrP60w
— NHL Daily 365 (@NHLDaily365) April 26, 2018