I have written on this subject before and it means a great deal to me personally, it is team. This blog I wrote (The Team) a while back probably doesn’t do it justice, but last night was another example of why team is so important, and when a group ‘gets it’, you can’t miss it.
Warrior means, brave or experienced fighter or soldier. Last night, in the second period of the Bruins – Penguins game, Gregory Campbell may have come as close as you possibly can in defining the word warrior, as it relates to sport. The video link is right here. As it turns out, Campbell broke his leg and will miss the rest of Boston’s season. On the ice, he helped kill another penalty, he blocked a shot, broke his leg, stayed on the ice, still pursued shooting and passing lanes, and after 45+ seconds on the ice, with a broken leg, skated on one leg to the bench. This led to a standing ovation by the Bruins loud and faithful fans in the Garden. It led to a Bruins surge in momentum. It led to the Penguins burning their timeout. And it led to the chants of “Campbell! Campbell! from the packed house in Boston. Post-game interviews with Bruin players revealed that the team, among other reasons, wanted to win for Gregory Campbell, and many of them shared just how valuable they feel he is to the club.
Playing for something bigger than yourself. That’s why Campbell played through it and finished his shift, to kill the penalty. To be there for his team in a moment when Boston needed the four skater’s in front of Rask. He did it because his team needed him to, and he had their backs. Ultimately, this is how this Bruins club is built, and how they play, they have each other’s back, and then some. It’s a beautiful thing. It’s endearing. It’s team, and it’s bigger than any one of them.
That said, Sidney Crosby talked of how “…we deserved better…“. Maybe he’s right, but then what would Gregory Campbell deserve? The series is not over, and we have seen, here in the Boston area, that anything can truly happen. I like the B’s chances, especially because of the way the Bruins play as a team. Last night, and into this morning, the Bruins won one for their warrior.