Just 24 hours ago, the city of Boston reveled in victory as their Celtics defeated the hapless Cavaliers at the TD Garden. They were loud and proud which was something that was not seen for most of the season. In fact, they stuck it to the self-loathing Cleveland Cavalier fans by chanting "New York Knicks! New York Knicks!", as soon-to-be free agent Lebron James was attempting free throws.
After a night of partying, the scene then focused on a hockey game as the Boston Bruins took on the Philadelphia Flyers at the TD Garden. Believe it or not, the Bruins were up 3-0 in the series and were ready to sweep them. Yet, in typical Bruins fashion they lost in overtime on the same night Lebron put what might be one of the greatest basketball performances in a Cavalier uniform.
Over the next few days, the Flyers steamrolled the Bruins 6-1 over the last two games to tie the series up at three apiece. For the Bruin fans, there was a feeling of "here we go again" as this team over the past few years has literally pooped in the bed. Just last year, the Bruins lost in overtime against the Carolina Hurricanes on their home ice. As for Flyers fans, they were hoping to do something that had never been done in 35 years - to come back from a 3-0 deficit.
In the first period, the Bruins played like their former dominant selves as they jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first period. It made you think that the Bruins had gotten their wake up call and were ready to administer their own version of the Boston Massacre. Unfortunately, it would not last as the Flyers came back with a vengeance by scoring three unanswered goals as well as two goals within 6 minutes of each other.
Suddenly, the once boisterous Bruins crowd was as tight as the Cavalier fans were in Game 5 of the NBA playoffs. Bruins fans were suddenly thinking back to the painful memories of yesteryear of their team coming up short time after time. The Bruins knew it and the Flyers were ready to go for the kill.
In the third period, Simon Gagne of the Philadephia Flyers scored the game-winner at 12:43 of the third period. That goal put the cherry on top of one of the biggest collapses in NHL history. The Boston fans were shell shocked as just 24 hours before they were partying at a Celtics victory. Now, they were left to pick up the pieces of another memorable moment of infamous proportions. Instead, of advancing to face their long time nemesis Montreal Canadians they will now face another summer of what could have been.
As for the Philadelphia Flyers, they became the third team to come back from a 3-0 deficit where only two teams (1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders) have come back from such a deficit. It's amazing how sports fortunes can turn in the blink of an eye. I guess the karmic forces in the sporting world did not look too kindly upon the New York chants for Lebron James. Funny how the Boston sport fans got left with a situation of Faustian proportions.
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