Can we take a moment to recognize two guys who get a lot of criticism (some deserved some not deserved) but who played their absolute asses off last night....Zdeno Chara and Milan Lucic.

First the captain....I don't think enough can be made about the game he played. He played over 35 minutes (i.e. over half the game) and they weren't easy minutes. He consistently played against the Leafs' best players and even with his huge ice time he came out of the game with a +2 rating, an assist, and an absolutely monster screen on the tying goal. As Bruins fans we are spoiled by this guy. Like any player he has bad plays and bad games, but Chara is, quite simply, the best and most reliable defenseman in the NHL today. Somebody name me another player who could step up and play 35 minutes of shut down defense against a team with forwards like the Leafs and come out +2 and with a victory. You can't, and today he deserves acknowledgement for being what he is....a hall of fame caliber player who is amongst the more irreplaceable players in the league.

Now for Lucic.....The criticisms of him are loud and frequent, and I am amongst those that desperately want more consistency from him. But if we are going to denigrate him when he sucks we owe him accolades when he puts the team on his back like he did last night. Lucic was a man for most of the game. He flipped his switch before the rest of the team did, and he owned the third period. He played his ass off and led that team to a victory, and he did it before guys like Bergeron, Marchand, and even Seguin turned on their games. Simply put, the Bruins would not have had a chance for the miracle comeback without Lucic's play in the early and midway parts of the third period. Yes Lucic needs to learn to bring that type of energy and effort every night....but he is a 24 year old kid with a lot to learn still. This game showed why I think he is critical for the Bruins to keep, even with his 6 million dollar salary. I am hopeful last night's performance is a turning point for him. But even if it is not, he deserves all of our praise and admiration this morning for what he accomplished last night.
- TheGreatNumber8

totally agree.

z - the one guy you'd want being down your 2nd best defenseman and playing two rookies.

looch - you could read between the lines during his post game interview that he thought he might get traded with a loss.

totally agree.

z - the one guy you'd want being down your 2nd best defenseman and playing two rookies.

looch - you could read between the lines during his post game interview that he thought he might get traded with a loss.
- yinzer_nation

In my opinion teams would be lining up to acquire him and the Bruins would be foolish to part with him. People forget he is 24 years old. When I was 24 I did bonehead things all the time and lacked focus. These playoffs could be a turning point for Lucic and if so watch out. This is a player capable of single handedly changing games and he is the most feared player in the league when he is on. With Ference likely gone in the offseason and Kelly basically stinking it up this year, I believe that "A" is up for grabs (the two players split it home-away this year). If Lucic continues to play consistently I wouldn't be surprised if he is considered for it. He may not be the consistent player that Seidenberg is or even Krejci. But Lucic is a natural leader in that his teammates feed off of him and want to follow him.

Congrats to the Bruins on a gutsy win, although if you were going to win I would have preferred 7-0.

The way we choked on this one is painful.
- Rang

Then don't view it as a choke. Boston went all-in. Pulled the goalie early and threw all their chips into the pot. They were a veteran team and they were desperate, the leafs were a team full of guys who've never had to deal with that kind of pressure, game 7 in the playoffs defending a lead in series everyone thought would have been over 3 games ago.

This isn't choking against the 8th seed in 6 games. This is taking one of the East's premier clubs to a 7th game OT. It stings because we could have won, but full props to Boston, they played hard and earned it.

Then don't view it as a choke. Boston went all-in. Pulled the goalie early and threw all their chips into the pot. They were a veteran team and they were desperate, the leafs were a team full of guys who've never had to deal with that kind of pressure, game 7 in the playoffs defending a lead in series everyone thought would have been over 3 games ago.

