Day 365: Party's Over... Said the Girl.

Opening Day (yay, baseball) is one of my most favorite days of the year—right behind Christmas (oooh, presents) and Thanksgiving (hmmm, food). The beginning of six months and 162 glorious games that will make me happy and sad and angry all in the span of nine innings.

Three hundred and sixty-five days ago, on Opening Day of the 2013 baseball season, I began a quest. That quest was to start a blog and post at least once a day about sports for a whole year. I wasn't sure I would have enough topics to write about. I wasn't sure if my discipline was strong enough to complete the task. And I certainly wasn't sure if people would read what I was putting out there. Well, that quest is now completed and now I sort of feel empty. Please hold me.

The Boston sports scene gave me more subject matter than I knew what to do with. I honestly don't think I could've written about a better year. Even though I started writing a week earlier, it really all started with my very first trip to Opening Day at Fenway Park—a gorgeous, sunshiny Monday afternoon that concluded with a Red Sox win. That day was full of promise and possibility after what had happened the previous disastrous year. And it just steamrolled from there.

There was the Boston Marathon bombing that unsettled an entire city and enlisted the sports community to rally Boston Strong around the tragedy. The Aaron Hernandez arrest for murder and the Patriots' subsequent release of the talented yet brainless tight end. The Boston Bruins incredibly determined run to the Stanley Cup final and heartbreaking loss. Let's not forget the magical World Series Championship season put forth by those lovable, bearded Red Sox—a worst-to-first miracle. And then there was the Patriots making a postseason run even after Wes Welker's departure and a yet again injured Rob Gronkowski—leaving Tom Brady with virtually no targets.

What I loved most about writing every day was the freedom to include whatever I wanted. There were no real rules—just as long as the post was about some type of sport. I loved being able to write about a good deed done by a baseball player, or a killer play made by a tiny person, or a sport that I knew absolutely nothing about, like sailing. I also loved being able to pay tribute to my parents on their birthdays for their part in this obsession and posting videos that made me giggle.

I also wanted to thank everyone who loyally followed Balls of All Sizes and didn't get annoyed that I spammed your Facebook timeline every single day. I know it was quite a commitment and I completely understand if you missed a day here and there. Thanks to those non-sports fans that supported me by reading even when, at times, you had no freaking clue what the hell I was writing about. And, even though he'll never read this post, thanks to my extremely understanding husband who could've gotten really annoyed at the hour plus I spent on putting forth what I hope was a somewhat intelligent blog post every single day for the past year.

Balls of All Sizes isn't going away... it's just taking a little siesta. There will be occasional posts, probably once or twice a week, after a little well-deserved break. I'd be lying if I said some days weren't just a bit stressful. I suffered from writer's block and brain cramps and drunky writing and oops, I almost forgot days. And there was that one time I thought it was over because I was on my way to Fenway for a evening game and I hadn't written anything—thank you iPads with 3G!!

And just like that... game one of 2014 is in the books. Unfortunately, unlike their Opening Day win a year ago, the Sox lose to the O's 2-1, leaving 12 men on base and wasting a perfectly good outing by Jon Lester. I was hoping to maybe end this quest on a high note. I'm trying to be optimistic that this isn't indicative of the season to come, but I'm a Sox fan—glass half empty, remember?

Anyway... the party's over. Elvis has left the building. The fat lady has sung.

PS: Bonus points if you can tell me what movie the title of this post comes from!

Day 353: Bruins On a Roll... Winners of 10 Straight.

I'm going to apologize right now to all you die hard Bruins fans. All of you who religiously watch each and every game and live and die by the black and gold. I'm apologizing because I'm afraid by writing of their recent winning streak, I'm going to jinx them. But I can't help myself—they've been so awesome, they deserve to be revered.

I do love Bruins hockey, but I haven't been as loyal as some of you—I can think of a couple of family members for sure who rarely miss a B's game. I do enjoy their passion on social media while watching. It wasn't until this morning that I actually realized what was going on. The Bruins have won 10 straight games and are 10-1 in the month of March—the last time they won 10 straight was November of 2011. They've outscored their opponents 41-15 (if I've added correctly) in those 10 wins and sit comfortably atop the Atlantic Division with 99 points. The stand second in the NHL behind only the St. Louis Blues who have 101 points. Color me impressed.

