There will be no Stanley Cup repeat for the Boston Bruins, following a game 7 overtime loss to Alexander Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals. While I don’t write about hockey as often as the other major Boston sports teams, yesterday’s loss serves as a good point for reflection; on the B’s, on hockey in general, and on the ever-changing landscape of the Boston sports scene.

Let’s start with the B’s. I tend to watch a decent amount of hockey by default – I have roommates who put the Bruins on almost as often as I flip on the Red Sox. But yesterday I had a truly Boston hockey experience – I caught game 7 from The Greatest Bar, directly across the street from the Garden. We’re talking 4 stories of maniacal Bruins fans. I’ve always been interested in crowd dynamics following major sporting wins and losses – I watched last year as thousands of Bostonian’s rioted and climbed on MBTA buildings after the Bruins captured the Cup. What amazed me about last night’s loss was the lack of backlash – within 10 seconds of the puck going in the net, a deflated silence lingered in a previously electric bar, the TV channel was changed to a soccer game, and the entire place had cleared out. It was like the fire drill the fire department always dreamed of. And now it appears likely that Boston will need to wait until at least next February to see if Tom Brady can win the city another championship.

My point in writing this article is not to kick Boston hockey fans while they’re down – I do indeed find myself slamming my fist on the table when the Bruins hit the crossbar – but this series illustrated much of what I’ve been saying all along about hockey. There’s no doubt that this was a great series, and I especially nod my head to the Capital’s goaltender. Seven games, including four overtime games, with every single game of the series was decided by a single goal.

When I step back and look at the 2012 Bruins, I see a team that I’d expect to be better than the 2011 team. They lost very few key pieces, made some significant acquisitions, and generally kept a young championship team together with an added year of chemistry. Yet in every game of this series it was the bounce of a puck, a tipped shot, a wild scrap in front of the goal that decided the game. I didn’t see one team decisively, or even convincingly, beat the other team. It’s easy to call this parity, but to me this is much more indicative of the nature of the game. No team has repeated as NHL champion in 15 years. I feel very strongly that in comparison to baseball, or basketball, or football the “better” team in hockey wins a much lower percentage of the time. Sure, there is skill and strategy involved, but crapshoot plays and luck play a much larger role in hockey. That’s fine if you can accept that, but for me personally, I have a very hard time becoming invested in a championship that depends so heavily on luck.

The Bruins should have been a better team than they were last year when they were Stanley Cup champions, but instead they couldn’t make it past the first round of the playoffs. That’s not unique to hockey by any means, but having watched this series it irks me. The Capitals could very easily win the Stanley Cup now, as could any other team in the playoffs. Luck is a factor for every team in the playoffs, but losing is made that much tougher when you don’t feel as though the team that beat you did so by simply outperforming you. C’est la vie, I suppose.

Earth to Bill Belichick – don’t you dare draft a single offensive player tonight.

By Jimmy Cunningham, howiGit New York Writer, Manhattan, NY

My name is J-bone, and I am a hockey fan. Yes I know, the Bruins fans I taunted last year are probably laughing but it is true. I made a conscience decision to be a Rangers fan this year and it turns out it was a great decision.

Hockey had never been a major part of my life. I never played it. My family did not really have a favorite hockey team. Simply put, other sports were more important. I do remember watching some Rangers Stanley Cup games in ’94 but it really did not mean that much to me. The Rangers were a mess through most of my high school and college years, and going to school in Philly would not allow me to watch the games even if I wanted to. After school I began to be the type that watched the standings and picked up the team once playoffs started, but I never really invested myself into a full season of hockey. But after really watching the Rangers in last years playoffs and seeing the joy of the brand new Bruins fans last year I decided to really follow the Rangers this year, and I am so glad that I did.

I obviously picked a good year to start following the team up. With HBO 24/7 featuring the Rangers and Flyers this year I really got to know the team, not just by watching almost every game, but by seeing how the boys interacted in the locker room and on the ice. The show displayed that this was a fun group, whether it be by some seemingly over-served players at their Christmas party or the Broadway Hat tradition. It also showed that these guys really have each others back, most prominently displayed when Michael Del Zotto got sucker punched against the Coyotes, and while Del Zotto was getting stitched up he asked “Who jumped in for me” – it was not a question of “if someone” jumped in, he already knew someone did.

