Now They Are History: C's Laid An Egg In Gm. 7 Of The ECF Vs. The Heat, Losing 103-84 At TD Garden

 

    In a season filled with incredible highs and lows, it is only fitting that with everything to play for-namely a spot in the NBA Finals and a place in history as the first team in the league to ever recover from a 3-0 deficit-the Celtics fell right on their faces for the entire world to see. They shot an appalling 21% on 3-pointers (9-for-42) and yet they refused to ever change their gameplan even as it quickly became clear that those shots were not going to fall. Tonight at TD Garden in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, they got off to a terrible start by scoring 15 points in the first quarter (tied for their lowest scoring opening frame of the year) and they never really recovered as the Heat blew them out 103-84 to clinch the series 4-3. Miami became only the second team ever to reach the NBA Finals as an eight seed after the 1998-99 Knicks. They will meet Denver-who has been off for roughly three weeks-in Game 1 on Thursday (8:30, ABC) in the Mile High City. Boston's superstar wing Jayson Tatum (14 points, 11 rebounds) sprained his left ankle on the first possession of Game 7 but that does not excuse the terrible performance by the rest of his teammates namely the Celtics' supposed other star wing Jaylen Brown (19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, career-high 8 turnovers) who was dreadful throughout most of this series. 

    Tatum admirably hobbled around for 42 minutes but with him at clearly less than 100%, the C's desperately needed somebody else to step up. That turned out to be guard Derrick White (18 points) who seemed to be the only Celtic who was not scared of the moment but still he is Derrick White so he can only do so much in this type of high level contest. After Boston (5-1) lost their first elimination game of this postseason and finished under .500 (5-6) at the Garden in the playoffs, I think we have to stop saying that the Celtics are the better and/or more talented team. Throughout this series, the Heat were the more poised, tough, smart and relentless club. In truth, it was not even that close when it came to those important facets of the game. Miami's superstar wing Jimmy Butler (game-high 28 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals) was named MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals which in truth should have gone to small forward Caleb Martin (26 points, 10 rebounds) who was the most consistent player on the Heat all series long. 

    I am also done saying that Miami's center Bam Adebayo (12 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists) is their second best player because he is not. Still, the Heat all know their role so despite his struggles for much of this series, they survived it because of guys like point guard Gabe Vincent (10 points) and forward Duncan Robinson (10 points, 2 steals off the bench) who always seem to make the right play. Meanwhile nobody else on the Celtics cracked double figures in scoring as point guard Marcus Smart (9 points), center Al Horford (8 points, 8 rebounds) and backup center Robert Williams (8 points, 6 rebounds) were all OK but ultimately not good enough. There is also a reason that teams are now 0-151 in NBA history when they trail 3-0 in a playoff series. It is supremely difficult to win four games in a row right after dropping the first three games. Boston was this close to making incredible history but now all that will be remembered is how poorly they played in Game 7 on their home court. 

    This was one last wretched performance as the C's trailed by as many as 23 points. Just like I will refuse to solely blame this loss on Tatum's rolled ankle, I also cannot totally pin this on Boston's rookie head coach Joe Mazzulla. However, if the Celts' front office decides to bring this jabroni back next season, I might puke. All you need to do is watch a clip of Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra-arguably the best in the NBA-talking to his team during a huddle or how he explains things in his post-game press conferences to realilze that he is an adult while Mazzulla is a green infant not ready for this spotlight yet. The easiest thing to do in pro sports when things don't go your way is to fire the head coach, however considering that Boston has had three different head coaches in the last three seasons (Brad Stevens, Ime Udoka and Mazzulla), do you really think that Stevens will want to fire another young head coach? 

    The more pressing matter is what to do with Brown who is now eligible for a super max deal. Boston cannot simply run it back with the same exact roster and expect things to change for the better. I doubt that they would be bold enough to shop Jaylen but you have to consider anything to make the team better no matter what it takes. This also flipped the narrative from last season's NBA Finals that Jaylen is the gamer while Jayson fades in the clutch moments. All I know is that like the Bruins in 2019-the Celtics could not have dreamed of a more favorable path to a title and yet they puked all over themselves when it counted most. In all likelihood, they would have lost anyway to the Nuggets in the NBA Finals but that is besides the point. They did not even give themselves that opportunity by burying themselves alive (going down 3-0) and coming back from the dead only to epically fail one last time. 