Tuukka Rask is tied for second in the NHL with a 2.07 goals against average as well as in save percentage with a .929 average. Rask leads all goalies in shutouts with six. The Bruins have four players in the top 10 overall for plus/minus with Patrice Bergeron #1 at +34, followed by David Krejci at +33, but only Krejci cracks the top 10 in scoring, sitting with the tenth most assists. He leads the team in scoring with 60 points. Sounds to me like this team likes to spread the wealth! It's good not to rely on just one guy, right?

Jarome Iginla, who passed up a chance to play with the Bruins last season and went to Pittsburgh instead for a better chance to win the Cup, continues to build on what was already a Hall of Fame career. On March 17th, he played in his 1300th career game where he scored two goals and recorded his 14th 25-goal season. A night later he scored to reach 556 goals tying him for 25th on the all-time goals list and is one of only six Bruins to play in every game so far this season. I wonder what would've been if he had joined the B's last year instead...

And it's not like they've had an easy schedule. Tuesday's game, their 10th straight win, was the fifth game in seven days. They played three games in four days and two games in a row. That has to be exhausting! They get a bit of a two-day breather this week with their next match not scheduled until Friday when they'll travel out to Colorado to face the Avalanche. I guess I know what I'm doing Friday night.

Friday's game will be the real test of my jinxing abilities. If they win, I'm in the clear. If they lose, I will no longer be allowed to write about the Bruins. Don't poke the bear... DON'T POKE THE BEAR!!

Day 330: Boston Bruins Find Success in Sochi

After a two and a half week break from their regular schedule for Winter Olympics action, the NHL teams are ready to get back into action this week. The Boston Bruins will travel to Buffalo on Wednesday night to play the Sabres. The B's had five players join their home countries for the Olympics in Sochi and three of those guys came home newly crowned medal winners.

Team Canada won the gold medal with impressive shutout wins over Team USA to make it to the gold medal game, and then a 3-0 win over Team Sweden to take the top prize. Patrice Bergeron stood atop the podium with his countrymen to collect his medal. When the Olympics began, Bergeron was a part of the fourth line for the Canadian team. But just like with his regular season play, he was so effective every time he stepped on the ice, he was moved to the top line with Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz. Stats: Six games, two assists, plus-4, 16 shots on goal, 13:57 time on ice per game, 31-for-49 on face-offs (63 percent).

Team Sweden finished second in men's hockey taking home the silver medal after losing to Team Canada. Bruins winger Loui Eriksson, who has been slowed by injuries this year, came through for his country. He was a member of the top line playing with Nicklas Backstrom and Daniel Sedin and he ended up scoring a big goal in the semifinal game against Finland that tied the game, ultimately leading the way for a 2-1 Sweden win. Stats: Six games, two goals, one assist, 11 shots on goal, 19:01 time on ice per game.

Tuukka Rask played a huge role in Finland's path to the bronze medal including a big shutout over the luckless Team USA to ensure a spot on the podium. Although Rask got off to a shaky start in the Olympics, he soon settled down and went on to post a .938 save percentage. He was especially impressive in the Finland win that knocked Team Russia out of the tournament. Rask ended up getting sick and missing the semifinal game against Sweden so who knows, maybe if he had been in net, Finland would've had a chance to play for gold. Stats: Four games, 3-1, .938 save percentage, 1.73 goals against average.

Zdeno Chara (Slovakia) and David Krejci (Czech Republic) also both played in the Olympic tournament. Neither was really close to contending for a medal but Chara seemed to be quite a celebrity off the ice and had at least one picture taken with a really small person. He was also the tallest flag bearer and had to jimmy-rig his hotel bed to accommodate his 6-9 frame.

So... the Olympics are over... Looks like this is the time where I throw on that pink hat and hop on the Bruins' bandwagon to see what these guys can do down the stretch. I hope it's as exciting as last season! Don't Poke the Bear!

Day 321: Now THAT Was Some Hockey! [SPOILER]

I was 10 when a group of college and amateur hockey players stunned the mighty Soviets in the 1980 Winter Olympics. I was old enough to know it was a huge win, but too young to understand what the hell just happened and what it meant for the USA. That Miracle on Ice will always be my first vivid memory of the Olympics and it was probably the moment when I fell in love with winter games.

This year, the American and Russian teams are both favorites for gold and if/when they meet in the medal round, it won't be nearly as lopsided as it was in 1980. The Soviet National team from the 80's was a serious force and came into Lake Placid having won gold in six of the seven previous winter games. They rolled through exhibition games beating several NHL teams, routing the NHL All-star team and crushing the USA team just days before the Olympics began. Am I the only one who pictures a team consisting of 20 Ivan Dragos in hockey pads?

