Tag: Boston Bruins

Who is more likely to win a title this season – the Boston Celtics, or the Bruins?

With the Patriots and Red Sox out of the running for banners this season, which two New England sports franchises might bring home a title this season, the Celtics or the Bruins?

The New England teams that have competed for titles most recently, the NFL’s Patriots and MLB’s Boston Red Sox, are in rebuilds.

However, the Boston Celtics and their NHL equivalent, the Bruins, are both title contenders this season. But which has the best chance of bringing home a title, the Celtics or the Bruins?

NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry and Chris Gasper recently debated this question.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what it is that they had to say about which Bostonian sports clubs will be hanging a banner this season.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Bruins’ Linus Ullmark netted the NHL’s first goalie goal since 2020

GOALIE GOAL!

Boston Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark pulled off a rare feat during the waning seconds of his team’s Saturday game against the Vancouver Canucks.

With Vancouver pulling its own goalie down 2-1 to Boston, Ullmark cleared the puck out of Boston’s side of the ice with enough force and focus to net it in the Canucks’ goal.

It’s the first goalie goal to happen in the NHL since former Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne netted one sometime before his retirement.

Naturally, Ullmark’s Bruins teammates were eager to celebrate their goalie on his special accomplishment. It’s been a heck of a year for Boston, and Ullmark’s goal should be a definite highlight.

The Bruins sit atop the competitive Athletic Division with 95 points going into the last stretch of the regular season.

As the team continues to push for its first Stanley Cup since the 2010-11 season, they’ll need more magic like this from Ullmark to make it happen.

7 awesome photos of the Bruins entering the 2023 Winter Classic dressed like the Red Sox

This was super cool.

This move by the Boston Bruins might, at first glance, feel gimmicky.

But dressing up in old school Boston Red Sox uniforms ahead of the 2023 Winter Classic against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Fenway Park? It actually looked super cool.

If you didn’t see the surrounding ice and setup at Fenway for hockey, you might think these were colorized photos from long ago of Brad Marchand and Co playing the national pastime at the Boston ballpark that’s been around since 1912.

So check out the photos below of the team as they came into Fenway for the NHL’s annual outdoor winter game:

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NHL fans continue admonishing Bruins after team reverses controversial Mitchell Miller signing

NHL fans aren’t letting the Bruins off the hook for this one.

The Boston Bruins have officially walked back the signing of defenseman Mitchell Miller.

On Sunday, the Bruins parted ways with 20-year-old defenseman Miller “effective immediately” after Boston signed him to an entry-level deal on Friday. Miller, previously a 2020 draft pick of the Arizona Coyotes, had his draft status revoked after it was revealed that he was convicted in juvenile court for repeatedly bullying and assaulting a black, disabled classmate. Miller was 14 and in middle school at the time.

In a statement, Bruins president Cam Neely apologized to the victim and his family, but as of Sunday night, no one from the organization has directly reached out to them.

“To Isaiah and his family, my deepest apologies if this signing made you and other victims feel unseen and unheard. We apologize for the deep hurt and impact we have caused.”

While NHL commissioner Gary Bettman had recently stated that Miller was “not eligible” to play in the league, hockey fans were still rightfully furious at the decision. Even team captain Patrice Bergeron and forward Nick Foligno outwardly criticized the signing over the weekend while speaking to the media.

Hockey fans continued to lambaste the Bruins for their lack of care and thought after Miller’s release, which coincided with “new information” the team had learned despite the incident in question now being years old.

Massachusetts in line to legalize sports betting after bill passes through state legislature

Betting may be legal in Massachusetts real soon.

Massachusetts is in line to become the next state to legalize sports betting.

The state’s Sports Betting Conference Committee reached an agreement on a bill to send to Governor Charlie Baker, it was announced Monday. Massachusetts Speaker of the House of Representatives Ron Mariano touted the economic benefits of legal betting in an early-morning tweet.

According to state representative Aaron Michlewitz, the bill will allow for betting online and in person, and it’s expected to generate $60 million in annual revenue with funds directed towards workforce development, local aid and public health initiatives.

Once signed into law, Massachusetts will become the 35th state with legal sports betting. Kansas, Maine, Nebraska and Ohio are all scheduled to begin taking bets soon.

Jason Robins, the CEO of DraftKings, which is headquartered in Massachusetts, voiced his support of the bill on Twitter.

Baker is likely to sign the bill, as he’s pushed for legalized betting in the past.

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The Hurricanes eliminated the Bruins in Game 7, then hilariously trolled their fans with receipts

To the victor goes all the trolling rights.

For six games, the Hurricanes and Bruins battled in a first-round series of curious, repeated blowouts. One 5-2 and 5-1 result after another defined this strangely tensionless playoff battle. It was mind-boggling.

In Game 7 on Saturday, Carolina and Boston finally played a tight one. An epic battle for all the marbles. When it comes to the NHL playoffs, what could possibly be better? Well, if you lose Game 7, it’s not so great.

Unfortunately, despite the underdog Bruins’ (+1.5) best efforts, their season ended as the Hurricanes ousted them in a 3-2 nail-biter. Such is life in the NHL postseason. One squad gets the joy. Another regrets every missed opportunity.