Tatum (51 Pts) Sets NBA Gm. 7 Record As Celts Eviscerate 76ers 112-88 To Reach ECF Vs. Heat

 

    For the second year in a row and the fifth time in the last seven seasons, the Celtics are going to the Eastern Conference Finals. How they got there this time was the crazy part as Boston's superstar swingman Jayson Tatum erupted for a 51-point, 13 rebounds, five assists and two steals masterpiece as the C's broke open a close Game 7 this afternoon at TD Garden with a 28-3 run in the third quarter which pushed them over the finish line 112-88 over the Sixers. Their reward is a rematch with the Miami Heat who they memorably beat in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. After trailing 3-2 in this series (just like last year when they were down 3-2 to Milwaukee in the second round), it was a very Happy Mother's Day for the Celtics led by Tatum who had the game of his young life while also setting an NBA record for the most points ever in a Game 7. 

    Philadelphia actually got off to a very solid start as they led 29-23 after the first quarter before Boston rallied for a 55-52 halftime advantage. The third quarter-where the Celtics outscored the Sixers 33-10-is the type of playoff frame that gets head coaches fired. Then again, if you were Philly's head coach Doc Rivers, would you want to continue to work with noted dogs and playoff chokers like MVP Joel Embiid (15 points, 8 rebounds) and former MVP James Harden (9 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals) who both rolled over and let this blowout transpire without any sort of fight back? What would have been an extremely rough off-season for Tatum if the C's had lost will likewise be a deservedly unkind summer for Doc, Embiid and Harden since the Sixers blew a golden chance to reach the franchise's first Eastern Conference Finals since way back in 2001.

    This will forever be remembered as "The Tatum Game" but Boston also got a solid performance from its other star-shooting guard Jaylen Brown who had his face bloodied but did not slow down as he added 25 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Tatum did what true superstars and (future?) MVPs do in Game 7s by putting his team on his back. The only other Celtic who scored in double figures was backup point guard Malcolm Brogdon who notched 12 points off the bench. Did I mention that Sixers power forward Tobias Harris led them with 19 points and five rebounds? Haha what else needs to be said about a gutless team that also received 17 points from point guard Tyrese Maxey and 11 points from wily veteran forward P.J. Tucker? 

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals is on Wednesday (8:30, TNT) at the Garden and there will be no extra days off as each contest will be two days apart with the same exact start time. Heat superstar Jimmy Butler needs no introduction but this is yet another series where Boston rightfully enters it as a heavy betting favorite. Interestingly enough with Lakers-Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals tipping off on Tuesday (8:30, ESPN), this is the exact same final four that the NBA got in the 2020 bubble playoffs. Let's not get ahead of ourselves but it would be fantastic to see another Celtics-Lakers NBA Finals. More importantly, the Celtics have to quickly shift their focus to a team that while missing its sniper shooting guard Tyler Herro is still tougher and markedly better than the Hawks and Sixers. Boston is once again the superior team on paper but Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is maybe the best in the game so if the C's slip up, Miami could certainly upset them and reach the NBA Finals just like they did in 2020. 

The Celtics Survive 100-96 In Game 7 Against The Heat To Advance To The NBA Finals Vs. Warriors

 

    It probably took a few years off of our lives but the Celtics ultimately got the job done tonight in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals vs. the Heat. The C's outlasted the No. 1 seed in the East 100-96 at FTX Arena to reach their 22nd NBA Finals (where they are 17-4 all-time) in franchise history. Boston will face Golden State beginning with Game 1 on Thursday (9, ABC) in Oakland. Boston led from start to finish but had to sweat it out as Miami cut it to a two-point lead late and Heat superstar small forward Jimmy Butler (game-high 35 points, 9 rebounds) actually had a chance to put them ahead for the first time but he missed a wide open three-pointer. C's small forward Jayson Tatum (26 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals) earned the inaugural edition of the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award that truthfully should have gone to Butler who played all 48 minutes this evening. 

    The Celts improved to 6-0 following losses this postseason and they finished 3-1 at Miami in this bizarre series. Boston's shooting guard Jaylen Brown (24 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) was good and point guard Marcus Smart (24 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals) had nice numbers but he was 8-for-22 from the field including missing five straight shots late in regulation when the Celtics seemed to be trying their hardest to give the game away. Center Al Horford grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds and blocked two shots while he also put a painful record to bed: he had played in 141 NBA playoff games without ever reaching an NBA Finals which was the most ever for any player in league history. Boston head coach Ime Udoka pretty much kept it limited to a seven-man rotation while power forward Grant Williams (11 points, 6 rebounds) and backup point guard Derrick White (8 points) were both solid in the memorable victory.

    Besides Butler, Heat center Bam Adebayo (25 points, 11 rebounds) played his second best game of the series and point guard Kyle Lowry (15 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals) was about as good as he could be in 2022. Boston's defense held Miami under 100 points in three of the last four games in the Eastern Conference Finals which were all wins for the Celts. Nobody else on the Heat scored in double figures as shooting guard Max Strus (8 points, 8 rebounds) was alright and backup shooting guard Victor Oladipo added nine points and five rebounds off the bench. Props to Miami's guard Tyler Herro who briefly returned for seven scoreless minutes but he never appeared again because he was still severely hobbled by his groin injury.  