The Rangers are not only a fun team to watch, they are good. They are tough, they fight, they block shots, and they always play hard. These are qualities that trickle from the top of the team down, with the coach John Tortorella and one of the best captains in the game Ryan Callahan leading the way. They are not a high scoring team but they do have some fun players on offense to watch in Marian Gaborik, Brad Richards, and Carl Hagelin. They also have the best goalie in the game this year and someone I have developed an embarrassingly huge man crush on in Henrik Lundqvist.

The Rangers go into these playoffs as the number one seed in the east and play the Ottawa Senators in the 1^st round. Being the number one seed does not mean they are the favorites however, as Vegas currently has the Penguins as the favorite to win the east. Many analysts are calling for a 1^st round upset due to the Senators winning the series during the regular season, the Rangers occasional lack of scoring, and the Rangers losing 3 of the last 4. I do think the 1^st series will be tough but I believe the Rangers are too tough to bow out in the first round. After that who knows how everything is going to play out. I do know I will be watching, and for the first time not trying to figure out who is actually on the team, but cheering hard for the team I have been following all year.

Brad Marchand, despite his talent deficiency and Napoleon complex, is a good hockey player – that much  I’ll admit. But Marchand is also a weasily little punk, the type of hockey player that everyone hates – unless they’re on your team, I’m told.

To that I say bullshit. Boston fans need to get over the fact Marchand plays for the Bruins, and recognize him for what he is – the Ndamukong Suh of the NHL without half of the talent that Suh possesses.

Last night Marchand found himself suddenly in s skirmish the Toronto’s Tim Connolly. While it wasn’t much of a fight, Marchand did get body slammed with surprising ease. Here’s the video for the enjoyment of all of those who recognize Marchand as the little snit he is.

With Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefiled retiring before this Red Sox season (after 15 and 17 years in Boston, respectively), the number of current Boston athletes that were on their respective teams in the 1990′s was cut in half. Who are the two remaining Boston athletes that played for their team in the 90′s and continue to do so today?

Comment with your answer.

By Matt Moore, howiGit Contributing Writer, Boston, MA

Heading into Wednesday night’s game, the Bruins were 11-0-1 this month. A huge improvement from the slow start they had this season, the winning streak seems to indicate that the Bruins are over the “Stanley Cup hangover” that many fans feared. A large part of the team’s recent success is due to the play of second year wing Tyler Seguin. When he was drafted second overall last year, everyone knew he had the skills to be an effective scoring threat. After an up and down rookie season, Seguin appears to be putting it all together at the NHL level in his second season – he has already exceeded his point total from last season in only 22 games.

Perhaps the most surprising part of Seguin’s game is his ability to make his teammates better on the ice. He has shown this year that he can be an impressive playmaker. Early in the year, Claude Julien shuffled the lines and we saw Seguin playing with Milan Lucic. In order to keep up with Seguin’s speed, Lucic had to continuously move his skates, leading to more opportunities for Lucic and keeping him at the top of his game. Now playing with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, Seguin is continuing to get results. Bergeron’s offensive skills have emerged more playing with Seguin and he is projected to have his highest point total in five years. Marchand is the closest to Seguin in terms of speed and already has chemistry with Bergeron. Now with Seguin on his opposite wing, Marchand has the space to make plays and find his shot.

