Incredible

Photo by Bill Sikes from Yahoo.com

Last night's third period of the the Bruins/Habs game was unlike any other third period I have ever seen. It exemplified what being a Bruin means this season.

Coming in to the playoffs as the number eight seed, and playing against a team they have failed to beat once in the regular season, it seemed to most of the hockey analysts, and most of the fans that a Habs sweep was pretty much a sure thing. The Canadiens had outplayed the Bruins in every facet of the game, and only a fool would suggest a Bruins series win.

Luckily, the Bruins are a bunch of fools.

They didn't lose faith in themselves, instead thinking this match up was destiny, and if they were going to make a run at the Stanley Cup, taking out the one team who they couldn't seem to beat, and the one team they most wanted to beat, was the only way to go.

After losing the first two games, the second one being an overtime thriller lost on a ridiculous penalty, the fifth Bruins penalty in a row, I began to lose hope in this team even winning one game, let alone forcing a game 7.

Then came game three. It also needed overtime to decide a winner, this time the Bruins came out on top, thanks to a Savard goal on a delayed penalty. Suddenly the Bruins were back in the series. Down 2 games to 1, but still in it.

They lost game 4 1-0, but outplayed the Habs, like they did in most of the series. After this game, even though it put them down 3-1, my faith in this team was restored. In game three they proved that they could in fact beat Montreal, and in game 4, they proved that they could outplay them, by a lot; making up for their lack of speed, with their grit, size, and heart.

In game 5, everything finally came together for the Bruins. They matched their entire offensive output in games 1-4, scoring 5 goals, 4 in the 3rd period. I didn't get to see much of this game, but the pieces I did manage to watch were phenomenal.

In the playoffs, it no longer becomes a question of which team has the most talent, but a question of which team wants it more. In game 6, the Bruins definitely wanted it more. Whatever the Habs threw at them, no matter how many times they evened the score, or went ahead, the Bruins just shrugged it off, and continued to let their heart show through, as they played, not for themselves, for for each other.

Every single person on the team contributed to the 5-4 win. kessel had two goals, Sobotka scored a goal, Sturm scored the game winner, Thomas made huge saves when he needed them the most, and Lucic went around the ice energizing everybody on the team, and hitting everything with a CH he could find.

Game 6 was by far the craziest game I have ever watched, and will no doubt be the craziest game in the playoffs.

With the series now tied 3 games apiece, all of the momentum the Habs had going into this series has been turned over to the Bruins. Everything is equal. There is no advantage for either team.

In game 7, anything can happen.