    On the road in Game 7 (and coming off of a brutal choke job in Game 6 at TD Garden on Friday), Boston could not have scripted a better start as they were up 32-17 after the first quarter (the biggest lead in Game 7 history following the 1st quarter). The C's led by as much as 17 points but the Heat started to wake up in the second quarter (32-23 Miami) to cut Boston's advantage to only six points (55-49) at halftime. The teams basically played to a standstill in the third quarter (27-26 Celtics) which was fine for the visitors. Fittingly, this ugly series ended with one last gross quarter: Miami outscored Boston 21-18 in the fourth quarter. It should not have been this close as Boston hit five three-pointers (11-6), three more free throws (19-16), grabbed seven more rebounds (51-44) including three more offensive boards (10-7), dished out six more assists (22-16) and they scored seven more fast break points (20-13) than Miami. 

    This has been called the Celtics' revenge tour since they have knocked out three teams in a row that eliminated them in the past three postseasons: Brooklyn (who beat them in last year's first round), Milwaukee (who beat them in the 2019 2nd round) and now Miami (who beat them in the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals held in the bubble). Playing in their sixth NBA Finals in the last eight seasons, the Warriors are a whole different animal. They won their last title in 2018 and they missed the playoffs the past two seasons (due to injuries) so that proud group is trying to prove that their dynasty is still alive. It should be a hell of a series; I hate to put too much stock into mostly meaningless regular season meetings but Boston has typically given Golden State plenty of problems in recent years. Then again, nobody on the Celtics has ever appeared in the NBA Finals while the Warriors still have the Splash Brothers-point guard Stephen Curry and shooting guard Klay Thompson)-along with do-everything power forward Draymond Green. This is Boston's first NBA Finals appearance since 2010 and they are looking for their first title since 2008. Along with home court, Golden State will be well rested too since they have been off since last Thursday when they sent overmatched Dallas home with a gentleman's sweep (5 games) in the Western Conference Finals. Go Celtics! 

C's Destroyed The Bucks 109-81 In Game 7 To Advance To The Eastern Conference Final Vs. Heat

 

    After a predictable choke job by the Bruins against the Hurricanes in Game 7 of their first round playoff series on Saturday, thankfully the Celtics did the exact opposite as they ran over the Bucks to the tune of 109-81 yesterday afternoon at TD Garden in Game 7 of their second round playoff series. For the second time in three years, Boston advances to the Eastern Conference Final where they will once again meet Miami but at least this time it is not in the bubble. For the second time against Milwaukee in this round, Celts power forward Grant Williams had the game of his life with a game-high (and career-high) 27 points along with seven made three-pointers (another career-high). Bucks superstar power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was finally bottled up (at least scoring-wise) as he had 25 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists, two steals but also five turnovers. 

    The C's started very slowly as they trailed 26-20 after a rock fight of a first quarter. They woke up in the second quarter and led by a slim five-point margin (48-43) after wily point guard Marcus Smart (11 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds) drew a shooting foul in the closing seconds on a shot from half-court. He made all three free throws and that propelled his team into an incredible second half. Boston blitzed Milwaukee in the third quarter (31-21) and really opened things up in the fourth quarter (30-17) as they were on fire on three-pointers (22-of-55 for 40%) while the Bucks were ice cold (4-of-33 for 12.1%) from downtown. The Celtics' two stars-small forward Jayson Tatum (23 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (19 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals)-were good not great but they didn't have to be other-worldly with Williams' amazing performance along with contributions from other guys like center Al Horford (10 rebounds, 6 assists) and point guard Payton Pritchard (14 points, 5 rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench). 

    Milwaukee's point guard Jrue Holiday (21 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals) closed out a very solid series for him with another fine outing although he was 0-for-6 on three pointers. Bucks center Brook Lopez had a double double with 15 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks while backup center Bobby Portis was the only other guy on Milwaukee in double figures with 10 points and six rebounds off the bench. I don't know if he would have made enough of a difference to change the outcome of the series but you can bet that at least if Bucks small forward Khris Middleton had played in Game 7, they would have made it much more competitive. It wasn't a surprise to see Boston win-they were the betting favorite after all on their home court-but to see the defending champions go down in flames was unexpected to say the least. 

