Tin soldiers and Nixon coming ...

Boston, overcast & gloomy ...

It's a sad, sad day here in Bruins Country. For the 37th consecutive year (and not since Richard Milhouse Nixon was roaming the halls of the White house), there will be no Stanley Cup hoisted in Beantown. Last night, the Big Bad B's, the East's Number 1 seed, took the pipe against a hungrier Carolina Hurricanes team that flat-out wanted the win more. Hockey never gets any better than a Game 7, especially one that goes into sudden-death overtime, but there was this unmistakable vibe that the 'Canes were going for the win, while the Bruins were just hoping to win. But it was still a great game, and as a hockey fan first and foremost, I have to admit I enjoyed it. Sure, I would have loved seeing David Krejci bury that chance from the low slot early in OT, but the 'Canes superb young netminder Cam Ward once again foiled the bid, and broke the collective heart of Bruins Nation. The only aspect of this game that truly upset me was knowing that it was none other than Scott "Cheap Shot" Walker that potted the winner. That, my friends, was painful to see. Ironically, I honestly believe it was the NHL's idiotic decision to rescind the automatic game suspension against Walker for his sucker punch of Aaron Ward in Game 5 that got the Bruins fired up to win Game 6 in Raleigh. Sadly, that same fire was missing Thursday night at the TD Banknorth Garden.

As a result, I've got to suck up my pride and ship a six-pack of finely aged Ipswich Ale to a good friend in Greensboro, NC, to pay off a little wager (get this: my buddy Brian Cook, who I will henceforth refer to as Nostradamus, not only predicted that the 'Canes would win the series, but also foresaw that they would take Game 7 in overtime, by a score of 3-2! That's a mighty powerful crystal ball! Or maybe it was the moonshine talking!). And, once again, B's fans are left feeling an awful lot like those long-suffering pre-2004 Red Sox fans, having to resign themselves to watching other teams from other cities battle it out for Lord Stanley's Cup, while we must "wait until next year." Here's hoping the 'Canes run the table (while Walker breaks a leg stepping off the team bus!). More on the "Curse of Jeremy Jacobs" coming later ...

-Brion