Some of this is bang on and some is way off. While I'll agree you have to be able to score 5 on 5 ( which the Bruins couldn't) . And yes, they did rely too much on PP's . The major part I have a problem with is I can't agree with you saying they didn't want to lay it on the line but St.Louis did. The only THING St.Louis laid on the line was their coach crying to the media that his team wasn't getting away egregious penalties that disappeared there after. So that's what St. Louis laid on the line, a whole lot of crying illustrating what they would need to win this series and the league obliged, nothing more , nothing less.
It's been comical how Bruins fans have come up with all kinds of theories as as to why the Bruins lost ,when all it was , was some biased officiating. I read how they didn't show up, how they weren't tough enough, how they ran into hot goal tending, that is all true about the Bruins but not the reason they lost (sorry .902 over the course of a series isn't hot goal tending no matter how you slice it, especially if you consider that the Bruins didn't get the PP's they should have had). Save percentage has to be in at least the .915-.920 zone before it can be considered a factor, GTFO with this hot goal tending ****. It's BS.