The Bruins have not had a young, talented player like Seguin for some time now. He is one of the more exhilarating players to watch when he is on the ice and even more so when he has the puck. I thought about similar players Boston has seen in other sports that compare to Seguin. Two players came immediately to mind: Rajon Rondo and Jacoby Ellsbury. These three players all have one thing in common: speed and quickness make them standouts. Although Rondo and Ellsbury were not as highly touted upon being drafted, they have nonetheless become perhaps the most exciting part of their respective teams. Rondo dribbling in the open court and Ellsbury on the basepaths is when each is at their best. The same can be said when Seguin has the puck and attacks with speed. Rondo makes everyone around him better with his passing and playmaking, just like we are seeing with Seguin. This past season, Ellsbury broke out at the plate and powered the Red Sox offense; Seguin is the Bruins’ leader in both goals and points. Similar to Seguin, both Rondo and Ellsbury had major improvements in their second full seasons:

Rondo:
’06-’07: 78 games, .418 FG%, 3.8 AST, 6.4 PPG
’07-’08: 77 games, .492 FG%, 5.1 AST, 10.6 PPG

Ellsubry:
2008*: 145 games, .280 AVG, 47 RBI, 50 SB
2009: 153 games, .301 AVG, 60 RBI, 70 SB
*Ellsbury only played 33 games in 2007, therefore 2008 is used for his first full season

It seems as though Boston teams are blessed with young, exciting players at the moment. Rondo and Ellsbury have gone on to have All-Star careers and are arguably the most valuable players for their teams. Seguin is making a strong push to be in that same category. The 19 year old is on pace to finish the season with 45 goals and 86 points. That would make a pretty good improvement for the second year player. We’ll have to see how close he gets to those numbers, but one thing is sure: Seguin is already one of, if not the most exciting players to watch in Boston right now.

One more similarity worth noting among Seguin, Rondo, and Ellsbury? They all have championships.

By Matt Moore, howiGit Contributing Writer, Boston, MA

We are now a few days removed from the Bruins capturing the Stanley Cup with a Game 7 victory in Vancouver; a victory that ended a 39 year drought for the Bruins organization. However the 2011 championship did so much more than just end a dry spell – it restored hockey to the forefront of the Boston sports scene. Much like the 2008 Celtics championship bridged a gap between generations of fans, this Stanley Cup united Bruins fans of all ages. Watching the Bruins’ playoff run with my father made things extra special, because I saw how much it meant to him as a fan that had been waiting since 1972 to see the Cup back in Boston. I was in Boston for the celebration parade, and you could see how much it meant to fans that Boston had finally won again. People all around shared stories of watching the Bruins in the 1970s, how they stuck through the low years and even the lockout, just because they knew the time would come when the Bruins would be champions again. Their faith was rewarded this season, and in doing so, the Bruins put themselves in the same category of the other title teams in recent Boston history.

The championship was made all the more rewarding because of the way the team played, and the characteristics they personified. The Bruin players endeared themselves to the fan base by playing a tough, physical brand of hockey that resonates with a city like Boston. They lacked true star power, but instead were a collective unit that succeeded; oftentimes when facing opponents with supposedly more skill. The phrase “will beats skill” was used often to describe the Bruins title winning team, and it really is appropriate. This isn’t to say Boston was without skilled players, but rather that they found the extra gear when needed to win games. It maybe cliché to say that a team takes on the identity of the city they play in, but that truly was the case with these Bruins. Every fan base may say that their team represents the qualities of their city, whether it is true or not. Perhaps Vancouver showed this to be true in the way they reacted to losing the finals. But I don’t know much about Vancouver or how they view themselves there. I do know that the inherent differences between the two teams became more and more evident as the series progressed. The Bruins played hard, physical hockey and knew when to play with an edge. This is how the teams of the 70’s played and were successful. When the Bruins mirrored those teams and that style of hockey, the results spoke for themselves.

This Bruins season will always be remembered for the amazing run throughout the regular the season, the three Game 7s they won, the performance of Tim Thomas, and the new hero that seemingly emerged each round. The good news continues though, as this team is built for years of success. The shift started with signing Chara and Savard five years ago, and now through drafts and trades, the Bruins have a balanced, talented, and most importantly, young core of players. Just looking down the roster shows the number of young, valuable players: Horton(26), Bergeron (25), Krecji (25), McQuaid (24), Lucic (23), Marchand (23), Seguin (19). We heard during the rally several members of the Bruins organization say that there won’t be such a long wait for the next Cup and they are eager to bring more to Boston. Looking at the roster, and what this Bruin team just accomplished, you can’t help but believe it.

