It’s been difficult to go anywhere in Boston without hearing euphoria in reaction to the Bruin’s tremendous come-from-behind victory.
“Fantastic, you know?," said Bob Dole of Wilmington. "This is unbelievable. It was probably the best Game 7 I’ve ever seen in my life. And I’ve been a Bruins fan for many years."
Dole and friend Rhonda Gonsalves from Middleboro are talking about the tying and series-winning goals.
“When I was watching the game it was like, ah, here we go," Gonsalves said. "It’s Game 7, we’re down 4-1, I said there’s three minutes left, there’s no way, there’s no way. And I was just like everybody else, I was about to turn it off. And I kept watching, and it was one goal after another and I’m like, 'Woo-hoo, we’re going to overtime!' It was very exciting.”
Even Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli still seems a bit stunned a day after the big win.
“Never write this team off in my time here, because there’s been some pretty good comebacks," he said. "There’s obviously been some disappointments. I was angling for disappointment."
The Bruins are the first team in NHL history to win a Game 7 when trailing by three goals in the third period.
"Desperation and playing with poise and composure – while desperate – are two different things," Chiarelli said. "And that’s what we did yesterday."
In a city that’s felt major disappointment in its professional sports teams, Chiarelli voiced some empathy for Toronto.
"I had a brief discussion with their general manager last night, Dave Nonis, and I said Dave, this will make you stronger," he said. "It made us stronger, and it made us deal with this stuff better."
The Bruins will continue their quest for the Stanley Cup by hosting the first game against the New York Rangers Thursday night.
