After a long, long stretch of winless games, 10 to be exact – it appeared that the Bruins bandwagon was on the fast track to the bottom of the Eastern Conference. After dismal losses to some of the best teams in the league – Chicago and Ottawa as well as to some of the worst teams – the ‘Canes and Blue Jackets – both the Bruins and their fans were wondering what the heck had happened this year. Occasionally the brakes appeared to have a little juice left in them (3 OT losses) but overall things weren’t looking good.

So no one was feeling very positive when the team left for Montreal to play the Habs on Feb. 7th. After all, the last time the two teams played there was for the glorious 100th celebration of Les Canadiens de Montreal where the Habs promptly beat up their hapless birthday guests, 5-1.

But sometimes strange things happen. And it was very strange yesterday afternoon indeed because the Bruins ended up not only winning but also getting a shut out, 3-0. Tuuka Rask, the young Finnish goalie, finished off the Habs in spectacular fashion, stopping everything thrown at him, including a wild second period where the Bs were outshot, 15-3. Adam McQuaid, the young defenseman sent up from the baby Bs in Providence to help out the ailing blue line, scored first, getting his first ever NHL goal. (How fantastic is that – to not only get your first goal but have it be the winning goal against the Canadiens in Montreal?) Marco Sturm also potted two against Montreal’s Jaroslav Halak. .

Even stranger, the Bs Blake Wheeler had a sort of fight against Ryan O’Byrne. Strange days indeed.

Elsewhere in the NHL Washington is dominating as they ride a 14 game win streak, including delivering a big whooping to their archrivals Pittsburgh on Feb. 7th , 5-4. Super Sunday indeed. Alexander Ovechkin is certainly doing his very best to make sure he is considered the premier player in the NHL.

Although he wasn’t the first star in that particular game, there is no doubt Sidney Crosby is certainly worthy of every accolade sent his way. For fans who have witnessed greatness over the years – Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky, and Mario Lemieux among others – Crosby is certainly on the fast track to join that exalted club.

In the most recent Sports Illustrated (the Feb. 8th issue now on newsstands) there is a great article about Crosby by S.L. Price. I had heard of many of Crosby’s accomplishments as a young player before, of course, but what I didn’t know about was the extent of jealously that he had to put up with from not only players but adults too in his earlier years. In the article Price tells of how young Sidney couldn’t even wear his game jersey in the stands while waiting for his game to start because parents, (parents!) would routinely insult him and berate him on a regular basis.

As a mother of two 13 year old boys, I have often seen bad behavior from other parents and coaches at youth sporting events. But never anything like what Crosby and his family had to go through. Of course, extraordinary athletes such as Crosby only come along a few times in a lifetime. It’s sad and pathetic that some people have to let their envy get the better of them. I mean, really how good can you feel about yourself if you are putting down a child or teen?

Speaking of sons, it was a tragic week for the family of the Toronto Maple Leaf’s General Manager Brian Burke. His 21 year old son, Brendan, a student and manager for the hockey team at University of Miami Ohio, was killed after losing control of his vehicle in a snow storm in Illinois. Brendan’s passenger, Mark Reedy, was also killed as well.

A few months ago Brendan had made the courageous decision to tell his family and then his contemporaries at school that he was gay.

Hockey is many things, including probably being one of the most macho of sports. As a GM, Brian Burke is a prime example of a tough, hard-ass executive. In a wonderful piece on ESPN.com John Buccigross wrote of how Brendan had recently told his father this secret he had been holding onto for so long. Although surprised, the elder Burke showed nothing but complete love and respect for his son, just as he had always done before. He not only spoke of his son’s courage and willingness to put himself in the forefront of this cause but also accompanied Brendan to a gay pride parade that was held in Toronto.

In a perfect world, every parent would totally support their child in this way. But we all know though that too often that is not the case. Burke as much said that, too, of his son’s decision.

“I wish this burden would fall on someone else’s shoulders, not Brendan’s. Pioneers are often misunderstood and mistrusted. But since he wishes to blaze this trail, I stand beside him with an axe! I simply could not be more proud of Brendan than I am, and I love him as much as I admire him,” he said in the ESPN article.
Brendan had actually grown up in Massachusetts not too far from the town where I grew up. Family and friends were to gather there this week in that town to celebrate his life and say goodbye.

As I think with sadness of this father’s pain, I can’t help but think that he is comforted at least a little bit by the fact that he knew his son’s secret. More than that, he said it to Brendan and out loud to the world, for all to hear, that it did not matter to him. Brendan was his son, he loved him and was proud of him. No matter what.

Too often words are left unspoken until it’s too late. Mr. Burke at least will not have to live with that kind of guilt or regret. I hope that gives him a sense of peace in the long, sad days ahead.