By Thalia Bardell, howiGit Contributing Writer, Boston, MA

Maybe it’s too soon to go here, the victory too fresh, but I’m beginning to wonder if howiGit and myself are the only people left who care about the Red Sox. Boston has always, above all else, considered itself a baseball town. Baseball has a history and culture that is ingrained right down to the field. Fenway Park is one of the most historic and beautiful ballparks in the United States. As baseball as a sport slip-slides downward in popularity all over the country I thought that here in Boston the fervor for the game would never die.

On Sunday an estimated one million people turned out in black and gold to watch the duck boats roll through downtown; that’s more people than have turned out for any other rolling rally here in Boston, including the 2004 Red Sox and that championship drought was more than twice as long. These people had to come from somewhere; have we been mistaken all along in thinking that hockey wasn’t alive and well in the Hub? Clearly, the interest is there. In 2004 when the Sox won the World Series a group of self-proclaimed “idiots” captured the hearts of fans; probably because the city of Boston saw a lot of itself in these guys – not always the most talented, cleanest, or well polished. But they captured their hearts for a mere moment and that particular team was mostly disbanded by the following season. These Bruins; however, have staying power – this particular team is ripe with young talent. Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin in particular are young studs, and the Bruins will return to the ice next year with a nearly identical roster. This gives fans something to hold on to; they can attach themselves to these particular players beyond this victory and into the coming years.

The Bruins have established themselves as the people’s team; with fan favorites Shawn Thornton and Tim Thomas giving the team a blue-collar attitude that Boston eats right up. On Thursday Zdeno Chara was wheeling the Cup around the North End in a stroller; Nathan Horton took it out for dinner to Tia’s on the waterfront; and during the parade members of the team came down from the duck boats and allowed fans to touch it. This type of behavior has given the squad an accessibility that is hard not to love. The Bruins are here to stay and are taking Boston by storm.

At the Red Sox game on Sunday afternoon runs were celebrated with the Bruins’ fog horn and music pulled straight from the inside of the Garden. It’s almost as though the Sox were hoping that they could grab a little of what makes the Bruins special – a little of that atmosphere. Perhaps they feel what I feel, that soon they may no longer be number one.

The Metro here in Boston had it right – first it was the Patriots. Then the Red Sox. Then the Celtics. Now the Bruins have arrived. Riding another stellar performance by Tim Thomas, the Bruins beat the Canucks 4-0 last night, bringing the Stanley Cup back to Boston for the first time in 39 years. Captain Patrice Bergeron scored a crucial first goal, undoubtedly shaking Canucks goalie Robert Luongo. The rest, as they say, is history.

The resulting scene in Boston could best be described as mayhem. I arrived down by the Garden two hours before the puck dropped, and was literally turned away from just about every bar in the North End and Faneuil Hall. When the Bruins scored an empty net goal to go up 4-0 in the final period, the march to the Garden was on, mob style. Hundreds of police lined the streets, donning full body armor and primarily wielding sticks resembling two by fours. They could do little to stop the hundreds of fans who climbed MBTA vestibules and lit off fireworks, and mosh pits broke out everywhere. Chants of “We won the Cup” and particularly “U-S-A” rang through the night, with just a few “Yankees Suck” chants thrown in for good measure (I told you, this is a baseball town). When I left the scene around 1:00am, the ruckus was still going strong. I’ve got to give it to the BPD though – they were not a friendly crew last night but somehow there were no deaths or major happenings.

You’ve got to feel good for this team, and what a way to go out for 43 year old veteran Mark Recchi. But more than anything, what a victory for the city of Boston. This win said to everybody, “Hey, we’ve got a hockey team here too.”

I’ve argued this before, but this win is the icing on the cake – whether you like it or not, the city of Boston has established itself as THE sports mecca of the United States this past decade. In the last 7 years Boston has won the championship in each of the 4 major sports. Go ahead and look at the last time that was done. Better yet, we’re talking 7 championships in the last decade. For as long as I live, I’m guessing that will never happen again.