    The Celtics led Game 7 by as much as 28 points and they dished out nine more assists than the Bucks (29-20) so you have to say that the better team ultimately won. C's center Robert Williams was technically active for the first time since Game 3 against Milwaukee but he never saw the floor. I believe that if it was a closer game, Celts head coach Ime Udoka at least would have thrown him out there for a few timely minutes. It was a best case scenario for that Williams since now he gets a few more days to get better and they will definitely need him against Heat center Bam Adebayo who is an absolute Celtics killer. Miami is the top seed in the Eastern Conference so they have home court and with their star small forward Jimmy Butler and shooting guard Tyler Herro (the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year this season), they have given Boston fits in recent years. However, after mowing down the Nets and surviving a long battle with the Bucks, now is the perfect time for the Celtics to eliminate the Heat and reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. It should be a hell of a series and there is no rest for the weary as it begins tomorrow night (8:30, ESPN) in Miami with each game coming every other day for the entire series.

Yet Another Bruins Playoff Run Ends Prematurely With A 3-2 Game 7 Loss To The Hurricanes

 

    The more that time goes by, the more we realize that the 2011 Bruins were the anomaly. For the most part, Boston has been a middling franchise when it comes to the postseason. Sure, they can rack up points in the regular season and they make the playoffs almost every single year but what do they actually do when they get there? Usually not all that much. They lost in the 2013 Stanley Cup Final to the superior Blackhawks and they choked on home ice in Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final to the Blues but this afternoon was more of the norm as they quietly exited the first round with a 3-2 loss in Game 7 at PNC Arena against the Hurricanes. It was only the fourth time in the last 20 years of the NHL that the home team won every single game in a series and for the sixth time in this series, Carolina scored first. The usual factors that typically doom the B's were omnipresent: a lack of secondary scoring, shaky defense and the inability to get the big save when they really needed it. Now we wait to see if franchise center Patrice Bergeron leaves the team for good either via free agency or gulp retirement. 

    I don't expect the Hurricanes to win the Stanley Cup this summer, they aren't a great team or anything but they were just a little bit hungrier after losing to the Bruins twice in recent postseasons and a little more talented. Boston made it a habit of giving up backbreaking goals late in periods during this series so obviously it continued in Game 7. Carolina caught the Bruins running around a bit with a pretty passing sequence from defenseman Jaccob Slavin to center Max Domi who passed it in front to a wide open left wing Teuvo Teravainen for an easy one-timer/tap-in at 18:36 of the first period. Teravainen's second goal of the playoffs gave the Hurricanes the all-important 1-0 lead. 

    Any thoughts of a good start by the Bruins in the second period were quickly thwarted as Domi made it 2-0 at 3:14 as a shot by defenseman Brady Skjei deflected off center Jordan Staal right to Domi who stuffed it in. It was Domi's first goal of the series as once again, Boston's rookie goaltender Jeremy Swayman (28 saves) playing in his first career Game 7 had little chance to stop it. The B's finally answered a bit as left wing Jake DeBrusk jumped on a loose puck and flipped a shot past Carolina's goaltender Antti Raanta (27 saves) at 5:04. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy and Bergeron registered the assists on DeBrusk's second goal of the postseason. Carolina shortly regained that two-goal lead though as Domi became the unlikely hero with his second goal of the game. He was left uncovered in the slot and he one-timed a pass from Teravainen for a 3-1 Canes lead at 10:33. That was quite a gut punch for the Bruins since just before that, left wing Trent Frederic had hit the post with a shot that would have tied the game. 

    The third period was a typical Bruins losing effort as they got plenty of pressure but couldn't find a goal until it was way too late. With Swayman pulled for an extra skater, they cut it to 3-2 when there was less than 22 seconds left in regulation. Left wing Taylor Hall passed the puck back to McAvoy at the point, his shot was deflected but it went to right wing David Pastrnak who was able to throw the puck into the net for his third goal of the playoffs. There was a big scramble right before time ran out with Raanta appearing to make a save on Bergeron in traffic but the game was lost before then for the B's. Carolina advances to play the winner of Rangers-Penguins in the second round while Boston goes home for the another way too long summer.

  

Celts Reach Their Third Eastern Conference Finals In Four Years After Holding Off The Raptors 92-87

 

    It was rarely pretty and never easy but all that matters is that when the final buzzer sounded in the Disney World bubble tonight, the Celtics had beaten the Raptors 92-87 in Game 7. Now for the third time in four years, Boston has reached the Eastern Conference Finals as they meet Miami starting on Tuesday night in Game 1 (time TBA-either a 6:30 or 8:30 p.m. start-depending if Clippers-Nuggets needs a Game 7). Jayson Tatum (game-high 29 points, game-high 12 rebounds, game-high 7 assists) will get the headlines-and rightfully so-but the C's don't win this one without Jaylen Brown (21 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals) or Marcus Smart (16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals). For what it's worth-next to nothing-Boston was 2-1 vs. Miami way back in the pre-pandemic regular season. 

