Bruins to follow lead of veterans
BOSTON — When the Boston Bruins take the ice against the St. Louis Blues, they will do it with a core group of veterans who know what it’s like to hoist the Stanley Cup — and have it slip from their fingers.
Patrice Bergeron can remember the instant euphoria and accompanying adoration from across New England that came after the Bruins outlasted Vancouver in seven games to win the Cup in 2011. He just as easily recalls the emptiness in 2013 when the Bruins lost the final in six games to Chicago.
“I think it makes you appreciate and makes you understand how hard it is to get to this point,” Bergeron said.
He is one of five Bruins who were on both of those teams, along with Brad Marchand, Tuukka Rask, David Krejci and Zdeno Chara. Apart from Chara, who was 33 in 2011, Bergeron, Krejci, Marchand and Rask were in their 20s during both runs. Defenseman Torey Krug was a member of the 2013 team that came up short, arriving the season after Boston won it in 2011.
Nine years later Chara is 42 and the 20-somethings are grizzled NHL veterans as they prepare for the Blues. It’s cast them all in the leadership role for another youthful and hungry team, built with many players about to experience this stage for the first time with Game 1 on Monday night. It’s a position they have willingly accepted.
“It takes a lot to just get into the playoffs,” Chara said. “We saw a lot of our games went to Game 7. First round. Second round. You have to realize how special it is to be in the final and what it takes. At the same time, you haven’t accomplished anything. You haven’t won anything.”
Blues coach Craig Berube knows the Bruins are deep and the veterans are a key part of the team.
“Chara is still a good player, he’s a force out there, a big guy and he’s difficult to play against,” Berube said. “Overall, their team’s a skilled and fast team and their goalie has played extremely well so far in the playoffs.”
Boston coach Bruce Cassidy is in his second season leading the Bruins. He struggled in his first goaround as a coach in Washington, going 47-47-9 over two seasons from 2002 to 2004.
“I think this leadership group is second to none,” Cassidy said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever have — wherever this career takes me — a group like this to work with. I said that since probably the second week of our job here. These guys are fantastic, and they sure make a coach’s job a lot easier.”
Though he has a reputation for letting his anger get the best of him at times, Marchand said he’s going into his third Cup final with Boston as steady as ever.
“I think when you’re part of a team like that you expect it to last a long time,” he said. “You don’t realize how one change in a team can really drastically affect how things play out.”