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‘Not Over It,’ Bruins Motivated By Game 7 Loss

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It’s been almost three months since the Boston Bruins 2018-19 season ended at the hands of the St. Louis Blues in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Getting so close and falling short is a heartbreaking result and for the Bruins, it is a wound that, to this point, time has not healed. Following their ‘Captain’s practice’ Wednesday, the common sentiment was that this group is not over that nightmarish night in June but they also plan to channel that regret into motivation.

“No, I’m not over it. I don’t think I ever will” veteran center David Krejci said and then discussed the different things that trigger the painful memory.

“I come across some articles, or on TV, or a specific song on the radio, and you know things would kinda. . .its kind of attached to that Stanley Cup Final and it kind of brings up all those memories. It happens all the time. It’s something you have to learn to live with.”

 

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If anyone knows how to turn the page from such heartbreak, it’s Krejci and his veteran teammates. For that core that was part of the 2010 Eastern Conference Semifinals when the Bruins blew not only a 3-0 series lead but a 3-0 lead in Game 7 to the Philadelphia Flyers, a loss like Game 7 last June, can be just what the team needs to finish the job this season. However, as Krejci points out, you need to get to the playoffs again first, to apply the lesson learned.

“Well first you gotta get to the playoffs,” Krejci replied when asked about the lessons learned from that loss to the Flyers ten years ago. “Then memories kind of come back from years before and that’s when you kind of talk about it a little bit more, but first you gotta get into a position to be able to use those experiences.”

One Bruin who wasn’t on the ice for Game 7 or the entire Stanley Cup Final thanks to suffering a broken ulnar in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes was forward Chris Wagner. That doesn’t mean Wagner didn’t feel the crushing defeat like his teammates though.

“It’s tough and I wasn’t even out there,” Wagner said. “I wouldn’t say it’s tougher watching, but it’s tough.”

Like Krejci pointed out though, now it’s about getting back to the dance and going from there.

“You just feel bad for everybody, but eventually you have to get over it,” Wagner said. “You can’t change it now, you have to get ready for this year. Thankfully, that’s in a week or so.”

Bruins forward Sean Kuraly agreed that the sting is still there but knows the Bruins can’t dwell on that and starting a new season will help the cause.

“You move on. We’ve got hockey to play and I think hockey will help kind of, you know, just kind of be something fun you get to do again and enjoy it,” Kuraly said. “Try and win some games and feel good about that and try and get right back there and realize that’s our goal.”

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