That joy in Carolina was shared in manically fashion almost as soon as the handshake line ended.

The Hurricanes’ Twitter account kept all the receipts, showing they are, again, never to be trifled with. They put every Bruins fan who talked smack throughout the series on blast immediately after the W.

Yet another classic example of the spoils — and all trolling rights — going to the victors. Take your lumps, Bruins fans. You’ll only make it worse if you don’t.

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Bruins fans banged on the penalty box glass so hard, it broke and struck the attendant

Oh no. Hopefully, he’s OK!

Entering Friday’s home Game 3 against the Hurricanes, fans in Boston were hoping the Bruins would turn around a lopsided series. With Carolina taking each of the first two games by a combined 10-3 margin, hope was minimal but not lost.

After all, home cooking does matter in the NHL playoffs. And as the adage goes: It’s not a series (or it’s not over) until someone loses a home game. So you can bet Boston fans were a bit excited.

That excitement boiled over when the Bruins jumped out to a 3-1 lead on a David Pastrnak goal that sent TD Arena in Boston into absolute frenzy.

Though, it seems the situation got a little too crazy.

Fans celebrating Pastrnak’s goal near the glass were, naturally, banging on it quite hard. In particular, the glass around the penalty box didn’t seem to be strong enough to withstand the fans’ pressure.

The glass broke. And a large shard of it struck the attendant sitting in the booth.

 

Trainers immediately checked on the attendant, who had to be taken off on a stretcher while wearing a neck brace.

What a scary, unfortunate moment.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).

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Hurricanes EBUG Jack LaFontaine hilariously had to watch Game 2 alone from the equipment room

No one bother LaFontaine. He’s just chilling.

The Hurricanes (-120 favorites) entered Game 2 against the Bruins on Wednesday night, expecting that they’d take care of business again.

After a 5-1 drubbing of Boston in the first-round series opener — where Antti Raanta was dynamite with 35 saves on 36 shots — what could go wrong? This outcome was written in the stars.

One problem: Raanta had to stay healthy.

Around halfway through the opening period, Boston’s David Pastrnak chased after a loose puck and inadvertently ran into Raanta. It did not look great for the Finnish goalie.

The Hurricanes would officially designate Raanta with an “upper-body injury,” and he did not return.

That meant it was up to backup Pyotr Kochetkov to step in and for Jack LaFontaine to become Carolina’s EBUG (a.k.a. emergency backup goaltender). And while Kochetkov ended up putting in an admirable 30-save performance, it was LaFontaine who clearly had the time of his life sitting in the Hurricanes’ locker room:

Now that looks like a guy just vibing in the back room. Not a care in the world. But wait, why couldn’t LaFontaine join the rest of the Carolina roster on the bench?

Here’s a great explanation:

That adds up. LaFontaine can only come in during a complete goaltending disaster for his team. No notes.

Thankfully for the Hurricanes, and LaFontaine, they avoided said disaster as they eventually beat the Bruins 5-2 to take a 2-0 series lead. Hey, no one said the same goalie(s) had to be around for destiny to come true!

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO).

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North Carolina sending Mike Krzyzewski into retirement and 4 other ultimate rivalry wins in sports

The Red Sox, among others, want a word with the Tar Heels.

There’s something extra special about beating a team you hate.

It’s not enough to finish with more points on the final scoreboard. Your win came at the expense of someone who insists on continually getting in your way, sometimes with their presence alone. We would not be as enamored with sports if we didn’t have a team, a player, a (cough) coach we could hate.

North Carolina drove the final nail into the coffin of the career of their all-time archrival, Mike Krzyzewski, on Saturday night. It got me thinking: Now that the Tar Heels have the ultimate trump card, the ultimate rivalry win, what other squads in American sports have notched the same oh-so-rare achievement over the years? Which franchises have bragging rights over their hated rival that will never dissolve?

Let’s dive into the delicious spite. I hope you brought a full stomach and a ravenous appetite.

Bruins fan absolutely loses it with a hilarious reaction on a late goal review

You can hear the Boston accent here.

There has never been a more hilarious reaction to an officiating blunder than this incredulous Boston Bruins fan.

On Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs were giving it to the Bruins, leading the game 6-3 headed into the final minutes of the third period. The game had quite the playoff vibe to it, as the Maple Leafs and the Bruins could very well be on a crash course to a first round matchup this postseason.

With two minutes remaining in the game, Taylor Hall seemingly got a sick garbage time goal for the Bruins to cut the Maple Leafs’ lead to 6-4. But no! The goal was waved off immediately due to Hall seemingly making incidental contact with goaltender Erik Kallgren.

The Bruins disagreed quite strongly with the call, even challenging it to see if it could be overturned, but there was no one more upset at this slight than this Boston fan.

What an absolutely perfect reaction. Even in a game all but lost, this Bruins fan was so distraught at the missed call his over-the-top reaction just… fits.

The referees did eventually reverse the call and the Bruins lost the game 6-4, but this hilarious reaction will live on in hockey fandom for all time.

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