    As you can tell by the late 90s type NBA final score, this was a tractor pull as expected. Toronto is a good defensive team but Boston is a great defensive squad. 100 points was the magic number of the series as Toronto went 0-4 when they scored under 100 and 3-0 when they scored 100+. Smart's block of Norman Powell (11 points) in the fourth quarter with Boston up two points and 58 seconds left in regulation was unquestionably the play of the game. The Celtics had 11 more steals (12-1) and eight less turnovers (18-10) than the Raptors along with 13 more points off turnovers (31-18) and 13 more fast break points (23-10). 

    When Kyle Lowry (16 points, 6 rebounds)-the heartbeat of Toronto-fouled out late in the fourth quarter, you knew that the Raptors were cooked. They finally ran out of gas but major props to Fred VanVleet (team-high 20 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks) who was also really tough all series long. Pascal Siakam (13 points, 11 rebounds) had another of his customary missing person's double-doubles while Serge Ibaka (14 points, 8 rebounds off the bench) outplayed Marc Gasol one last time (or Games 1-7). This game and this series by extension should not have been nearly this tight but that's a testament to Toronto's effort and desire to show that they weren't a fluke last season (of course minus Kawhi Leonard this year). 

      Nobody on the Celtics needs a break more than Kemba Walker (14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals) who has not been himself for the latter part of this series. He was a brutal 5-for-16 from the field and 1-for-7 on 3-pointers but he did make two huge free throws in crunch time and a couple key hoops along the way. Daniel Theis (5 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks) flopped in Game 7 as he fouled out in just 23 minutes of action. Both benches were short as Boston used only four guys outside of the starting lineup and Toronto had just three and yet they combined to outscore the Celtics 28-7. Yikes. Semi Ojeleye made a 3-pointer in the first half, Robert Williams (4 points, 6 rebounds) was OK in 18 minutes while Grant Williams played great defense on VanVleet forcing a terrible 3-pointer on Toronto's last meaningful possession.

    The C's started out well in the first quarter but the Raptors predictably battled back to take a 27-26 lead at the end of the frame. Boston's best quarter was the second (24-19)-which wasn't saying much this evening-and that gave them a slim 50-46 advantage at the break. Would you believe that Toronto outscored Boston in the third quarter for the seventh time in a row? Oh it's true, the C's were alright but the Raptors were better (25-22) which made it 72-71 in favor of the Green heading into the fourth quarter. It was the lowest scoring 12 minutes for either club (since they were both completely exhausted) with Boston hanging on 20-16 for the five-point victory. 

    Even though they are the fifth seed, the Heat are no joke. They swept the Pacers in the first round and took out the top-seeded Bucks in a gentleman's sweep (5 games) in the second round. Jimmy Butler (21.8 points per game, 5.6 rebounds per game, 4.2 assists per game) is a certified badass and he's been a beast in the bubble. Miami plays a similar style to Boston with legit defense, an underrated All-Star (Bam Adebayo) and tons of great shooters (Goran Dragic, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, etc.) with two former Celtics-Jae Crowder and Kelly Olynyk-in the rotation. Boston figures to be a slight favorite but it'll be another long series (think 6 or 7 games easy) against a more than worthy opponent. Gordon Hayward could be an X factor for the Celts because he's back in the bubble and reportedly close to returning to game action. Who knows what his role will be? However, Boston can always use more quality players and that's a good problem for head coach Brad Stevens to have as they sit only four wins away from the NBA Finals.

Soul-Crushing Losses In the NHL Playoffs? It's Called (Boston) Bruins

There will never be a more wide open path to the Stanley Cup than the one laid out for the Bruins in the 2019 NHL playoffs. The Lightning, Capitals and Penguins all went down in the first round which meant that after they survived a seven game first round series vs. Toronto for the second year in a row, they got Columbus in the second round and they eliminated them in six rugged contests before sweeping the overmatched Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals. Meeting up with the St. Louis Blues in the Stanley Cup Final on paper seemed like a dream: this after all was a team that was in last place for the entire NHL on January 3. They were here for a reason but with home ice and a wealth of experience on their side, the B's surely would find a way to get their seventh Cup in franchise history and first since 2011, rectifying 2013's loss to the loaded Blackhawks in 2013.

The 2019 Stanley Cup Final is a perfect example of why we love sports: the team that nobody believed in all year (Blues) actually got the job done. Tonight at TD Garden in the first ever Game 7 of the SCF on home ice for the B's, they fell flat on their Black and Gold faces. St. Louis never trailed, scoring two goals in the first period before choking the life out of the Bruins en route to a shockingly easy 4-1 victory that clinched their first Cup in their team's long-tortured history (52 years). This series was unpredictable from start to finish so it was only right that the final chapter followed that same unpredictable route. Boston went 1-3 at the Garden vs. St. Louis, including three straight losses to close it out where they scored a grand total of four goals.

