and so it ends...

Hockey season officially came to a close for me for the season yesterday when the Providence Bruins fell to the Hershey Bears 5-2. The PBs lost the series 4 games to 1.

Providence took a game on the road but failed to win any of the three games at home this weekend. Friday they came right out, up 2-0 after the first but sort of fell flat. Sunday was much of the same, end of one they were up 2-0. Hershey got it to OT and they won it with under 5 minutes left in the first OT period. Monday afternoon our hopes were "high" as we expected a "do or die" type game..but alas we fell short once more. The Bruins had THREE shots in the first period...THREE..and seemed out of step the bulk of the game.

I am a hockey fan first and foremost and the bulk of the season I was pleased. The team tried and made it further than they ever had with me as a partial season ticket holder.

Now I have to address the Hershey Bears fans... 100% class. Honestly.

The section I sit in the Bruins "attack" for two periods. All three of the games, and some games within 2 seats of me, were Bears fans. Fans that had taken a bus trip up to be a part of. I got to talked to the two older women on Friday. They had been season ticket holders for the Bears for 10 and 8 years respectively. The next night the guy next to me had them for 10, and the gentleman behind him close to 20. Sure they were "older" but they rooted for their team with class and respect to the "home team". Sure they'd shout when a call seemed "suspect" or a puck rang off the post, but it was refreshing to sit around such avid hockey fans as myself, regardless of who they were cheering for.

Case in point. Game 2 a guy 10-11 rows behind me was the sections "big mouth". He was yelling nonsense, fueled by overpriced domestic beer, he and his buddy took to chanting the goalies name..and following it up with the ever classy shout of "You Suck". This was repeated ad nausea to boot. In the OT period, Hershey was attacking on the end where I sit, and as noted potted the winner. As the Bears began to celebrate around the goal scorer up against the glass, bozo #2 from behind me..comes running down the steps...bangs the glass...and gives the Bears "the finger". Not one, but both. Way to keep it classy.

I looked at the guy sitting next to me and said "I hope you realize that right there does NOT represent the Providence fans".

A hard sell, and I am not sure he was sold on it.

It will be interesting next season, with the biggest rumor being that starting goal tender Tuukka Rask is headed to Boston to be the full time backup. I didn't see many other goalies in the games I went to other than Rask, so it may be a slow start for the team.

Like the Boston Bruins I start each season "hopefully optimistic". It was a fun run, time to enjoy summer.