The two teams met early this morning in the preliminary round and considering the score was tied after regulation, I'm guessing they're pretty even in the talent category. These days, things are a little different with Olympic hockey with many countries staffing their teams with mainly NHL players—something they didn't do in the 80's. The game wasn't without its controversy... I mean really, how can you not have just a little when these teams battle each other. Many Russia supporters feel that the winning goal was wrongly waived off giving the USA a chance to come back. But the net was clearly off its supports and the referees were right to say no goal. (Of course I say they were right, I bleed stars and stripes!)

So the game went to overtime. Five minutes of sudden death overtime is enough to send your heart directly to your throat. There's not much in sports that makes me wring my hands like hockey sudden death. The teams went back and forth and the overtime period ended with the game still tied. And now we go to a shootout. International rules are a bit different in that the teams are allowed to use the same shooter after the first three rounds and the US team put their trust in young TJ Oshie who not only scored the first goal of the shootout round, but also three more times, including the game winning goal.

Final Score: USA 3 : Russia 2

My palms were sweaty, my heart was in my throat... if this is how the prelim rounds are going to be for me, I'm scared for the medal rounds. If USA faces Russia for a medal, I swear I won't it through the game. This morning's match took years off my life. USA-USA-USA!!

Day 280: Still a Hockey Pink Hat

After the extreme excitement of the Stanley Cup playoffs last season, I vowed to be less of a hockey pink hat for the 2013-14 season. Guess what? I failed. I know the season isn't over yet and there's probably still time to move past that dreaded pink hat status, but I guess I didn't realize how difficult the task is when the other person in the house could give two craps about hockey. It's going to be a tough hill to climb, a tough stigma to shake.

It's not like I know nothing about the team this season. I've been keeping up with the news. I heard all about the Shawn Thornton's suspension. I saw the play that got him ousted for 15 games. Is it wrong I didn't think it was that bad? Maybe it's because I watched it on YouTube and didn't get the full cheapness of the shot. I also know that unfortunately Dennis Seidenberg will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL/MCL—leaving a bit of a hole at defense. So I'm not completely clueless.

I do know this. The Boston Bruins are kicking some major ass right now. Their record of 28-12-2 is good enough for first place in the Atlantic Division. The leading scorers for the B's are no surprise: David Krejci, Reilly Smith, Milan Lucic, Jarome Iginla and Patrice Bergeron round out the top five. I was happy to see that Iginla has settled in with the team he snubbed last year.

Krejci leads the team with 36 points. At first I thought that sounded like a pretty good number. And then I looked at the overall NHL scoring numbers and had to chuckle. Krejci's 36 points barely gets him on the first page. That whiney little idiot Sydney Crosby has 62 points. What? Both the Bruins and Penguins lead their respective conference but Pittsburgh has just three more points than Boston. And with all those goals and assists, I kind of feel like they should be so much better than that. Their goalie must really blow.

So now is when my superstitions come into play. I really want to watch a game or two and I'm afraid I'll jinx them. I guess if I'm going to give it a try, now is the time. Not later on when the games really matter as the season starts to wind down. I enjoyed the playoffs so much this past spring... I need that again!

Day 275: 2013 Boston Sports Stories Thrilled and Chilled

What a year, what a year! For us Boston sports fans, 2013 both thrilled us and chilled us. There were things that happened that we'd like to forget... and things we want to hold onto as long as we can. There were things that happened that made us cry, laugh, cheer and cringe. 2013 ran the gamut of emotions—from the darkest of days with the Boston Marathon bombing to the highest of highs with the World Series Championship. 

The year began on a somewhat low note with the New England Patriots losing to those annoying Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game. A low point for sure since there's nothing worse than having to watch that douche bag murderer, Ray Lewis, celebrate. 

The year only got lower when tragedy struck at the Boston Marathon finish line where three were killed and countless others horribly maimed. And then things got even lower as the terrorists responsible for such a grisly act shut down the city of Boston while law enforcement searched for them and subsequently killed one and caught the other surviving monster. I don't remember ever seeing photos are eery as those of empty Boston streets.

And then some more bad news. After the Patriots sadly let Wes Welker go to the Broncos, tight end and key member of the offense, Aaron Hernandez was arrested for murder. Well... shit. DUI is one thing...assault is little more serious...but murder is a whole different ball game. The Patriots promptly released him and he still sits in prison awaiting his trial, most likely in late 2014. I know there's that whole innocent until proven guilty crap, but I'm going out on a limb and saying Hernandez won't know life outside the prison walls for a long, long time...if ever.

