2011 Boston Bruins Will Always Have a Special Place in Boston Sports History

The 2011 Boston Bruins will be remembered for their Stanley Cup championship that resonated deep within the hub of hockey that is Boston, but the impact the team had on its fans and city goes much deeper than that.

The Bruins showed unbelievable character and resiliency to help them achieve remarkable success in 2011, both in winning the Cup and starting the first few months of the 2011-'12 season on the right foot. 

After being embarrassed in the 2010 playoffs by blowing a 3-0 series lead over the Philadelphia Flyers in the East semifinals, the Bruins could have given up, quit and made excuses for the collapse. 

They didn’t. The disappointment motivated them and drove the team forward. The Bruins had character, and it was shown in 2011. 

Whether it was goaltender Tim Thomas putting together arguably the best season ever by an NHL goalie or captain Zdeno Chara providing leadership, each player on the Bruins had a role to play and did it with pride. 

The team’s character and resiliency were present for all of 2011, most notably in the playoffs.

The team refused to panic, even when dropping the first two games at home against the hated rivals Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs. Boston won Game 3 in spectacular fashion, then beat Montreal in Game 4 in overtime thanks to a Michael Ryder goal. 

The Bruins went into the most hostile environment imaginable for them, but weren’t fazed, weren’t afraid and weren’t going to be pushed around. It was an inspiring bounce-back performance.

After ousting the Canadiens in a sensational seven-game series, of which the climax ended in overtime, the Bruins’ next opponent was the Flyers, their playoff nemesis.

Boston routed the Flyers in a four-game sweep, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. Amid the questions and reminders about the 2010 collapse, the Bruins finished the job against Philadelphia and proved they had learned from their past failures, a sign of a team ready to become champions. 

The Bruins had to play a seven games once again to beat the talented Lightning, and even though they scored just one goal in a 1-0 Game 7 win, the final game of the East Finals was their best of the entire playoffs. They skated well, played solid defense and were patient even when scoring chances weren’t capitalized on.

In the Stanley Cup Final against the Vancouver Canucks, the Bruins resiliency was center stage. After losing the first two games of the series in heart-breaking fashion, Game 1 with seconds to play and Game 2 in overtime, Boston could have laid down again, but there was no way that was going to happen.

Game 3 will be remembered for Nathan Horton being illegally hit in the head by Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome—neither was able to play for the remainder of the series. Rome was suspended and Horton was diagnosed with a concussion which kept him out of action. It was a series-changing moment that created a spark for the Bruins.

Rallying around their teammate, the Bruins forced yet another seventh game, where Brad Marchand’s three points led a 4-0 rout of the Canucks and the Stanley Cup was headed back to Boston after 39 long years. 

The Bruins not only have brought hockey excitement back to Boston, they have given the city more: something to cheer about. Championship hockey was a sight and feeling many in the Boston area had never known, especially the younger generations that have been spoiled with the city’s recent sports success. They only know winning.

The Bruins have so many qualities that we ourselves strive to show everyday. They stick up for one another, support each other, don’t give up, do their job with maximum effort and raise their performance when the stakes are highest—all while doing so in a professional manner. 

It’s so great to see Boston embrace the Bruins, and their championship drive heading into 2012. It’s rare to see so many people excited to get Bruins tickets for Christmas instead of Red Sox and Celtics tickets.

How often before 2011 had Bostonians chosen to wear Patrice Bergeron shirts over Kevin Garnett, Tom Brady and David Ortiz shirts? Not often. The Bruins have earned the respect and support of the city. The passion for the team is here to stay for a long time. 

People want to watch the Bruins, not only because they win, but because they win the right way and have fun doing it.

When you look back at the Bruins from 2011, you’ll remember them for their Stanley Cup title, there’s no doubt that is the first thing that will come to mind.

However, the most important part of the 2011 Bruins is that they brought back the excitement of hockey that truly energizes the city with an amazing type of passion no other sport can provide.

Years from now, people from Boston will tell you they began to watch hockey in 2011 because of the Bruins, and not for the sole reason they were champions, but because they did it in a way everyone can admire and respect.

As the Bruins head into 2012, there is a level of excitement unlike any year in a very long time.

How will you remember the Bruins in 2011? Let me know in the comment section.

Follow Nicholas Goss on Twitter. Follow @NicholasGoss35.

Nicholas Goss is a Boston Bruins featured columnist for Bleacher Report and was the organization's on-site reporter for the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals in Boston.