RALEIGH, N.C. — For all of the drama that’s cultivated out of this bombastic, complicated, frustrating and ultimately beautiful concept that we call sports, storybook endings are often an exception, rather than the rule, when it comes to who gets to hoist their league’s most coveted hardware at the end of the calendar year.
For every Elway, noodle-armed Manning and even Bourque (although that result remained bittersweet given the color of sweater he donned while lifting the Cup), there are a multitude of narratives and final chapters that aren’t sealed with such a satisfying stamp.
Because if storybook endings were a dime a dozen in sports, such a sight wouldn’t have played out on the PNC Arena ice Saturday night.
If this was indeed the final time that Patrice Bergeron donned a black-and-gold sweater, it wasn’t supposed to end like this.
When the 36-year-old addressed the media way back in September and expressed ambiguity in regards to his future, it stood as the most telling sign yet that the contention window that both he and franchise stalwarts like Zdeno Chara, Tuukka Rask and Brad Marchand first propped open was wavering under the inevitable weight of time.
The clock was ticking, and the Bruins needed to make the most of however long they still had arguably the greatest defensive forward in league history at the top of their depth chart.
At various points in the 2021-22 season, this Bruins team whet the appetite of their fanbase when it came to validating the prospect of one last run with Bergeron and Co. — a fitting swan song for a franchise icon that would end with No. 37 seizing the Cup.
Through it all — the lineup reshuffles, the COVID pauses, the offseason comings and goings, the goalie hugs — hope flicked that this Bruins team had the mettle and means to give their captain a proper send-off.
But as the final seconds drained off the clock in Raleigh, Bergeron and the Bruins found themselves in a familiar (and painful) position: Hunched over, heads down in disbelief, racking their brain for answers in the immediate aftermath of another postseason campaign that stalled far too soon.
"That's why this one probably hurts more — is the unknown for next year with him,” Brad Marchand, fighting back tears, noted following Boston’s 3-2 loss to the Hurricanes in a decisive Game 7. “He's done so much for this group and sacrificed so much that it would have been nice to make a good run for him. So it's disappointing."
Over 18 years in the NHL and a litany of injuries have taken their toll, but Bergeron’s game has not slipped, even as he potentially stares at the end of his lauded career.
In a season in which he orchestrated arguably one of the finest defensive seasons in recent memory (all but locking up a record-breaking fifth Selke Trophy), it should come as no surprise that Bergeron played like a star talent who was not ready to end his journey in Raleigh on Saturday — especially in the first round.
In a do-or-die Game 7, Bergeron did his job to help carry the B’s into the second round.
For all of the chatter regarding Jordan Staal and his line’s ability to shut down Bergeron and Boston’s top forwards, the final line from the seven-game series says otherwise.
In total, over the 40-plus minutes of 5v5 ice time in which Bergeron and Staal were out on the ice together, the Bruins managed to hold a 3-1 edge in goals scored, including a second-period tally by Jake DeBrusk on Saturday.
Over Bergeron’s entire 5v5 reps against Carolina, the Bruins controlled play, outscoring the Canes, 6-3, over 77:46 of ice time and holding a 58-30 edge in shots on goal.
Bergeron was as-advertised. But in a crushing result, many others on the B’s bench failed to follow suit.
While the B’s controlled play when No. 37 was out for a shift, the Hurricanes smelled blood in the water whenever Boston’s captain needed a breather, with Carolina outscoring the B’s, 13-4, when Bergeron was off the ice.
Saturday stood as the most damning result when it came to Bergeron and the lack of support from the rest of Boston’s supporting cast, with key cogs like Charlie Coyle (-3, 0 shots on goal), Craig Smith (zero shots on goal) and Taylor Hall among the many B’s stalwarts who failed to impact the game.
For all of the talk this season regarding Boston’s efforts to spread the scoring wealth and finally achieve equilibrium across the depth chart — those efforts amounted to very little when the stakes were at their highest, and the B’s most valuable asset desperately needed some help.
“It always hurts, it always will," Marchand said. "You only get a few opportunities throughout your career where you have a legit chance at going far and we thought we had that this year. So yeah, that hurts."
As expected, Bergeron was not ready to reveal his intentions regarding his career just minutes after such a devastating loss.
The pain was too raw. The turnaround was too quick.
“Obviously I'm gonna have to think about it,” Bergeron noted. “But I'm not there right now.”
As the Hurricanes assembled near center ice and soaked in the moment amid the cheers of over 19,000 packed into PNC Arena, Bergeron situated himself near the visiting tunnel.
As is customary after every game, Bergeron sent every teammate off the ice with a warm embrace. On most nights, it’s a celebratory measure in appreciation of the collective effort put forth on the ice.
Saturday was a far cry from those sentiments. But the feeling remained the same for Boston’s captain as each teammate skated toward him for a hug.
"It's always tough when it ends like that, right,” Bergeron said as a tear welled in his bruised, stitched-up eye — the latest segment of his fragmented body to sustain a beating while in pursuit of hockey’s top prize.
“It's more to share with them and thank them for battling together every day. It stings, it's not the feeling that you want. But that being said, we did it together."
Patrice Bergeron gives the entire roster hugs as they make their way off the ice. pic.twitter.com/dN6qOwSP11
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) May 14, 2022
His parade of heartfelt embraces complete, Bergeron made his way down the tunnel. He was the last Bruin off the ice.
Whether or not he returns to the frozen sheet remains to be seen.
“He's the backbone of our team and obviously the biggest part of our team,” Marchand said. “Obviously yeah, we want him to come back. But whatever happens — he's earned the right to make whatever decision he wants and take the time that he needs.
“I guess time will tell."