Boston was in need of some good news... 

The Boston Bruins were inspiring in 2013. From the thrilling seven game series with the Toronto Maple Leafs that the Bruins won in overtime...to the four-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins, many thought they were a team of destiny. But unfortunately, the Chicago Blackhawks had other ideas. Not even the valiant play of Gregory Campbell and Patrice Bergeron, both skating injured, could boost the Bruins to their second Cup in three years. But man...it was a fun ride to watch!

And while the Bruins were skating their asses off, the Boston Red Sox were quietly putting together a respectable season of their own. Not much was expected from a team that had such a disgraceful previous year and then didn't really make any huge off-season moves. They signed a couple of "good clubhouse guys" to short contracts and hoped for the best. And BEST was what they got! That group of bearded men surprised us all with gutsy performances and some clutch hitting to with the World freaking Series! There was a time when I wasn't sure I would ever see my beloved Sox as Champions and now it has happened three times. Yay!

What would the World Series win be without the Duck Boat parade. The season came full circle with the team pausing at the Boston Marathon finish line for a quick moment to remember those who were affected by the bombing with the World Series trophy, the 617 Red Sox jersey and of course, an emotional rendition of God Bless America. A perfect ending to an amazing season that was so deeply impacted by the tragedy back in April.

So long, 2013... and here's hoping that 2014 is filled with more thrills than chills! Happy New Year!!

PS: I now enter the final quarter of my Balls of All Sizes quest—just 90 days left!

Day 268: It's Icy... So Let's Talk About a Butt Goal.

It's icy. That's what happens after two full days of freezing rain with the temperatures never getting above freezing. Everything is coated in ice. Sure, it's beautiful but it has also turned my driveway into a skating rink. Every time I leave the house, I feel like I should be wearing skates and a helmet. I risk falling on my ass before I even get off the porch. And the poor dogs... they're having a hell of a time doing their outside business.

So...because there's so much ice in my life right now...I figured what better time to talk about hockey than now. And what better hockey item to talk about then the "butt goal." Remember "butt fumble?" Well now we have the "butt goal"—yet another embarrassing mishap caused by the posterior. I think Mark Sanchez is happy for the company.

It all started with a Buffalo Sabres flurry around the Phoenix Coyotes' net. The puck bounced straight up in the air and the Coyotes' goalie Mike Smith lost sight of it. As a matter of fact, everyone seemed to lose sight of it. Smith ended up backed into the goal as everyone frantically poked and searched for the puck. Come to find out the puck had somehow lodged itself in the back of Smith's pants and because he and his pants ended up in the net, so did the puck. Sabres goal... and win.

You see the worst part about this play for Smith and the Coyotes was that it happened in overtime. It turned out to be the winning goal for Buffalo. Tough luck for a goalie who had a pretty good game until that point.

Day 172: Finally... A Hockey-Tough Baseball Player

Remember back in the NHL playoffs when Boston Bruins' forward, Gregory Campbell, fell victim to a Pittsburgh Penguins slap shot rocket that broke his leg? And remember how he continued to play almost a whole minute to finish out his shift with the broken leg? You think to yourself... holy shit, that's one tough hombre, right? Cleary, hockey players are just born tough.

But then you flip over to a baseball game and OH MA GAWD, the pitcher has a hangnail and ends up on the 15-day DL. Call the whaaaaaambulance! Red Sox pitcher, Clay Buchholz, missed over three months of the season with a crick in his neck. But lo and behold, I have found a baseball play with hockey toughness. It's a Christmas miracle!

The New York Mets' shortstop, Ruben Tejada, might be the biggest bad ass in all of the Major Leagues. For real. During the ninth inning of the Mets' 5-4 victory over the Giants on Wednesday night, Tejada was chasing down a pop-up into short left field and collided with the left fielder. Both of these guys were sprinting to the ball and when the left fielder went low to try and get out of the way, their legs got tangled.

The 24-year-old infielder got back up on his feet, shook it off and headed back to shortstop. It wasn't until later he learned he broke his right fibula in the collision. What the...? When you watch the video in regular speed, it looks like no big deal. But when you slow it down, you can see when the break occurs. Take a look... and don't worry, it's definitely not Joe-Theismann-bad.

Check out the video HERE.

Lucky (I guess) for Tejada there will be no post season play for the Mets so he'll have plenty of time to heal up before the start of the 2014 season.

Day 153: Buchholz Makes Second Rehab Start, May Be Ready For 2014.

