Rallying Point: Boston Bruins Band Together

Wow, the Black and Gold have come a long way in just a week.

Last Saturday, the Bruins were suffering their 10th straight loss at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks in yet another shootout failure.

The Bruins were at rock bottom, drowning in a historic losing streak, and many were witnessing their beloved hockey team fall into the abyss of mediocrity.

They weren’t sure if the Bruins could get out of it.

But as they say, winning is contagious.

On Super Sunday, in the first game of a Black and Gold doubleheader (the Saints were the other participant, beating the Colts in the Super Bowl), Boston defeated Montreal 3-0 for their first 60-minute effort since defeating San Jose on Jan. 14.

Tuukka Rask was stellar, making 36 saves. The defense held the lead, and the offense came out of their hibernation. Defenseman Andrew McQuaid scored his first NHL goal, which helped ignite the Bruins, and Marco Sturm, the team’s only semi-sniper, potted two goals of his own.

Perhaps the Bruins needed some takeout food rather than home cooking to right the Black and Gold ship.

The Bruins then faced division foe Buffalo. The Sabres were in a swoon of their own, so all Boston had to do was crack Olympic backstop Ryan Miller. Miller stymied the Bruins by stopping 30 of 31 shots back on Jan. 29.

It was like Groundhog Day all over again for the Bruins. They came quick out of the gate, putting up two goals on Miller in the first. They were flying and peppered the Buffalo backstop with 11 shots, with former Sabre Daniel Paille scoring both goals.

However, the Sabres came storming back and tied the game at two in the second.

All Bruins fans were waiting for the whole script to be played out again like a bad Friday the 13th sequel. You already know what's going to happen.

Take quick lead.

Blow lead.

Lose in a shootout.

Well, someone forgot to tell David Krejci. The struggling pivot man had an alternate ending of his own. He beat Miller and secured the win for the Bruins.

Players that the Bruins have been waiting for all season to set up and rally are beginning to find their confidence again.

Krejci was the hero on this night, so who would be the savior in Tampa?

Roll footage...

Bruins get out to a huge lead against Tampa, which has been dominant on home ice as of late. Boston was skating to a blowout with a five-goal lead early in the second.

Milan Lucic and Michael Ryder, who have gone missing and have been spotted on milk cartons around Boston, each potted two goals, and old Beelzebub, Miro Satan, added one of his own.

This game is in the bag, right? Nope.

NESN play by play man Jack Edwards put the horns on the Bruins with his apocalyptic prediction. He said the game was all but over with a whole period of hockey to play.

Jinxasauraus Rex, the dinosaur of voodoo, jinx, and superstition, reared its ugly head.

The Bolts scored four goals and scared the living heck out of Bruins fans everywhere.

Tuukka “Rasky Business” Rask was shaky.

People were grabbing their antacid in concert.

But not so fast—the Bruins held on to win. It may not have been pretty, but a win is a win is a win.

After going through a losing streak that sent their fans to the Tobin Bridge to jump, the Boston Bruins have rallied.

They have rallied around their coach.

They have rallied around each other.

No Ilya Kovalchuck? No problem!

The Devils have lost three in a row WITH HIM!

The players that need to play and perform for the Bruins finally are.

These Bruins are looking more like the hockey team that believed in each other and had the best record in the Eastern Conference last season.

They have found their confidence and simultaneously found their game.

Let’s hope they can keep this momentum through the Olympic break.

Check out Joe's site, Boston Sports Then And Now.