Only thing we're really thinking about right now is Johnny Boychuk's health, as a player sure, but more importantly as a person. Johnny Boychuk is one of the toughest bastards in the NHL.
When the Bruins won the Cup in 2011 Boychuk opened a beer bottle with his teeth. In the video clip you can hear someone yell "Johnny, that's a twist off!" He just shrugged.
We've met him several times off the ice. There is no one in the league nicer than Johnny Boychuk. He honestly appreciates his fans and that privilege that he has playing hockey.
Because Johnny is so tough, seeing him down on the ice like that made it even tougher in a way. We don't think Pacioretty had malicious intent. We think it was an illegal hit, but not a dirty hit. Pacioretty saw Boychuk's numbers and should've pulled up, but finished the hit.
We don't buy the crazy people on Twitter saying this was Pacioretty "getting revenge" against the Bruins. I think it was a dumb hit to make with a terrible result, but we honestly don't think Pacioretty had any kind of intent to injure. Not that it makes it any better for Boychuk.
And anyone trying to say this is "karma" for what Chara did, the two hits are completely unrelated. Why should Boychuk get hurt for something another player did? Shut your stupid mouth if you believe this. It's even worse that some fools are saying Boychuk deserved this for injuring Mason Raymond. We honestly and sincerely hope you are on the receiving end of a classic Boychuk hit when he's better. Maybe that'll bump your brain back into place so you think like a human being.
Johnny Boychuk defines what it means to be a Bruin. Tough, gritty, hard hitting, the ultimate team player. We could go on and on. Boychuk and Thornton always fight in our heart for who is our favorite current Bruin.
It was terrible to see him go down like that. Seeing him being taken out on a stretcher is one of the worst things we've experience as fans.
We only hope that he's okay. Or as okay as he can be after how bad it looked. For himself and his family. This is one of those times you realize, that despite your great love for it, hockey isn't really what matters most.
As our pal Vinny Mannering said, anything that hurts Johnny Boychuk kills a lesser man.
– We said in the intro that seeing Boychuk on a stretcher was one of our worst moments as Bruins fans. One of our best moments was seeing Chara and Lucic carrying Boychuk. The picture is terrible, but no other picture defines how close this team is nearly as well as this.
Some "experts" often wonder how the Bruins can continually be so good without having a true "superstar." This is why, right there. You get the impression that every player's first thought was they'd change places with Boychuk if they could. The locker room is a family.
And if anyone asks our wives, we were cutting onions right after we saw that. And there was a little bit of dust in our eyes. And it was raining on our faces.
– Bruins goal was a beauty. Seidenberg seemed confused by the "ole" chants and thought it was a soccer game and kicks the puck to Lucic, who then powers into the Habs zone and makes a fantastic back hand pass to Campbell who buries it. Yummy. Campbell played a great game all around.
– We shit all over Canadiens fans when they act like idiots. You know, like demanding Chara be arrested. But we have to give it to them tonight…they showed a lot of respect for Boychuk. That was a crowd that also recognized a rivalry like the Bruins and Canadiens is meaningless when a player goes down like that. Sure we "hate" each other and "hate" the players on the other team, but we don't want to see anyone hurt like that. P.K. Subban might annoy the shit out of us, but we don't want to see his head driven into the boards. And Canadiens fans obviously weren't happy Boychuk couldn't get up.
– Every game we're more convinced that Danny Paille never takes a shift off. The guy is freaking EVERYWHERE. Stealing pucks, ruining great power player chances for his opponents. He's crazy awesome.
– For most of the night the Bruins were beasts in the neutral zone (the few times they weren't really cost them). Montreal had a ton of trouble breaking through and setting up plays to get in the Bruins end.
– Eller laid down a hard, clean check on Campbell in the second. There's a stupid, stupid trend in the NHL of trying to fight a guy after he lays down a hard but clean hit. Thank you Bruins for not jumping Eller.
– Dougie Hamilton had an awful, awful shift early in the second that resulted in him tripping Gionta. He just looked awful on that shift. Apparently that pissed him off. Mid way through the second Hamilton decided he'd give Rask a shift off. He was batting pucks away, stealing pucks, dishing out hits. Incredible shift.
– Rask. This needs no explanation. Your eyeballs saw it. Unless you're Helen Keller.
– Despite the Boychuk incident, this game had the great pace and intensity we expect from the GREATEST rivalry in the history of sports. What a game. Except for the whole "Bruins lost" thing.
– That high school prom style dance Thornton and Prust did looked super romantic.
– Greg's handsome face.
– Marchand and Subban just can't keep their hands off each other. You could cut the sexual tension with a knife. Just get it over with and bang already! You'll feel a lot better.
Hope Seguin doesn't find out……
– The look on Boychuk's face made everything even more terrifying.
– Apparently the Bruins were so stunned on Plekanec's goal that they decided to just sit and watch. Montreal had so much momentum and the B's just couldn't do anything about it.
Same thing on Pacioretty's goal late in the second. Bruins weren't skating and Rask is just one man, despite how awesome he is. Less watching guys, more playing please.
– Subban is such a piece of crap, which is unfortunate because he's incredibly talented.
– How battered are the Bruins defense right now? A lot of injuries this season. Chara is going to be dead by the time the playoffs come if this continues.
– TD Garden crowd… please watch replays of this game over and over. You hear all that cheering from the Montreal crowd? THAT is what a crowd is supposed to sound like. TD Garden has been like a funeral this season… really quiet with the occasional terrible jokes.
– Apparently the Marchand-Bergeron-Loui line decided to go to some Montreal strip clubs instead of playing. Bergeron's back is going to break carrying those two around.
– Carl, we REALLY appreciate you getting into the rivalry as much as you did, but cross checks to the face aren't cool buddy. Maybe throw a nice check next time or something.
– The continual use of the word "classy" by hockey fans. Just….stop.
– NESN's shitty camera angles.
– A slow second period lost the game for the Bruins. Gotta give them credit for how much they threw at Price in the third, but Price was on his game. Soooooooooo many chances.
– The Bruins tendency to shoot right at a goalie's chest. If you're not Johnny Boychuk, you don't have the power to put a puck through a goalie. Stop it Bruins. STOP!
– Not sure why people are upset that the Bruins dropped to second place in the division. It's November. And being in first place isn't exactly a direct flight to the Stanley Cup. Whiny bitches.
– Krejci, what the hell? You get the puck in the slot with less than two seconds left, down by a goal, and you PASS the puck?!?! PASS??!!? Shoot dammit. SHOOT.
– Why hockey gods?! WHY BOYCHUK!?
– Seriously, WHY!?
– What the hell was Krejci thinking?
– How long can the Bruins last with such a battered Defense?
– Can B's trust their rookies to fill in long term if they have to, or does Chiarelli need to make a move?
– Shut your stupid face hole.
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