Just kidding with the 2014 thing. Sorry to scare you. But it really does seem like with the pace he's improving, he'll never make it back to the mound for the Red Sox this season. Clay Buchholz injured himself on June 8 when he experienced tightness in his neck and was diagnosed with neck strain. Now I've had neck strain and I understand it hurts, but it never incapacitated me for over two months!

It's a real shame the Red Sox haven't had Buchholz's arm in the rotation over the last two months. Who knows what the case would be right now had he continued on his torrid pace. How many of those losses would be wins? How many games in first would that equate to? When he went on the 1,200 day DL, he was 9-0 with a 1.71 ERA in 12 starts.

So now he's on track to come back... exactly when is anyone's guess. The rehab has been slow to say the least. His first time out with the Lowell Spinners didn't exactly wow us. He faced seven batters, issued three walks, gave up a hit and needed a whopping 38 pitches to record just two outs. Yeesh.

He seems to be improving though. Friday night in Pawtucket, he threw 53 pitches in 3 1/3 innings, allowed seven hits and one run. He didn't walk a batter and he struck out two. A much improved outing overall and he topped out at 94mph, so that's promising.

But this is what really makes me laugh... Buchholz went out on the DL right around the same time the Bruins were making their Stanley Cup run. Bruins forward Gregory Campbell broke his leg a few days before Clay tweaked his neck. Broke his leg and still continued to play for nearly a minute. Broke his leg and still skated and defended and made a difference. Now there's a rumor going around that Campbell might make his return to the ice before Buchholz makes his return to the mound.

Imagine if baseball players had the mental and physical toughness of a hockey player... there might be no such thing as a DL.

Day 103: Bruins Secure Some Big Names for Some Big Money

Shortly after the Boston Bruins' season ended, we saw some big name players depart—Nathan Horton, Tyler Seguin, Andrew Ference and Jaromir Jagr. Then we saw some new big name players come in—Loui Eriksson and Jarome Iginla. Then everyone kept wondering what was going to happen with Tuukka Rask who had signed just a one year deal for the 2012-13 season as a sort of "let's see if this kid can man the pipes full-time."

Well, the answer to that question is obviously yes considering what Rask did not only in the shortened regular season, but also in the playoffs. And his hard work has paid off in the form of an eight-year, $56 million contract that will keep him with the Boston Bruins until he is 34. The contract sets him atop the NHL, joining Pekka Rinne of Nashville as the highest paid goalie in the league.

One of the big questions after Tim Thomas opted not to return to the net this past season was if Rask had the confidence and skill to get the Bruins to another Stanley Cup. He did, and while the team came up short in the end, it was little fault of the young goalie.

During the regular season, he posted a .929 save percentage with a 2.00 goals against average and recorded five shutouts. His postseason stats where even more impressive—his save percentage rose to .940 and his GAA dropped to 1.88. Not only that, but his impressive third round play against the Pittsburgh Penguins where he gave up just two goals in a four-game sweep was nothing short of phenomenal.

The Bruins also secured Patrice Bergeron with an eight-year contract extension worth $52 million this week, keeping him in black and gold until the 2021-22 season and most likely through the end of his hockey career. Bergeron said in an interview earlier this month that his goal was to be a lifelong Bruin.

“It would mean a lot,” Bergeron said on July 2. “That’s the goal since the beginning. It’s the team that believed in me when I was 18 and I was coming up. Now, it’s my home. I feel like it is. I love the city. I love the people. I definitely love the organization. It would mean a lot to me. Hopefully we can work something out.”

Some would say that had Bergeron opted to ride out his current three-year contract and hit the open market, he would've made more money but was willing to take a bit less to stay in the city he loves, with the team that took a chance on him as an 18-year-old. He had 10 goals and 22 assists in the 42 game 2012-13 season and stepped it up a notch in the postseason. Bergeron scored nine goals and six assists in 22 playoff games including two critical goals in the Game 7 rally against Toronto in the opening round. He scored both the tying goal in the third period as well as the winning goal in overtime to overcome a 4-1 deficit and win the game and the series.

Also, Bergeron is one tough son-of-a-bitch. This guy played most of the Stanley Cup finals with some type of injury that would keep most normal people off their feet for days. Torn rib cartilage, broken rib, separated shoulder and a punctured lung and never missed an entire game? That's insane. The big thing we have to worry about with Patrice is the concussions. He's had four in his career, one serious one in 2007 that ended his season.