This isn't choking against the 8th seed in 6 games. This is taking one of the East's premier clubs to a 7th game OT. It stings because we could have won, but full props to Boston, they played hard and earned it.
- Scruffton

exactly

In my opinion teams would be lining up to acquire him and the Bruins would be foolish to part with him. People forget he is 24 years old. When I was 24 I did bonehead things all the time and lacked focus. These playoffs could be a turning point for Lucic and if so watch out. This is a player capable of single handedly changing games and he is the most feared player in the league when he is on. With Ference likely gone in the offseason and Kelly basically stinking it up this year, I believe that "A" is up for grabs (the two players split it home-away this year). If Lucic continues to play consistently I wouldn't be surprised if he is considered for it. He may not be the consistent player that Seidenberg is or even Krejci. But Lucic is a natural leader in that his teammates feed off of him and want to follow him.
- TheGreatNumber8

I would give the "A" to Krejci, he deserves it. Similar to this year I think you split it between him and Seidenberg. I think Ference, Horton and Jagr will be gone this summer so leadership roles need to be filled and I think Seidenberg, Krejci and Lucic are the ones to fill em. Seguin and Marchand are too young to fill those roles.

Fair enough. I'm a Bruins fan but I really enjoy watching Hank play. Truly a great player and a self-made one at that, since he wasn't a high draft pick.
- TheGreatNumber8

I agree, when he's done he will be easily considered one of the best to ever play net. I want no part of the Rangers in the playoffs every year solely because of his skill.

exactly
- Fountain-San

I don't consider it a choke. It sucks to lose a lead like that, but it's still better than if we had rolled over in game 5 and just ended the series there.

The series comeback still happened and no one can take that away from the leafs. The kids played their hearts out, and Colborne played really well being thrust into an impossible situation, being the replacement for our injured First Line Center (the only guy who can win faceoffs on our team, he was sorely missed yesterday).

If the leafs make the right moves they'll be a very good team soon. Could anyone last year see the leafs standing in swinging with Boston in a seven game series?

I'm proud of those boys.

Congrats on the win guys.

That was one of the best (and worst!) games I have ever watched, and you guys managed to pull out all of the stops to get the W.

Also, ignore all of the idiot troll Leafs fans who have been sore since yesterday. As far as I'm concerned, just to be in game 7 after where we were in game 4 is something to be proud of, and I look forward to more epic battles in the future! Good luck against the Rags

Ty Anderson: Unbelievable: B's make history in Game 7 win
- tyanderson

Hell of a series by the Leafs! You guys are for real and looking forward to how brutal this division is going to be with Boston, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and now Detroit coming aboard.

I would give the "A" to Krejci, he deserves it. Similar to this year I think you split it between him and Seidenberg. I think Ference, Horton and Jagr will be gone this summer so leadership roles need to be filled and I think Seidenberg, Krejci and Lucic are the ones to fill em. Seguin and Marchand are too young to fill those roles.
- fudd1689

Krejci is a solid choice, no doubt. He always raises his game in the playoffs. But he strikes me as a quiet, lead by example type. The Bruins already have one of those in Bergeron. Like it or not Lucic is the guy who, when he's on, plays with an edge and physically fires the team up and makes them want to play harder. He's the guy who, again when he's on, players will follow into the lion's den. He's the guy who inspires. I think you need one of those guys with the "A." Ference fills that role now and I think if Lucic really turns a corner and plays consistently well for the rest of the playoffs (no matter how long a run it is) he should be given that chance to lead.

Can we take a moment to recognize two guys who get a lot of criticism (some deserved some not deserved) but who played their absolute asses off last night....Zdeno Chara and Milan Lucic.

First the captain....I don't think enough can be made about the game he played. He played over 35 minutes (i.e. over half the game) and they weren't easy minutes. He consistently played against the Leafs' best players and even with his huge ice time he came out of the game with a +2 rating, an assist, and an absolutely monster screen on the tying goal. As Bruins fans we are spoiled by this guy. Like any player he has bad plays and bad games, but Chara is, quite simply, the best and most reliable defenseman in the NHL today. Somebody name me another player who could step up and play 35 minutes of shut down defense against a team with forwards like the Leafs and come out +2 and with a victory. You can't, and today he deserves acknowledgement for being what he is....a hall of fame caliber player who is amongst the more irreplaceable players in the league.

