BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 25: Boston Bruins right defenseman Charlie McAvoy (73) looks to clear the puck during a preseason game between the Boston Bruins and the New Jersey Devils on September 25, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 25: Boston Bruins right defenseman Charlie McAvoy (73) looks to clear the puck during a preseason game between the Boston Bruins and the New Jersey Devils on September 25, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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 Lucicwas 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.
2012: Bruins raise the Stanley Cup banner
One home opener definitely stands way above the rest.
The Boston Bruins opened the 2011-2012 season at home against the Flyers. Boston actually lost the game 2-1, but nobody remembers the outcome. People only remember the pregame ceremony.
The Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup the year before, so they raised the banner before the game against Philadelphia.
The pregame festivities were something special. The Bruins showcased the Stanley Cup in front of the home fans. Mark Recchi even returned to the Garden ice after retirement.
Then, Boston Bruins legends from every era joined the current players to raise the banner. Players like Bobby Orr and Milt Schmidt stood alongside Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron.
Words cannot do this ceremony justice. You have to see it to really understand its magnitude.
2013: Bruins start season in January after the lockout
The 2013 NHL season was one of the most unique in league history. The season didn’t start on time because of a lockout. At some points, fans and players wondered it there would even be a season.
Fortunately, the league and the players signed a new CBA, and the new season started in January.
As you can imagine, everybody was ready for puck drop. The Boston Bruins opened up the season at home against the New York Rangers.
Milan Lucic opened the scoring in the first period. Although this was only a regular season game, the building exploded after that first goal.
The Boston Bruins went on to defeat the Rangers in the playoffs this season en route to a berth in the Cup Final. The home opener, given it represented the return of hockey after a lockout, is one of the season’s best moments.
2013: Chris Kelly scores first goal of season on penalty shot
How often does a player score a penalty shot goal? Not often. What about a penalty shot goal for the first goal of the season? Never.
Nonetheless, this is exactly what happened in the 2013-2014 home opener. Bruins forward Chris Kelly earned a penalty shot in the first period against the Lightning.
Kelly did score 20 goals in a season, but nobody ever confused him for a sniper. So, most fans probably didn’t expect to see something special.
Kelly, however, surprised everybody with a fantastic move. He undressed Anders Lindback and slid the puck into an open net. This was definitely one of the prettiest goals of Kelly’s career.
Kelly went on to have an up-and-down season for a Bruins team that finished at the top of the Eastern Conference. That doesn’t change the fact that his opening goal was an impressive feat.
2017: Jake DeBrusk scores his first NHL goal
The Bruins started the 2017-2018 season fresh off their first postseason appearance in two years. All eyes were on Charlie McAvoy, who debuted for Boston in the playoffs the previous year.
Another rookie, however, stole the show in the second period.
Jake DeBrusk played in his first game in the home opener against the Nashville Predators. And in only his second period, DeBrusk scored his first career goal.
He corralled a chip pass from David Krejci, went forward then backhand, and roofed the puck by Pekka Rinne. This was quite an impressive move for a first goal.
What is most memorable about DeBrusk’s first NHL goal is his father’s reaction. DeBrusk’s father, Louie DeBrusk, is a former NHL player. Most remember him as a tough-as-nails fighter. To see him in the stands with tears in his eyes showed how special DeBrusk’s goal really was.
DeBrusk has since developed into an importance piece for the Bruins. The best is yet to come, but his first goal will always be one of his best plays.
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Will there be any fireworks this year in the home opener against the Devils? That definitely seems like the case. The Bruins come off an impressive four-game road trip where they went 3-1. And, the players and fans are ready to forget about last season’s finish.
