Like the Patriots, the Bruins seem to be doing a better job than the Red Sox of picking up where they left off. The Sox never figured out how to follow up on their World Series win, but the Bruins are playing the same inspired hockey that got them to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Finals.
“I think the best thing to happen to our group was pretty much staying together,’’ Marchand said. “It allowed us to continue our chemistry and kind of roll in from last year and feel confident and comfortable with one another.
“It’s easy to get on our game quickly when you already have the chemistry and already feel comfortable with one another, and that’s what’s going on here.’’
Keeping things the same seems to have been the offseason goal for Bruins hockey bosses Cam Neely and Don Sweeney. This is the same team that got to Game 7. Playing at the same level so far.
Everything else about the Boston Garden Bruins experience feels different. The locker room is new, there are no more paper game tickets, and there are new food emporiums in and around the arena. Oh, and as you may have heard, the seats are all new and all black.
Many of those seats feel as though they have lost legroom. Perhaps it’s the pitch of the new chairs, or maybe the padding, but some of them make fans feel like they are sitting in the middle coach seat of a United Airlines flight after the guy in front reclines his seat.
There should be a lot of standing ovations at the Garden this year. It hurts too much to stay seated. That’s why family days are good. More children. Fewer complaints.
Are the Bruins blocking out Game 7 or using it as motivation? I wondered.
“I’m not really talking about that anymore,’’ Marchand said, politely. “We’re moving forward. You can’t do anything about it. So we’re really focused on this year.
“I think we’re happy so far this year, but we’re not comfortable. We can do better and I think that’s the message we all know and understand in this room.’’
The Bruins play the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues at the Garden Oct. 26.
Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at [email protected]
“I think the best thing to happen to our group was pretty much staying together,’’ Marchand said. “It allowed us to continue our chemistry and kind of roll in from last year and feel confident and comfortable with one another.
“It’s easy to get on our game quickly when you already have the chemistry and already feel comfortable with one another, and that’s what’s going on here.’’
Keeping things the same seems to have been the offseason goal for Bruins hockey bosses Cam Neely and Don Sweeney. This is the same team that got to Game 7. Playing at the same level so far.
Everything else about the Boston Garden Bruins experience feels different. The locker room is new, there are no more paper game tickets, and there are new food emporiums in and around the arena. Oh, and as you may have heard, the seats are all new and all black.
Many of those seats feel as though they have lost legroom. Perhaps it’s the pitch of the new chairs, or maybe the padding, but some of them make fans feel like they are sitting in the middle coach seat of a United Airlines flight after the guy in front reclines his seat.
There should be a lot of standing ovations at the Garden this year. It hurts too much to stay seated. That’s why family days are good. More children. Fewer complaints.
Are the Bruins blocking out Game 7 or using it as motivation? I wondered.
“I’m not really talking about that anymore,’’ Marchand said, politely. “We’re moving forward. You can’t do anything about it. So we’re really focused on this year.
“I think we’re happy so far this year, but we’re not comfortable. We can do better and I think that’s the message we all know and understand in this room.’’
The Bruins play the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues at the Garden Oct. 26.
Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at [email protected]
