The Boston Bruins face the New Jersey Devils Saturday night in the home opener. After a four game road trip to start the season, the Bruins finally embark on their home schedule.
The Bruins seem to turn it up a notch in front of the home crowd. Boston finished 29-9-3 at home last season.
The home opener is always something special for the players and fans. There usually are a few moments that stand out and set the tone for the rest of the season.
2007: Milan Lucic instantly becomes a fan favorite
The Bruins enjoyed a successful run over the past decade: one Stanley Cup and two other berths in the Final. We can trace all this back to the 2007-2008 season.
This season marked a rebirth for the Bruins. After a few down seasons, the Bruins finally returned to the playoffs.
One of the reasons Boston made the playoffs was the play of its young players. Rookie Milan Lucic was one of these players.
Lucic started the season with a bang on the opening road trip. He scored his first NHL goal in his fourth game. He made a bigger impression in the home opener when he fought Lightning tough guy Nick Tarnasky.
Lucic, who donned the number 62, dropped Tarnasky in front of the home fans. As you can imagine, the fans went absolutely crazy.
This fight stands out because it helped set the tone not only for the season, but for the entire organization. It foreshadowed the type of team the Bruins would become: a tough, intimidating team that would be a force in the league.
Lucic went on to have a great career with Boston until he moved on to Los Angeles, Edmonton, and now Calgary. Here’s a fun fact: in each of Lucic’s debuts for his new teams, he had a fight.