Boston had the top-ranked power play in the playoffs which is great but you can't always rely on that, especially in a Game 7 where only one penalty was called all night (delay of game on Colton Parayko in the first period). St. Louis was the better team 5-on-5 and their top defensemen (Parayko, Alex Pietrangelo and even ancient Jay Bouwmeester) completely shut down the Bruins' so-called perfection line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak. Who knows if Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington will ever turn into a star but he just set an NHL record for most wins (all 16 in the postseason) by a rookie so it's tough to knock that. Center Ryan O'Reilly earned the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) with 23 points (8 goals, 15 assists) which tied for the league lead in the postseason and the most points in the SCF (5 goals, 4 assists). Equally impressive, he helped make Bergeron (who has to be battling some type of injury given his ineffectiveness) turn invisible vs. the Blues. O'Reilly capped off his tour de force with the opening goal in Game 7 and an assist on the final tally which gave St. Louis an insurmountable 4-0 lead late in the third period.

Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask (16 saves) was a shoe-in for the Conn Smythe if he teammates hadn't choked this all away in the biggest moment. He deserved better as he was brilliant and it's tough to dump much on him this evening despite the fact that St. Louis scored on exactly half of its shots on goal (4) in the first. In front of its loudest crowd of the postseason (who paid undoubtedly the highest price ever for a sporting event in Boston), the Bruins came out on fire, outshooting the Blues 12-4 but they had nothing to show for it. Binnington robbed Marchand, he made a nice save on David Krejci's backhander and finally had a spectacular stop on Marcus Johansson. In soccer, they talk about goals that come against the run of play and that's precisely what the Blues got when O'Reilly tipped in Bouwmeester's shot from the point at 16:47 of the first period. Pietrangelo had the second assist (his team-high 16th) on O'Reilly's goal that extended the former Sabre's point streak to six games (5 goals, 4 assists) and that gave him 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists) in his last eight games.

For the most part, this was a low-scoring series aside from Boston's random offensive explosions in Game 3 (7-2) and Game 6 (5-1) at Enterprise Center. Still, 1-0 in the first period doesn't feel insurmountable. However, the Blues going up 2-0 with 7.9 seconds left in the frame was the definition of a backbreaker. For some unknown reason, Marchand decided to come off for a line change which left Pietrangelo all the time and space that he could ever dream of. The All-World Canadian and Blues captain beat Rask with a backhander for his third goal of the postseason, assisted by Jaden Schwartz who had done absolutely nothing all series. Going into the first intermission down 2-0 instead of the 1-0 it should have been (not to mention tied or even ahead) had to eat away at Boston's fragile confidence.

Boston showed that the pressure was truly getting to them in the second period as they played one of their worst stanzas of the entire season let alone the postseason. They outshot St. Louis 11-6 but there were no Grade A chances and Binnington hardly had to break a sweat. The Blues have to be one of the toughest teams in the NHL to play from behind against too because they love to just continually dump the puck in your end, make you chase it then continually pound you against the glass. The Bruins seemed flummoxed as to how to solve this problem. The team played nervy and you can't blame the fans for being equally on edge.

Comparing comebacks from other sports is silly but we had to cling to memories of the Patriots 28-3 Super Bowl comeback vs. the Falcons as if that meant anything for the B's. They huffed and puffed but could never gain any semblance of control in the game as Binnington extinguished all hope with a brilliant save on Sean Kuraly early in the third period. Brayden Schenn's one-timer at 11:25 made it 3-0 as the first wave of Bruins fans headed for the exits (who could do that after dropping so much money?). Vladimir Tarasenko and Schwartz had the assists on Schenn's fifth goal of the postseason. Salem, MA native and BC alum Zach Sanford had the honor of putting the last nail in Boston's coffin when he scored on a similar one-timer at 15:22. His first goal of the playoffs was assisted by David Perron and O'Reilly. The only thing that prevented Binnington from a joke shutout was Matt Grzelcyk's goal with an extra skater at 17:50 that cut it to 4-1 Blues. He returned to action after being out with a concussion since Game 2. David Krejci had the lone assist on the Charlestown native and BU alum's fourth goal of the postseason.

