And just like that, hockey season is over.

It was a gut punch to be sure, losing in such a fashion. I’m not sure about you, but when something bad happens in my life, I don’t immediately try and remember all the other bad things that have happened to me.

The Boston Globe however, operates under a different way of thinking. The charges of Joe Sullivan received their talking points last night, and the message came through loud and clear:

Kevin Paul Dupont:

As painful as the ball through Bill Buckner’s legs, Bucky Dent’s homer into the screen, and that one too many skaters on Forum ice in ’79, the Bruins botched Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final in epic fashion Monday night, coughing up a pair of goals in only 17 seconds at the end of the third period.

Dan Shaughnessy:

Before you could say Grady Little or David Tyree, the Chicago Blackhawks had their own Miracle On Ice and captain Jonathan Toews was hoisting the Stanley Cup over his head.

Chris Gasper:

This time there was no reward for the Bruins, only a cruel twist of fate that will make Bolland as dirty a word in these parts as Dent, Boone, or Tyree.

Thanks, guys. I had totally forgotten all of those events. Wow!

Rich Levine of CSNNE joined in with the Globe brigade, even in an article praising the team for a fantastic postseason run.

 And Boston fans inducted another member into the club. A new memory to file away with Buckner’s, Dent’s and Tyree’s, with Welker’s drop against the Giants, and the Celtics’ blown second-half lead in Game 7 against the Lakers.

Thankfully, in looking around the Boston sports media scene this morning – written edition anyway – other writers found more original stories to write instead of the same old tired nonsense.

Stanley Cup Stunner – Leigh Montville captures the scene. Also check out this breakdown of how things went wrong at the end for the Bruins by Jack Dickey on the same site.

‘Hawks stun, Bruins done – Steve Conroy, Herald.

The better team won, but . . . – Joe Haggerty, CSNNE.

Bruins’ fortunes change in flash – Jackie MacMullan, ESPN Boston.

Pain does not tell Patrice Bergeron’s story –  Stephen Harris, Herald.

Bruins suffer the agony of a lost chance in Game 6, but were admirable to the end – Chad Finn, Boston.com

This says it well in Finn’s column:

Only the habitual self-defeatists among us require or desire a list of the most painful recent defeats in Boston sports lore. They will revel in parades that will never happen and banners never to be raised.

The Bruins brought us to the cusp of July, and did so in a fashion that fostered admiration, loyalty and respect. That doesn’t go away in 17 seconds. In 13 short weeks, they’ll be right back out there on the ice.

Meanwhile, Red Sox, the stage is yours alone.

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Published by Bruce Allen

Automattician.

7 thoughts on “Gone In 17 Seconds”

  1. It’ll be interesting to hear certain segments of this town — and especially Felger and Mazz, who have done little but diminish Tim Thomas’ accomplishments two seasons ago — try and spin their way out of his one in regards to Rask.

    Felger has repeatedly droned on about how Thomas really wasn’t that amazing in ’11, and that his big, highlight saves were the result of him “always being out of position.” He continuously pointed to Rask’s numbers in this series as evidence that Rask was better, even though I’d argue the team in front of him was better this season, and he didn’t face the same types of difficult shots. (Put a Rask highlight reel together — he didn’t stand on his head the way Thomas did. Of course, Felger would have you believe that’s just “because he’s always where he needs to be.” Yeah, right!)

    Granted, Rask was very good in places — but he wasn’t good enough in the end, and Felger laughably tried to explain the 6 goals he gave up in the 6-5 OT loss as being all the result of the Bruins defense “leaving him out to dry.” In Game 6, he looked awful on the tying goal, and in general, looked less and less comfortable as the series progressed.

    Rask might develop as we go forward, but honestly, for all the shots Thomas has taken (and especially from left-leaning media memebers like F+M), the Bruins would’ve won this series if Rask had done what Thomas did two years ago. No matter how much F+M want to whine and rant, that fact is never going to change. That, and great goalies don’t allow 2 goals in 17 seconds in the final minute of a Stanley Cup elimination game.

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    1. To put Rask in the discussion of what went wrong with the Bruins isn’t fair. Ken Dryden wouldn’t have stopped some of those goals. Tough to stop pucks when its 3 on 1 in your crease. Rask proved he’s a #1 goalie and is a bright spot on the Bruins and they need to resign him. If not, plenty of other teams will; 26 year old octopuses with Cup experience are tough to find. Bruins just can’t close it out. Blowing leads is in their DNA. A short bench didn’t help either. Tough one to swallow but at least they lost to a better team.

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      1. sorry but blaming the goalie for everything is a simpleton’s view. Like people who blame Quarterbacks for everything….Bruins didn’t lose this series because of Rask….ridiculous

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      2. Never said they shouldn’t resign him. The issue is that he didn’t carry the team over the final 3 games. Sometimes you need stand-on-your-head goaltending to win a championship and Rask didn’t provide that in the final games of this series. Go back and watch the tying goal. Ken Dryden WOULD have stopped that.

        And of course the team deserves blame. I’m not blaming Rask entirely. My issue is more that Felger, Haggerty and others were trying to sell everyone Rask wasn’t just Tim Thomas — he was better than him. And that was just plain false.

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    2. The Boston sports media members in this town weren’t even willing to wait for the Cup finals to start before pronouncing Rask as the superior goalie. This was especially true among those who have not so quietly supported a liberal/progressive political agenda in the past (Felger, Haggerty, Salk, Craig Mustard… everyone at the Globe and about 90% of the anyone else in the media).

      Rask was extremely effective through most of the playoff run, but I’m sorry you can’t be considered an all-time great Stanley Cup goalie without actually winning one, and letting up 12 goals in the final 3 games doesn’t help either. It’s too bad that Tim Thomas will always be mocked and ridiculed by the media simply for choosing not to attend a silly photo op at the White House. His 2011 run was truly epic and can’t be downplayed no matter how hard the media tries. I guess they’ll have to take solace in the IRS audit Thomas likely received after being outted as a conservative Obama critic.

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  2. I will concur with Bruce. The Bruins and the Blackhawks gave us a great series in which both teams should be admired and provided their fan bases the type of play that is worthy of respect.

    I will echo Half Fast in that they lost to a better team unlike 2011 when they were the better team.

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  3. I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older,or because of recent championships (probably a combination of both) but even after a tough “heartbreaking loss” my attitude is, “oh well, so much for that”…..don’t get me wrong,.. as I’m watching the games I’m yelling and screaming. I have butterflies…..but the “heartbreaking” losses don’t gnaw at me like they used to when I was in my twenties and thirties…..sorry, Shank, DuPont and the Globe sports department.

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