Out of the five major sports teams in the Boston area (Yes, I am begrudgingly placing the MLS’s New England Revolution into the mix.), the Boston Bruins may have the most zealot and meathead following of the five franchises. Stepping onto an Orange Line train two hours before face-off of Game 5 between the Islanders and the Bruins, I walk into a car that is filled with Bruins fans grinning ear-to-ear. Decked out in their Bruins jerseys and hats, there is nary a mask to be found in this sea of black and gold.
To quote the MBTA from May 29th: All riders and employees are required by federal and state law to wear face coverings while on MBTA vehicles and at all stations, facilities, outdoor bus stops, and outdoor platforms for the Commuter Rail, subway, and trolley systems, including those who are fully vaccinated. Not doing so is a violation of federal and state law and failure to comply may result in denial of boarding or removal.
Now, do I believe most of the Black & Gold contingent understood that the mask policy was still in effect? I’m not sure.
Does it bother me that these sons and daughters of the Big Bad Bruins were not wearing masks? Not really.
I was more struck by the fact that there was an almost uniform disregard for the mask policy. I have seen train operators use the sound system to admonish passengers for not wearing masks, but this Black & Gold contingent was given a free ride. (Not literally – I’m sure this maskless tribe of hockey zealots paid for the perverse pleasure of taking the worst MBTA line into Boston.) I also understand it feels like the dying days of the requirement to wear masks, but this was en masse movement – a suburban “Fuck You” to the mask.
This maskless Black & Gold contingent, while a ridiculously small sample size, did nothing to change my mind about the meathead nature of some B’s fans. I will never question the dedication or passion of Bruins fans, who are required by birthright to own at least one over $200.00 Bruins Adidas Authentic Player Jersey, but the worldliness of this fan base is a little questionable. Let’s just say they’re not the most progressive fan group, but they are without a doubt the most rabid and committed fans.
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Near the end of the NHL’s regular season, the New York Rangers played two contests against their hated rivals, the New York Islanders, and these two feuds would be critical to the Rangers slim chances of making the playoffs. In these back-to-back affairs, the Rangers were smoked by the Islanders. In the first matchup on April 29th, the Isles shut out the Broadway Blueshirts, 4-0, at Nassau Coliseum. Two days later at Madison Square Garden, the Islanders extended their dominance over the Rangers by shutting out the Rangers 3-0. The Rangers were without the physical presence of forward Chris Kreider and defenseman Jacob Trouba (Trouba was still suffering the lingering effects of a concussion, which was the result of a huge hit delivered by the Isles’ Matt Martin.), and the second-youngest team in the NHL was pounded into submission by the unrelenting physical play of Barry Trotz’s Islanders.
These non-competitive drubbings would lead owner James Dolan, on the advice of Glen Sather, to gut the front office and coaching staff. In his statement firing front office execs John Davidson and Jeff Gorton, Dolan stated his belief that the Rangers were capable of contending for the Stanley Cup. Having watched a lot of Rangers games this year through the magic of NHL.TV (I cannot tell you how much I enjoy watching the Rangers. During the bleak entertainment offerings of the pandemic, my subscription to NHL.TV was a godsend.), Dolan’s description of the state of the Rangers was patently absurd. Before the New Jersey Devils nearly traded away their entire roster and then rolled out an AHL squad, the Rangers were the youngest team in the league. With a roster more like a college-aged all-star squad, how did Dolan or Sather truly believe this 2020-21 edition of the New York Rangers was a championship team is beyond me.
It was obvious watching both games that the Rangers needed to add a little snarl and some grit to their roster, which also had to be apparent to both John Davidson and Jeff Gorton. The Isles are a heavy team that are difficult to play against. Barry Trotz doesn’t coach pond hockey.
With the Boston Bruins facing elimination in Game 6 on The Island, it’s pretty clear to most observers that the B’s will have their work cut out for them to survive and advance. The Isles have an ultra-hot goalie in Semyon Varlamov. The Bastard Sons of Billy Smith refuse to allow easy scoring chances and have proven they are capable of frustrating an offensively-talented Bruins roster.
The Great One showing his love for Isles goalie and misanthrope Billy Smith.
Now, if you were to listen to meathead Bruins fans:
- Tuukka Sucks!
- The Bruins just don’t want it enough.
- The B’s are a bunch of pussies.
There is usually very little nuance when B’s backers criticize the Black & Gold.
This Islanders team is constructed for playoff hockey and they’re doing it without their captain Anders Lee.
Can the Bruins win in Uniondale? Yes.
Will the B’s win? Who knows?
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If I hear announcer John Forslund again refer to the Nassau Coliseum as a “great old barn”, the same description should be applied to the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence because they are nearly the same building.
toughdsheridan 