It will be interesting to see how all the off-season changes shape this team going into the 2013-14 season. Hell, I might even have to start watching more than just the playoffs...maybe shed my "pink hat" status!

Day 97: Bruins Make More Roster Changes

I'm afraid I'm barely going to recognize the Boston Bruins next season. First they decide to let Andrew Ference and Jaromir Jagr go, then Nathan Horton opts not to return. And now, in what's being called "a blockbuster deal" with the Dallas Stars, the B's trade away Tyler Seguin, Rich Peverley and prospect Ryan Button for wingers Loui Eriksson, Matt Fraser and prospects Joseph Morrow and Reilly Smith. Eriksson was the real attraction here. He has spent his entire seven year career with the Stars and scored 150 goals and 357 total points.

I know that there has been grumblings that Seguin is maybe focused a bit too much on the partying and not enough on the actual hockey so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. GM Peter Chiarelli told the Boston Globe last month that Seguin needed to be "more professional." If that isn't a sure sign that you're going bye-bye, I don't know what is. Being cocky just gets you traded.

It just seems odd that they would be so quick to give him a big fat contract just a couple years into his NHL career, without fully knowing his real potential. His production in the postseason left a lot to be desired—he scored just one goal in 22 games. Seguin could've been a dynamic force for the B's if he just could've kept his head in the game...and out of the bar.

Peverley was salary cap collateral damage with his $3.25 million slated for next season. And with his scoring slowly decreasing over the past couple years, it was inevitable that his time in Boston was coming to an end.

As if all that wasn't enough, the Bruins also signed Jarome Iginla yesterday to a one year, $1.8 million contract. I'm not sure how I feel about this deal since Boston evidently wasn't good enough for Iginla last season... what has changed? Huh, Iginla? Realize you might have made a slight error in choosing the Penguins to take you to the Stanley Cup? Of course, now I'm afraid he's going to be a jinx. What if he did choose Boston last year? Would the Penguins have gone to the Cup finals instead?

There's no doubt that Iginla will provide the Bruins with some much needed scoring. Over the last 11 seasons (not including this past strike-shortened season), he has scored 30 or more goals in each. Iginla has also led the NHL in goals scored twice in his career.

Ok, Bruins... I think I'm good with all of the above but if you even think about sending Milan Lucic away, you're dead to me.

Day 93: Post Stanley Cup Bruins Not the Same

Next year's Boston Bruins team is going to look a little bit different than the skaters that hit the ice in 2013. And just when I was starting to get attached to these guys... you know, now that I'm a die hard hockey fan once again. *cough* pink hat *cough* Next year I'm going to try and watch more than just the playoffs, I promise.

Two players are leaving because they have no choice, while another is leaving on his own. I understand that if the Bruins don't want to re-sign a player, there's nothing anyone can do about it. But why would you willingly go after you've been to the Stanley Cup finals twice in three years? Damn the salary cap!

Andrew Ference has no choice. The hard-hitting defenseman came to the Bruins from Calgary in February of 2007. In his six seasons, he amassed 104 points in 373 regular-season games, and 21 points in 69 playoff games. Ference brought his professionalism, competitiveness and fierce loyalty to the Bruins locker room making him a valuable member of the club. And let's just say he excelled at retaliation and protecting his teammates. Click here for the Bleacher Report's tribute to Ference.

Jaromir Jagr didn't have a say in his future with Boston either. The 41-year-old future hall-of-famer was brought in mid-season at the trade deadline deal after the Jerome Iginla deal fell through. He scored no goals during the Playoffs and often looked exhausted. He suffered both hip and back injuries in the finals and is most likely looking for a big payday—something the Bruins are in no position to offer. I made fun of the decision to sign Jagr when it first happened, but he proved to be valuable at times in the playoffs.

The real surprise for me is definitely Nathan Horton's departure from the team. While his point production has been on a steady decline since he arrived in Boston, the winger generally kicked ass in the post season. The line of David Krejci, Milan Lucic and Horton was said by some to be one of the best lines in hockey—a line that combined for 23 goals and 41 assists in the 2013 postseason. During this past shortened regular season, Horton scored 22 total point but made up for it by piling up 19 points in the playoffs. That's a tough good-bye.

It's understandable that teams need to be sensitive to the salary cap, but it doesn't make losing great players any easier. Imagine if baseball had a cap...what would teams like the Yankees and Red Sox look like? Would we no longer see $100 million contracts? If so, I'm all for it!

Day 86: Well, Bruins Fans... The Fat Lady Has Sung.

