Franchise legends take a magic carpet ride
“Back In Black” roared across Causeway Street as a parade of Bruins legends — from Bobby Orr to Patrice Bergeron — ambled across the gold carpet much to the delight of a couple of thousand fans Wednesday afternoon.
The alumni gathering prior to the 3-1 win over the Blackhawks in the home opener was the first in a series of events marking the franchise’s centennial season.
Terry O’Reilly marveled at not only the collection of superstars, but also the fans’ dedication to some of their alltime favorites.
“This really is an honor,” said the man known as Taz — a nod to the Tasmanian Devil. “Some of these kids still wear my sweater. [They’re] wearing 24s.”
O’Reilly was known more for his overhand rights than his scoring punch during his 14-year career, which included 891 games, 204 goals, 606 points, and an eye-popping 2,095 penalty minutes.
His blue-collar style fit perfectly in Boston and made him an instant fan favorite during his playing days.
“You mean falling down a lot?” O’Reilly deadpanned when asked about his early days. “The Bruins were hardworking. I had no problem with that. Had a little trouble with skating the first few years, but they were patient with me.”
O’Reilly finished his playing career with the 1984-85 season but was back in action when he took over coaching duties to start the 1986-87 season, leading the club for three years, including a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1988.
So much of O’Reilly’s persona as a player and coach was molded by Don Cherry, himself a rough-and-tumble guy, and the passion of the fans.
“Boston was more of a hard-working, blue-collar type of town. That was just my impression when I came here,” said O’Reilly. “And Don Cherry’s ethic was like the Three Musketeers. ‘All for one, one for all.’ And he drilled that into us . . . but it’s a wonderful organization.”
Shawn Thornton, another player who embodied the Bruins’ style during his run, which included a Stanley Cup title, was surprised at the rousing ovation he got from fans.
“It’s a little humbling, to be brutally honest,” said Thornton. “I figured I’d be forgotten about by now.”
He was pleasantly surprised to learn he’d been selected as one of the franchise’s top 100 players, joking he must have bought the voters “a few beers.”
“It’s a huge honor. I was talking to Bobby [Orr] about it a couple of weeks ago. It’s 100 years, and being a part of this franchise, being a part of an Original Six franchise, and then having the success we had while we were here. It’s great to be back and great to see all this hype. It’s awesome. I’m back up here a lot, but it’s a pretty special event, so happy to be here.”
The Centennial Team will also gather for a gala event Thursday in Boston.
Men of honor
Those honored as part of the in-stadium celebration included (in order): Eddie Johnston, Ken Hodge Sr., Derek Sanderson, Don Marcotte, Gerry Cheevers, Thornton, Tim Thomas, Tuukka Rask, David Krejci, Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Ray Bourque, Willie O’Ree (via the videoboard from his home in San Diego), Rick Middleton, Johnny Bucyk, Phil Esposito, and Orr, who received the largest ovation of the night.
Also, relatives of Eddie Shore, Lionel Hitchman, Dit Clapper, and Milt Schmidt were in attendance.
Masked man
Cheevers, who also walked the gold carpet, celebrated a unique anniversary Wednesday. It was on Oct. 11, 1967, that “Cheesie,” as he was known, debuted his unique “stitched” goalie mask in a 4-4 tie against the Red Wings . . . Orr and Esposito arrived together, smiling like teenagers attending a squirt banquet . . . O’Reilly on new Bruins captain Brad Marchand: “I think if I played against him, I’d hate him. But he wears the ‘B,’ so I love him.” . . . David Pastrnak, who scored twice Wednesday night, will aim to become the first Bruin with back-to-back 60-goal seasons since Esposito in 1973-74 and ’74-75
. . . It was the 597 th meeting between Bruins and Blackhawks, with Boston now holding a 273-240-79-5 edge . . . Former Bruins Taylor Hall and Ryan Donato started as the wingers for Chicago wunderkind Connor Bedard. Hall and Nick Foligno, another ex-Bruin, were given tributes on the videoboard and received an ovation from the fans. The pair stood on the ice and tapped their sticks in salute. Hall left the game in the second period with what the Blackhawks termed an upper-body injury and did not return . . . Bedard (18 years, 85 days) is the fifth-youngest player to make his NHL debut and the youngest since Eddie Olczyk (18 years, 56 days) in the 1984-85 season . . . Coincidentally, Olczyk was at TD Garden as part of the TNT broadcast team . . . Song of the night: See AC/DC reference above.