The Bruins had lost 5 consecutive playoff series between the 1983 Conference Final vs. the Islanders until the spring of 1988. The Bruins beat Buffalo in the First Round and then waxed Montreal 4-1 in the Second Round. Cam Neely had A LOT to do with changing the culture and especially the mentality on that Bruins team.
@Bruinswillwin77 you have no idea how good the Oilers were in the 1980s. They were absolutely terrifying. You think the Bruins are good this year? Those Oilers were a machine. So good that Hall of Famer Mark Messier was on their SECOND line! They are the only NHL team to score 400 goals in a season, and did that FIVE (5) times in the '80s. The 1971 Bruins are number six on the all-time list with 399.
The Bruins from the late '70s to the early '90s were some of the unluckiest teams ever.
They ran into the Canadiens dynasty - Stanley Cup champs in 1976, '77, '78, and '79 (and another in 1986).
The Islanders dynasty - Stanley Cup champs in 1980, '81, '82, and '83.
The Oilers dynasty - Stanley Cup champs in 1984, '85, '87, '88 and '90.
The Bruins even ran into Pittsburgh's Cup winning teams in 1991 and '92.
The NHL was much different back then, and it was very hard to break through the logjam. The Calgary Flames managed to upset the Oilers in 1986 (hockey's fluky answer to the "helmet catch") but lost to Montreal in the Final. Calgary did get their revenge in a 1989 rematch, however.