It's been a sad day for Boston fans... last night the Bruins' incredible run at the Stanley Cup was cut short by 17 seconds. In those 17 seconds with less than two minutes left in the game, the Bruins went from the possibility of forcing a game seven, to watching the Chicago Blackhawks celebrate as Stanley Cup Champions on their home turf.

After playing 58 plus minutes of hard-fought hockey, the tying goal, scored by Bryan Bickell after the Hawks pulled the goalie for an extra attacker, deflated the B's. That slight deflation caused enough of a lag in their play to allow Chicago to score the go ahead and winning goal just 17 seconds later while Johnny Boychuk just stood there and watched.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who stared blankly at the television in disbelief as the seconds ticked off the clock, revealing the new Stanley Cup Champs. And even more traumatic was having to witness the Cup presentation pomp and circumstance on your home ice.

Both teams played an unbelievably tough series. Four of the six games were decided by one goal and three needed extra time, including a triple overtime event in game one. It was a heartbreaking loss, but at least the Bruins were beaten by the best team in the NHL, and not a bunch of schmucks. Like the Penguins.

The Chicago Blackhawks showed class and sportsmanship throughout a series that didn't always go their way. The cheap shots where scarce, even when they were being hammered consistently by the hard-hitting Bruins. My hat's off to the new Stanley Cup Champions—you were quite the formidable opponent.

And does anyone else love the handshake tradition at the end of a playoff series as much as I do? Such a gentlemanly ritual for such an aggressive group of men. I would love to hear what the say to each other... "Hey Tuukka, nice job, but at least now you can shave that half bald ferret off your chin now!"

On another note, I think it's about time to give out the second Big Balls Award. This time the honor goes to Patrice Bergeron. Patrice finished the playoffs while suffering through a broken rib, torn cartilage and a separated shoulder. Damn, hockey dudes are tough. Just one of those injuries would sideline a baseball player for an entire season.

Day 84: Bad News: Bruins Lose Game 5 and Patrice Bergeron.

How do the Bruins survive another game in this series without their heart and soul? Patrice Bergeron left game five early last night after playing just 49 seconds in the second period. There was no immediate indication that Bergeron was severely hurt, but the Bruins tweeted in the third period that he had been taken to an area hospital in an ambulance. The only good news on that is that he walked to the ambulance on his own.

When Bergeron gingerly skated off the ice early in the second period in last night's 3-1 loss then never came back on, you just knew it wasn't a good sign. While the Bruins did score their only goal in the third period after Bergeron's departure, he was sorely missed in the last minute of the game when the B's pulled Rask and added another attacker. He's the first guy you want out there—he has had three goals in the last two game.

The Boston Herald described what losing Bergeron does to his team perfectly. "With no Bergeron the Bruins would be minus their top goalscorer in the series, the No. 1 face-off man in the postseason, one of the strongest shutdown defensive forwards in the NHL, and a top penalty-killer."

Initial reports claim it's a leg injury, but that's all anyone is saying right now. I'm sure more information will be released later today but for now, there are a lot questions surrounding the future of Patrice in this series. And if the Bruins lose him for the rest of the series, game six is going to be a tough, uphill battle. Especially with the Blackhawks really stepping up both sides of their play the past couple nights.

If you missed the game last night, be happy. It wasn't pretty. Once again the Bruins were out-skated. There's a hint of desperation in the Hawks that has made them about two steps faster than any Boston skater. Chicago won the shots on goal battle 32-25, but it didn't feel like the Bruins had 25 shots. They had very few instances where there was someone in position for a rebound, making most of their scoring chances just one shot and done.

As with most of the games, the Bruins crushed the Hawks in the checking department (53-22) but how many times did a Boston player choose to take the body rather than the puck, leaving the puck up for grabs? And how many of those translated to scoring chances for Chicago? I have no idea...

Back to Boston we go for a critical game six on Monday. It's do or die for the Bruins and there's a strong chance they'll have to "do" without Patrice Bergeron.

Day 82: It's Been a Wicked Wild Week in Sports

First of all... TGIF! Second of all... it's late and I may or may not have had a few beers. And third of all... holy cow, it has been a wild and wacky week in the world of sports. And with all that's happened, the Red Sox, who should be our focus this time of year, barely even make a blip on the sports news radar. Except their closer who has been stinking up the joint lately.

So without further ado, here's your wild weekly wrap up:

• Aaron Hernandez is a dumb ass. Do I really need to say any more? Expect him to be arrested any minute on obstruction of justice charges. And depending on what evidence they find—you know, evidence that Hernandez didn't destroy—it could be the difference between jail and, well, jail. Dumb. Ass. Can you even imagine how absolutely pissed off Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady must be right now? 

