The despair of defeat was noticeable on the face of Bruins’ captain Patrice Bergeron following a 4-3 further time loss to the Florida Panthers in Recreation 7 of their Stanley Cup sequence on Sunday evening time at TD Backyard.
Bergeron had a hug and a consoling phrase for each of his teammates as they made their means off the ice. The emotion was most evident in his exchanges with David Krejci and Brad Marchand, two avid gamers who helped Bergeron hoist the Stanley Cup on a warmth June evening time in Vancouver in 2011.
Earlier than leaving for the clubhouse, Bergeron lifted his stick in salute to the Bruins followers, with whom he had developed a selected relationship over time.
The Backyard crowd was in a foul mood after Panthers’ coronary heart Carter Verhaeghe’s game-winner at 8:35 of additional time launched the curtain down on the Bruins’ historic season. However the followers put apart their ire to current Bergeron an accurate tribute.
“It has been an unbelievable expertise simply because he consciousness and his maturity and his means to speak and he would pay attention as a part of that communication,” talked about first 12 months Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery. “Then there’s how good a hockey participant he’s and I noticed a lot from him this 12 months.
“I hope to be taught extra subsequent yr.”
Montgomery’s remarks had been a pretext to an overriding question. Did Bergeron play in his final sport as a member of the Boston Bruins? Bergeron talked about after the game he was dealing with a herniated disc in his once more all via the sequence. Bergeron was noncommittal when requested straight if this was his ultimate sport, citing the need to debate points over with family and buddies.
“It was arduous since you battle all yr for that,” talked about Bergeron. “I’m going to take some time to be with family nonetheless correct now it’s exhausting to course of one thing apart from to say it’s disappointing.
“Once more, it hurts proper now however I’m going to sit down again and see. I’m happy with this group and I’m shut with this group, this can be a particular group with what we had in the end, this isn’t what we needed.”
If Bergeron does resolve to call it a occupation, the C he wore with class and distinction will attainable reappear on Marchand’s jersey. Bergeron was a linemate, buddy and advisor to Marchand whom he mentored for a couple of years.
“He’s particular and hopefully it isn’t however on the finish of the day he has to make his determination going ahead,” talked about Marchand. “No matter he decides to do if he’s going to play once more is one thing.”
Marchand performs the game of hockey to his private distinct beat and that’s what has made him and NHL All-Star and among the many greatest avid gamers throughout the sport. However Marchand talked about that Bergeron has been his place model throughout the strategies he conducts his personal life.
“He’s like the proper particular person on and off the ice and such and unbelievable chief,” talked about Marchand. “He’s a family man, a terrific father and a terrific buddy and he’s on a regular basis keen about all individuals else first.
“That wore off on me pretty a bit and it really modified the easiest way I approached my every day life and the easiest way I methodology the game. I’ll in no way be succesful to say enough good points about him. He allowed me to be throughout the place to play alongside him for a really very long time.
“Now we have been fortunate to have him as a part of this group.”