Now for Lucic.....The criticisms of him are loud and frequent, and I am amongst those that desperately want more consistency from him. But if we are going to denigrate him when he sucks we owe him accolades when he puts the team on his back like he did last night. Lucic was a man for most of the game. He flipped his switch before the rest of the team did, and he owned the third period. He played his ass off and led that team to a victory, and he did it before guys like Bergeron, Marchand, and even Seguin turned on their games. Simply put, the Bruins would not have had a chance for the miracle comeback without Lucic's play in the early and midway parts of the third period. Yes Lucic needs to learn to bring that type of energy and effort every night....but he is a 24 year old kid with a lot to learn still. This game showed why I think he is critical for the Bruins to keep, even with his 6 million dollar salary. I am hopeful last night's performance is a turning point for him. But even if it is not, he deserves all of our praise and admiration this morning for what he accomplished last night.
- TheGreatNumber8

A+ post, agree all the way.

Congrats on the win guys.

That was one of the best (and worst!) games I have ever watched, and you guys managed to pull out all of the stops to get the W.

Also, ignore all of the idiot troll Leafs fans who have been sore since yesterday. As far as I'm concerned, just to be in game 7 after where we were in game 4 is something to be proud of, and I look forward to more epic battles in the future! Good luck against the Rags
- lumlums

It's nice for the season to end and to truly have the next year to look forward to. Gardiner, Kadri, Reimer, and all the other young guys will be another year older and more developed. Who knows, someone like Greg McKegg or Morgan Rielly could be a surprise player at camp next year! Also does anyone know where the leafs will be drafting this year now that we're out?

I don't consider it a choke. It sucks to lose a lead like that, but it's still better than if we had rolled over in game 5 and just ended the series there.

The series comeback still happened and no one can take that away from the leafs. The kids played their hearts out, and Colborne played really well being thrust into an impossible situation, being the replacement for our injured First Line Center (the only guy who can win faceoffs on our team, he was sorely missed yesterday).

If the leafs make the right moves they'll be a very good team soon. Could anyone last year see the leafs standing in swinging with Boston in a seven game series?

I'm proud of those boys.
- Scruffton

Absent the late game collapse, this Leafs-Bruins series actually reminded me a lot of the Bruins-Canadiens series of a few years ago when Boston was the 8 and Montreal was the 1. Nobody gave the Bruins much of a chance, and EVERYONE wrote them off when they fell down 3-1. But the Bruins stormed back and ended up losing in Game 7. The following year the Bruins stormed the Eastern Conference, finished as the number 1 seed, and although they ultimately lost in the 2nd round to Carolina, any Bruins fan will tell you that series against Montreal was the turning point for their young roster than ultimately led to a Stanley Cup. If Toronto management has the confidence and patience in this young roster that Chiarelli did, I think Toronto could have a similar arc in coming years. They certainly have the talent.

I would give the "A" to Krejci, he deserves it. Similar to this year I think you split it between him and Seidenberg. I think Ference, Horton and Jagr will be gone this summer so leadership roles need to be filled and I think Seidenberg, Krejci and Lucic are the ones to fill em. Seguin and Marchand are too young to fill those roles.
- fudd1689

krejci had bergy's 'a' after the latter lost his marbles again. seids is deserving but paired with chara half the time. spliting the 'a' between krejci and looch solves the problem of them being on the same line.

looch had a good series even without last night. seguin (on the ice at the end only because jagr broke a skate iirc) and marchand are the ones who should be buying lottery tickets. they finally crashed the net.

Lucic should have been called for hitting Gunnerson from behind into the boards---that hit gets 3-5 game suspension during the regular season....instead he gets to score and set up the tying goal. Total BS non-call, and Leafs got screwed.
- LandlordTom

I watched it and I still don`t know what the hell happened
- cdjaakkola

Boston and Toronto area hospitals were slammed with sports induced heart attack and stroke victims

Lucic should have been called for hitting Gunnerson from behind into the boards---that hit gets 3-5 game suspension during the regular season....instead he gets to score and set up the tying goal. Total BS non-call, and Leafs got screwed.
- LandlordTom

Appreciate it, but no, no, no. No problem with the hit, this series was a war. Leafs don't make excuses, that's for other teams. Lucic plays hard and i'd love to see him on the leafs.

but Lundqvist had about 200 more saves and 5 more wins, how do you explain that?