Enjoy it Boston. And especially you, Bruins fans.

OK Boston Bruins fans – your day in the the sun is here. So what’s it going to be – champs or chumps?

I’ve heard about your hatred of the Canucks. The cheap shots, the dirty play, a team of “skilled” players in contrast to the Bruins’ hard-hitting style. I’ve seen your Bruins beat up the Canucks 17-3 at the Garden, now the question is – can you actually beat these girly men?

The home team has won every single game in this series, as has the team that has scored first. But while Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo has been leakier than Anthony Weiner’s blackberry at the Garden, he’s been consistently a step ahead of Tim Thomas at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena, where game 7 will be held tonight.

I’ll be out in the neighborhood of the Garden to watch the game, and while my rationality tells me the Bruins will win, my instincts tell me the Canucks will hoist the Cup. The Bruins have proven to be deeper, to be more physical, to have the better goaltender – all of the attributes that typically make up a championship caliber team. But the Canucks have proven that they protect their home ice, that their offense can flash on when necessary, and that they’ve got the entirety of Canadian hockey swag behind them.

The Bruins have talked a lot this week about how they were out-muscled in their game 5 loss in Vancouver, vowing not to let this happen again. I can’t get the doomed little thought out of my mind that the Bruins will let the excitement in Rogers Arena get the best of them and over-do the physicality, leading to inadvertent penalties and the Canucks’ prestigious power play finally coming to bite them in the ass. While you all seem to think that I hate the Bruins for some reason, I’m going to pick the Bruins basically in spite of you all. God knows it will make my night that much more fun – so who have you got?

By Thalia Bardell, howiGit Contributing Writer, Boston, MA

I’ve thought a lot about the concept of “fandom.” What makes someone a fan and why are we convinced that some people are better fans than others? Looking for answers I busted out the dictionary: Fan, noun, “a person who has a strong interest in, or admiration for, a particular sport, art form, or famous person.” Alright, but I know it goes beyond that; especially in a sportstown like Boston.

As the Bruins edge closer to a historical moment and it seems that almost all of Boston is wearing a Horton, Chara, or “Puck the Nucks” tee I wonder how many of these people had watched the Bruins before the playoffs began. Bandwagoners; it’s a word we spit through our teeth, an insult, and one I’ve used many times in near derogatory manner. With social media in the picture it seems the Bandwagon has gotten even larger, with everyone proclaiming their undying love for the Bruins all over my news feed. This makes me a little mad, but then I have to stop myself; who am I to get pissed off at someone who is swept up in the excitement of a playoff run? Perhaps some of this year’s bandwagoners will get hooked and follow the team fully next season – and isn’t that good for a city trying to rebuild its reputation as a hockey town?

It seems that the two greatest factors in the making of a serious fan are how much they care about each game and how much disappointment they’ve suffered at the hands of their team. I would call these two factors together “commitment level.” I, most days, consider myself a Red Sox fan. I care about game one as much as I care about game 162; however, I’ll admit right here that I don’t know how much disappointment I can hold myself accountable for. In 2004, when the Sox finally won the World Series I was seventeen years old and while I liked baseball I didn’t follow it closely and I wish I had.  Watching the ESPN’s 30 for 30 film Four Days in October gives me goose bumps for sure, but I feel just slightly removed from it, like it’s not quite mine to share in because I hadn’t shared very much in all the previous disappointment. I’ve matured as a fan mostly in an era of success.

I just started watching hockey this year. I’ve been to one game and own one t-shirt (I couldn’t go into the Garden looking like a rookie), which, in the midst of the playoffs, I feel self-conscious wearing because I don’t consider myself a Bruins fan. I’m developing a taste for hockey; the quickness is a refreshing change from the pace of baseball, but I’m too green to consider myself a fan by my own standards. If the Bruins don’t win the Stanley Cup I’ll be disappointed, but I won’t be heartbroken, and there are definitely people who will be – fans.