Quote:
Originally Posted by moon
The Bruins are made for the play-offs seems a bit like revisionist history considering they need an epic collapse against a mediocre Leafs team to escape the first round.
I guess if the Bruins win it will be easy to say he made the wrong choice but with the Bruins-Leafs, Chicago-Detroit and Rangers-Capitals series it is easy to see how small things can change the whole play-offs and how fast a team can go to first round disappointments to Stanley Cup finalists.
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That is a fair point. But there really is something about the first round that often makes it a very dangerous for top play-off teams. Everyone (almost) goes into the first round full of hope and fire. Teams that squeak in are effectively under little pressure and play above themselves and with freedom against teams with much bigger expectations and they can freeze or simply be bettered by teams with less ability. It is what makes the first round of NHL play-offs the most amazing time of the year - for me at least.
But that really wasn't the case against the Leafs - this was 4th against 5th - indicating it ought to be a close series, which it was. And you've got to give credit to the Leafs, they played well and had they been playing the Habs, as it looked like they would, they'd have murdered them - and probably Ottawa as well.
But the Bruins didn't get knocked out, because they had the character to never give up. You can see that character throughout the team. Can anyone honestly see this Pens team coming back from the hole the Bruins were in during Game 7? I don't.