The Kraut Line played several more games before they were scheduled to report for active duty. On February 11, 1942 -- the final game before the Kitchener trio was to depart to serve Canada -- the Bruins spanked Montreal 8-1, and Schmidt, Bauer and Dumart earned 22 points between them. In tribute to the respect the trio had earned not just as hockey players but as proud Canadians, Bobby Bauer, Woody Dumart and Milt Schmidt received an emotional send-off at the Boston Gardens. "Much to their credit in spite of how tough we were playing against one another, after the game was over, both Montreal and Boston players hoisted us on their shoulders and carried us off the ice. The ovation from the crowd was fantastic," reminisces Schmidt, pausing to savour the moment. "It just goes to show that you can have pretty bitter enemies out on that ice, but after the game is over, we're all friends, and I think that has a lot to say about the people who play the game."
