Quote:
Originally Posted by Nepeeme2008
Yeah, exactly.
To be honest, the Bruins were known for a long time as a physical team.
Especially under coach Julien.
And Bostonians like that style . I liked it. But physical and dirty are two different things. The Blue's play dirty.
This also reminds me of 2013. The Brui were the more physical team, the Blackhawks the more skilled.
And what happened? The Bruins ended up getting key players hurt with all that physicality, and skill won.
Now rolls are reversed. The far superior skills of he Bruins will win them this series.
Going back decades, Boston may have had short periods when they were not punishing, but of the original 6 teams Boston has to be the most physical, decade by decade.. The smaller rink they had for so long no doubt played a part in their style.
Since expansion the only team that might have a long-standing rep as being more physical are the Flyers...
I have not followed hockey as much post 2000, but the Bruins were tough in the 70's, 80's and 1990's. I can recall the Bruins trying get Cam Neely to be less physical, worried that they would lose his scoring impact to injury from a fight..
Talking Flyers,,,, Marchand and Bobby Clarke have lots in common. Talented, with a very nasty edge, and both had concerns in the draft.