Please tell me the answer is that the Bruins played their BACKUP goalie more and he was just as good as Rask. Come on, go there.
- jimbro83

nine more starts? (edited after research)

Appreciate it, but no, no, no. No problem with the hit, this series was a war. Leafs don't make excuses, that's for other teams. Lucic plays hard and i'd love to see him on the leafs.
- clark_griswold

Thank you for not taking the Beatle_John approach. The Bruins offense woke up in the nic of time. Otherwise, this series was yours and today I would be firing and trading everyone. It had nothing to do with penalties. So sick of people crying wolf for penalties and suspensions. I seriously doubt those people have ever played the game at any level and have zero understanding of how nasty it can get on the ice. Crying for penalties is for pussies.

Thank you bruins. you silenced the facebook world. The world filled with bandwagoner 'be-leafers'. I actually think that I would of cheered for the leafs as a canadian team had it not been for the beyond obnoxious fans. These fans whom are beyond clueless to the fundamentals of the game.
- Biggus Richardus

I HATE these same bandwagon fans...people that never talk hockey at all thru the regular season, but as soon as playoffs come on, the are on the Leafs like a roller coaster...now you get the stuff like:
"Leafs didn't deserve to make playoffs"
"They are losers and should be ashamed"
"No wonder I don't watch them thru the year"

Makes me sick. I hate these people, and Leaf fans shouldn't be judged based on these bandwagon POS's...

Lucic should have been called for hitting Gunnerson from behind into the boards---that hit gets 3-5 game suspension during the regular season....instead he gets to score and set up the tying goal. Total BS non-call, and Leafs got screwed.
- LandlordTom

That was the exact play that Sedin got called for in OT vs Sharks.

Thank you for not taking the Beatle_John approach. The Bruins offense woke up in the nic of time. Otherwise, this series was yours and today I would be firing and trading everyone. It had nothing to do with penalties. So sick of people crying wolf for penalties and suspensions. I seriously doubt those people have ever played the game at any level and have zero understanding of how nasty it can get on the ice. Crying for penalties is for pussies.
- glove_was_stuck

man, I ranted for so long last night about FIRE CLAUDE, TRADE EVERYONE, BLOW IT UPPPPP, I HATE HOCKEY

Then 15 minutes later I'm like... Ummmmm, I mean..... I um..... Go Bruins?

I HATE these same bandwagon fans...people that never talk hockey at all thru the regular season, but as soon as playoffs come on, the are on the Leafs like a roller coaster...now you get the stuff like:
"Leafs didn't deserve to make playoffs"
"They are losers and should be ashamed"
"No wonder I don't watch them thru the year"

Makes me sick. I hate these people, and Leaf fans shouldn't be judged based on these bandwagon POS's...
- BoBBeR56

i don't think they are, I have had some awesome chats and good convo's with a lot of Leafers during this series. For every 10 great fans there will be 3-4 D Bags in every fan base... that's sports!

Thank you for not taking the Beatle_John approach. The Bruins offense woke up in the nic of time. Otherwise, this series was yours and today I would be firing and trading everyone. It had nothing to do with penalties. So sick of people crying wolf for penalties and suspensions. I seriously doubt those people have ever played the game at any level and have zero understanding of how nasty it can get on the ice. Crying for penalties is for pussies.
- glove_was_stuck

exactly..that's why the leafs and bruins can beat the sh*t out of eachother and all you hear the players talking about is respect...no bitc*ing like in the habs or canucks series..seems it's awlays the same teams moaning...wierd

exactly..that's why the leafs and bruins can beat the sh*t out of eachother and all you hear the players talking about is respect...no bitc*ing like in the habs or canucks series..seems it's awlays the same teams moaning...wierd
- clark_griswold

Yeppers...and I loved Lucic's post game interview...he really talked up Toronto and the Leafs...
Gained a lot of respect for him.