Earlier this week, Marchand talked about how that 2013 loss to Chicago still haunts him to this day and he already admitted in this postgame that this was the worst loss of his career, a sentiment echoed by another guy that's been a Bruin for a long time (Krejci). The toughest part to swallow from all of this is that St. Louis isn't a super team like the Blackhawks were in 2013. Unfortunately, I feel like in a few years, we'll look back at this Blues team as one of those fluky NHL clubs that somehow finds its way to a Cup that then proceeds to fall off a cliff never to be heard from again. Teams change every year in professional sports so undoubtedly at least one or two Bruins that we like probably won't be on the team next season. Sadly, it also is unlikely that the nucleus of Bergeron, Marchand, Krejci, Zdeno Chara and Rask that has been so productive in Black and Gold will ever capture another Cup, at least all together. This was their chance to really put a stamp on the franchise and the NHL as a whole. 2-1 in the Stanley Cup Final looks a hell of a lot better than 1-2 and frankly 2011 seems like a lifetime ago. The Cup is the hardest trophy to win in professional sports but I have a feeling that this will always be remembered by the Bruins and their fans as the painful one that they left sitting on the table.

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For the 2nd Year In a Row (3rd Time in 7 Years), the Bruins Win Another Game 7 Against the Leafs

One of the million great aspects of sports is at some point, almost every epic drought ends: after all, the Red Sox and Cubs won the World Series so at some point, the Maple Leafs will win another Stanley Cup. Thankfully for the Bruins and their fans, that won't happen on their watch at least for another year as Boston beat Toronto 5-1 tonight in Game 7 at TD Garden to take the first-round series 4-3. Would you believe that the Leafs haven't won the Cup in 52+ years now? Hell, they haven't even won a series in 15+ years. What makes that hilarious is the fact that the B's continue to torment them the most, having also beaten them at the Garden in epic Game 7s in 2013 and 2018 as well. Oh and Canada hasn't won a Cup since Montreal in 1993 which is utterly insane.

Boston finally became the first club in this back-and-forth series to win consecutive games and while it took them long enough, they got the job done when most had counted them out and their collective backs were all against the wall (double cliche alert!). The Bruins' overall depth was on full display this evening as five different guys scored goals for them and goaltender Tuukka Rask (32 saves) was the best player on the ice in his top performance of the series. Now they have home ice for the rest of the Eastern Conference playoffs and they begin their second round series vs. Columbus on Thursday (7, NBC Sports) back at the Garden.

Everybody knows how important it is to score first in Game 7s and the Bruins doubled down with a pair of goals late in the first period to take firm control of the contest. First, Joakim Nordstrom somehow squeezed a shot past Frederik Andersen (27 saves) from no angle at 14:29 for his second goal of the series. Matt Grzelcyk and Sean Kuraly had the assists on the opening tally. It's a credit to B's head coach Bruce Cassidy for putting Nordstrom back in the lineup after sitting him in Game 5. Toronto's defenseman Jake Gardiner deserved credit for Marcus Johansson's first playoff goal as a Bruin since his pass behind the Leafs net went right to him and he skated around the cage before whipping a low snipe on Andersen at 17:46 of the first period.

The Maple Leafs dominated the second period, outshooting Boston 13-8 and cutting it to 2-1 on John Tavares' big-time goal at 3:54. Mr. Toronto's only previous goal in the series was an empty-netter way back in Game 1. Tyler Ennis had the lone assist on the wide open shot that Rask had no chance to stop as it went over his leg pad and past his blocker. Boston killed a cross checking penalty by Brandon Carlo in the second and it still felt like a victory when the frame ended with them on top.

Luckily, there was no overtime needed in Game 7 (or any other game in this series) as Boston closed with a strong third period. Kuraly scored a huge insurance tally at 2:40 as he ripped a shot past Andersen at 2:40, his first goal of the series was assisted by linemates Noel Acciari and Nordstrom. The B's survived a too many men penalty (do they always have to get those in Game 7s?) and a pair of empty-netters by Charlie Coyle and Patrice Bergeron made sure that the stress would quickly drift away for nervous Bruins fans.

This is the second year in a row that Boston has advanced to the second round and seventh time in the last nine postseasons. It will be the first ever playoff meeting vs. Columbus who they went 2-1 against in the regular season (which obviously means nothing). However, with Tampa Bay out (thanks to the Blue Jackets) along with the Penguins (and possibly Capitals if they lose Game 7 tomorrow vs. Carolina), the road to another Stanley Cup Final for the B's couldn't be more favorable. The other Eastern Conference semifinal is Islanders vs. Capitals/Hurricanes with Washington for sure being the biggest obstacle for the Black and Gold. This doesn't even take into account the powerhouse Western Conference teams (Calgary and Winnipeg) that have already been knocked out too. Needless to say, the NHL playoffs this season have been even more bananas than usual.

Boston improved to 15-12 all-time in Game 7s and they are now 4-1 all-time vs. Toronto in Game 7s. The Maple Leafs fell to 12-12 in Game 7s and this was another painful chapter in their constantly updating encyclopedia on choke jobs since they blew a 3-2 series lead and lost at home before getting eliminated tonight. Their players, coaches and fans must be wondering what it will take to get past from Boston let alone just win a single series and end this stupid curse once and for all.

