Bruins
Bobby has company on Causeway Street.
Just a block away, where a leaping Bobby Orr is emblazoned in bronze, the Bruins unveiled one other commemorative statue honoring 100 years of hockey in Boston.
Before Sunday's Centennial Game against the Montreal Canadiens, the Bruins unveiled a brand new bronze statue of a roaring bear, a monument meant to embody the eagerness and ferocity that has been woven into the material of the Original Six franchise since its founding in 1924.
“The Boston Bruins are not just a hockey team,” Bruins captain Brad Marchand said Saturday in the course of the unveiling ceremony. “For a century, this team has been the heart and soul of the city. When you look up at the rafters and see the names and numbers, you are reminded that those who came before us set the highest standard of excellence.
“This incredible monument behind me pays tribute and respect to the legends of the past and present who have upheld the values of this great city by playing with courage, integrity and a tireless will to win, not just for themselves, but for the entire Boston community Community.” .”
Marchand was the ultimate speaker during a 30-minute ceremony on the statue's location in Portal Park – the small patch of green next to TD Garden with the Zakim Bridge as a backdrop.
In addition to the Bruins ownership and front office staff, several Bruins legends were readily available for the event, including Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Ray Bourque, Willie O'Ree and others.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu also spoke out.
The statue was created by Harry Weber, the identical artist who created the bronze statue of a jumping Orr that stands in front of the Bruins' barn.
“It was a privilege to create two monuments that represent the Bruins’ storied legacy,” Weber said in a team statement. “Even though Boston is originally from St. Louis, it has always had a special place in my heart, and it means the world had the opportunity to form two symbols of the team’s greatness for such passionate fans.”
According to Bruins CEO and Deputy Governor Charlie Jacobs, the bear statue stands 6 feet tall, 10 feet long and weighs over 3,500 kilos. It consists of 90 bronze pieces welded together – all sitting on a 28-inch base with the inscription “A message to the community about the values of the Boston Bruins, things we have held in our hearts for 100 years and will carry with us.” .” us as we tackle our next 100.”
For Jacobs, Saturday's ceremony and Sunday's prolonged celebrations before the puck drop against Montreal might be a fitting conclusion to greater than a 12 months of celebrations marking the Bruins' centennial.
“It's going to be something – I really hope we can play our best tomorrow afternoon when we play the Habs,” Jacobs said. “And let’s get another W in the books. We need it.”
As for his thoughts on the present state of the Bruins' 11-11-3 start?
“Today is about our centennial,” Jacobs said. “We’re a .500 club right now. And I think we haven’t played our best game yet.”
Turn things the wrong way up
After one other hitless performance on the facility play on Friday (0-3), Joe Sacco shuffled the personnel with Boston's man advantage in practice on Saturday.
David Pastrnak skated in an influence play group with Charlie McAvoy, Morgan Geekie, Justin Brazeau and Pavel Zacha. Marchand skated within the “second” unit with Mason Lohrei, Charlie Coyle, Elias Lindholm and Trent Frederic.
Sacco stressed that Saturday's reshuffle was aimed toward giving a “different look” to a working unit – with final decisions on those groupings having to be made before Sunday's game.
“It's just a matter of loosening it up,” Sacco said of separating Pastrnak and Marchand, long Boston's top trigger men on the highest power-play unit. “Maybe put two competitive groups together, and sometimes when there's competition between them, that makes the guys go out and challenge each other more.
“So we’ll see. As I said, nothing is set in stone as to how we will proceed tomorrow.”
Loose pucks
The NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Saturday that Nikita Zadorov and Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin were each fined $5,000 for penalties each incurred in the primary period of Friday's game. Zadorov poked Malkin along with his stick while he was sitting on Boston's bench in the ultimate seconds of the frame, to which Malkin responded with a punch that hit Mason Lohrei on the bench.
Jordan Oesterle skated in a D pair with Brandon Carlo on Saturday, with Parker Wotherspoon serving as an extra skater. However, Sacco added that no changes to the lineup have been finalized ahead of Sunday's game.
image credit : www.boston.com