The Boston Bruins faced a difficult task last night in traveling to Vancouver for game seven of the Stanley Cup finals. The first six games of the series saw each team win at home, so the Canucks appeared to have an edge on friendly ice for the deciding game.
But game sevens are different breeds and rarely follow expected scripts.
Handily defeating the Canucks 4-0 in the deciding game, Boston becomes Stanley Cup champions for the first time in almost 40 years. In last night's contest, the Bruins' Patrice Bergeron scored late in the first period to give the visitors a lead that they would not surrender. Goalie and new Conn Symythe Trophy winner Tim Thomas posted a shutout and displayed the same dominance that enabled the Bruins to survive three game sevens in these playoffs.
For the Florida Everblades, Boston's victory means that two alumni of the ECHL franchise will be joining the raucous party with the Stanley Cup. As the game ended last night, the Bruins' bench flooded onto the ice to immediately commence the celebration. Quickly hugging Tim Thomas was fellow goalie and current "black ace" Anton Khudobin. Dressed in uniform and pads, Khudobin did not play in these playoffs. But he stood ready in case of injury and was likely a valuable member of the team in practice. The netminder from Kazakhstan played for the Everblades as recently as the 2008-09 season. Boston acquired him earlier this year and, though he did not play for the big club, the team chose to keep him around on its quest for the Cup.
Another former Blade who now lives out his Stanley Cup dream is Boston reserve Shane Hnidy. The defenseman is a league veteran who has played for six NHL teams in the past decade. In the lockout season of 2004-05, Hnidy joined many other NHL players in playing minor league hockey to stay sharp and brought his toughness to the Everblades for 19 games. This season saw Hnidy unable to catch on with a club until February, when Boston signed the veteran to bolster its depth at defense. He played only limitedly down the stretch, but did dress for three early playoff games due to injuries. Hnidy ends up celebrating as a Stanley Cup champion, when mere months ago, he was looking for work.
With Khudobin and Hnidy experiencing a Stanley Cup victory, they join the growing legacy of Everblades making an impact in the NHL. Chad LaRose is currently the sole former Everblade with his name on the Stanley Cup for his participation on the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes. Though Khudobin and Hnidy enjoyed ice time celebrating with the trophy, it is likely that neither bench player will have his name etched onto the trophy. Due to spatial limitations, the NHL only puts the names of regular contributors on the Cup.
But I bet that the memory of such a magical moment exceeds even that lofty privilege. And it makes the minor leagues seem as far away as Vancouver, British Columbia is to Estero, Florida.
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