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Down 4-3 Going Into the 3rd Period, the B's Rally For a Thrilling 7-4 Game 7 Win vs. the Leafs

Survive and advance, that's all that matters in the NHL playoffs. In a first-round series that featured more twists and turns than a road in San Francisco, the Bruins outlasted the Maple Leafs 7-4 in Game 7 tonight at TD Garden. Toronto scored first (the team scoring 1st had been 5-1) and actually led 4-3 going into the third period (teams leading after 2 had been 3-0 in the series) but they couldn't hang on as Boston followed up probably its worst frame of the season with undoubtedly the best, outscoring the stunned Leafs 4-0 to advance to the second round vs. top-seeded Tampa Bay. Game 1 is Saturday afternoon at 3 pm on NBC from Tampa Bay.

This was the only Game 7 in the first round of the playoffs this year and it certainly lived up to the sizable hype. The first period was bonkers as it featured five goals and non-stop highlight reel plays. Patrick Marleau gave Toronto a 1-0 lead just 2:05 into regulation as he tipped in a Jake Gardiner shot for a power play goal. William Nylander had the second assist on Marleau's third goal of the series. Countless times in this airtight series, the Leafs had scored right after the B's had lit the lamp. This time, Boston turned the tables on them as Jake DeBrusk scored a power play goal at 4:47. He tipped in a shot/pass by David Pastrnak for his fourth goal of the series with David Krejci notching the second assist.

An ugly turnover by Torey Krug in his own end led to another goal by Marleau at 6:12 of the first. Mitch Marner extended his point-streak to six games with the lone assist on the tally. Rookie Danton Heinen subbed in for veteran Tommy Wingels in Game 7 and Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy's instinctual move paid off immediately as Heinen tied things at two at 9:10 of the first. Krejci and Rick Nash had the assists on Heinen's first career playoff goal. Patrice Bergeron gave Boston its first lead of the night at 19:23 of the first after Kevan Miller smartly shot the puck intentionally wide of the net for Bergy to tap it in. His first goal of the series was also assisted by David Backes.

Both Tuukka Rask (20 saves) and Frederik Andersen (29 saves) got off to rough starts in this do-or-die tilt but only Boston's goaltender was able to recover in time. It also helped that Boston's defense wasn't the complete sieve that Toronto's was for much of the series (particularly at the Garden). The Leafs tied it at three as Travis Dermott's shot through traffic found its way into the net for his first career NHL playoff goal at 2:07 of the second period. The ghost of Roman Polak (who was a stiff to begin with) and Nylander had the assists on another goal that Rask really didn't have much of a chance to stop. Things really weren't going Boston's way as they squandered a power play opportunity and even worse, Kasperi Kapanen skated in on a breakaway (after Brad Marchand fell down) before beating Rask for a shorthanded goal (his 1st of the series) and 4-3 advantage at 6:05.

With their season on the line and on the verge of blowing a 3-1 lead in the series, the B's showed their mettle and winning mentality with a third period for the history books. Torey Krug tied it at four with a blast from the point, his second goal of the series was assisted by Miller and Bergeron. Boston never looked back from there as DeBrusk put his team ahead for good with an unforgettable speed rush up the right side. He got his shot off before Jake Gardiner crushed him but I'm sure he didn't care one bit as the Bruins were up 5-4 at 5:25 of the third period. Krejci recorded his third assist on what has to be the biggest goal of DeBrusk's young life. Pasta had started off the series so brilliantly so it was poetic that he also ended it (basically) with another sick goal. Boston's top line had been held scoreless for Games 5 and 6 but they all came to play in Game 7. Pasta's fifth goal of the series, from Bergeron and Marchand came at 11:39 as it gave the Bruins a 6-4 lead. Marchand's empty-netter with 50.9 seconds left in the contest allowed Bruins fans around New England, the United States and the world to finally exhale. On the other side, the Leafs continued to be some of the biggest big game losers in the NHL-year after year and decade after decade (their last Stanley Cup came in 1967).

As crazy as it sounds, I'm actually more confident for the Bruins heading into this meeting with the Lightning since they simply match up better with their other Atlantic Division rival (Boston went 3-1 vs TB in the regular season) that reached the playoffs in 2017-18. Game 2 is on Monday (7, NBCSN) with Games 3 and 4 coming back to Boston on Wednesday (7, NBCSN) and Friday (7, NBCSN). This was Boston's first playoff series win since 2014 and you'll remember that in that campaign, they fell in seven games to Montreal in the second round despite having won the meaningless Presidents Trophy. Pittsburgh vs. Washington is the other Eastern Conference series with Las Vegas-San Jose and Winnipeg-Nashville in the Western Conference. At least on paper, all of those series have the potential to be classics.

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