Habs/Bruins: The Best Rivalry in Sports?
Posted 12:16 PM ET | Comments 0
Game One in Boston did not disappoint. The former Northeast (now Atlantic) division rivals traded blows with the Canadiens opening up a two-goal lead early in the second period on Rene Bourque's team leading fourth goal of the playoffs. The home-town Bruins roared back in the third, dominating the puck and out-shooting their opponents by a startling margin. This play eventually yielded results with Reilly Smith and Tory Krug netting their second goals of the playoffs, less than four minutes apart. Montreal responded when Francis Bouillon ripped home his first of the post-season following a mad sequence of shots, blocks and turnovers around the Boston net. Well, it wouldn't be a Bruins playoff game without heroics in the dying minutes and just after the 18:00 mark Johnny Boychuck ripped one from the point past Carey Price to tie the game. rnrnThe first overtime continued to illustrate the dominating physicality of the defending Eastern Conference champions and it seemed it was only a matter of time before the home crowd would be able to go home happy. However, a lapse in discipline threw the door open for Montreal and P.K. Subban was able to end the drama with his second of the game on a power-play goal 4:17 into the second overtime. rnrnAny game with this story line would be exciting and dramatic to say the least. However, the two sides that met in this tilt may just be the most exciting opponents to face-off in any sport. There is no rivalry in sports that combines history, animosity and talent quite like the Bruins-Canadiens rivalry. Sure, the Yankees and Red Sox are two of the oldest franchises in sports and their rivalry has continued and grown over a century but what it lacks is the unmatched hatred of the Bs and Habs.rnrnBefore last nights game, Bruins forward Milan Lucic was asked if he hated the Canadiens and he flat out told everyone that he does. This hatred seems to run through the blood of every player on these two teams and it shows on the ice. The physical nature of the Bruins-Habs games make them the most enthralling and captivating sporting events. Every player that wears one of these sweaters knows the history behind their own team and their greatest rival. They just played their 177th playoff game against each other, more than any other two teams and the animosity between the two sides has not dwindled over time, it has grown. rnrnBoth teams seem to take after their captain. The Canadiens are small, quick and agile much like Brian Gionta and the Bruins are powerful and impose their will with brute force like the largest man ever to play in the NHL Zdeno Chara. There is no better match-up than that with two completely different sides who have one thing in common; a hatred for their opponent. Whether they have played for one of these teams their entire careers or they just joined, all of the players in this rivalry know what it is all about: physicality, selflessness, will power and above all the burning desire to beat the twenty guys in the other colored jerseys that stir your emotions and provoke an unmatched hatred within.