• The Miami Heat are the NBA Champions. Yawn. I don't like basketball and I don't care about Lebron James or the stupid Heat. Theoretically, if I liked this sport, I would've been obnoxiously rooting for the Spurs. This is the least exciting thing for me that has happened this week. 

• B-R-U-I-N-S. As much as I would've have loved to be up three games to one right now, it just didn't work out that way. The Bruins and Blackhawks are all square at two game a piece as the series shifts back to the Windy City. I'd be a freakin' liar if I said I wasn't worried. Especially after the six goals the Hawks scored in game four. But as long as the defense shows up for the next game, they should be ok. I hope. I'm getting anxiety just thinking about the game tomorrow night. 

• The Danny-Doc-KG saga. So Doc Rivers decides he may want to entertain the idea of coaching the LA Clippers. Oh and by the way, he's taking Kevin Garnett with him. And then he's not going. But then he might. Oh wait, now the deal is dead. The latest is Doc will take the weekend to decide his fate with the Celtics. I wish I cared. I don't. 

• And then we have the Red Sox. What can I say about the Red Sox? Well, they did take two of three from the Rays... and they've split the first two games of a four game series with the Tigers. Tonight's win coming on the back of a four-hit, five RBI game from Shane Victorino. But my real takeaway from this week: Andrew Bailey sucks. Three blown saves in five appearances. Sucks. The Sox need to find a new closer. The end.

See? Crazy week. I'm exhausted. Must rest up for the big Bruins game tomorrow night.

Day 79: Playoffs Really Bring Out My Superstitions

Hi, my name is Stacy and I'm ridiculously superstitious when it comes to sports. There... I've admitted I have a problem, now will I be cured? No? Shoot. I'm not sure there is a fix for what ails me.

In general, it's mostly small stuff... stuff that everybody knows. You never mention a no-hitter when you're watching one in progress. Don't talk about your quarterback's recent no-interception streak as he drop back to pass. And one my grandfather was famous for—if you start watching a game already in progress and your team is winning, but then they start losing after you start watching—CHANGE THE CHANNEL!! You're obviously bad luck.

However, when it comes to the post season, my superstitiousness kicks into high gear.

For example, during last night's Bruins game, I wore a particular pair of jeans through the first period and no one scored. But then I changed into my pajamas and BAM—the Bruins score two goals in the second. Daniel Paille, the game two hero, flipped one past Corey Crawford for a 1-0 lead. And then Patrice Bergeron finished the scoring off a brilliant pass right across the crease from Jaromir Jagr.

Tuukka Rask held up his end of the ice, easily fending off the feeble attempts by the Blackhawks to score. Rask shut out the team that lost just seven games in the regular season, stopping all 28 shots. With defense like the B's have, he really had to do very little work. Impressive win...

So basically, I've set those pajamas aside and will be wearing them again tomorrow night because clearly, they're good luck. But here's my dilemma... do you think it's the combination of the jeans in the first period and the pajamas in the second and third periods that resulted in the win? Or were the jeans in the first bad luck and I saved the day by changing into the pajamas?

Or am I just a delusional weirdo? (Don't answer that.)

Day 78: Sorry I Can't Come to the Blog Right Now, the Bruins are On.

I know I should probably be writing about a lot of different stuff today. There was a big series between the Red Sox and Orioles and some serious US Open golf on this weekend, so there's a plethora of subject matter from which to choose. So why is it all I can focus on is the two teams skating around a sheet of ice on my TV? Because it's the Cup, that's why!

I should be writing about how the Red Sox finally lost a series—a real heartbreaker of a weekend, losing three out of four to the Orioles. They started the weekend with a nice three and a half game lead over the O's. Now, just a slim one and a half game lead. Too close for comfort, if you ask me. I'm also starting to worry about Jon Lester. After jumping out to a strong 6-0 record in the first month plus of the season, he hasn't registered a W since May 15 and is now 6-4. What the hell?

I also should be writing about how the Merion Golf Club, called too short by many before the US Open started, completely kicked the asses of just about the entire field. Even the winner, Justin Rose, finished the tournament one over par. When was the last time you saw a major golf tournament with not one player posting a score under par? And poor Phil... second place again? Looks like he's got another bridesmaid dress to add to his collection. His closet must be getting real full!

But honestly, all I really want to write about is hockey hockey hockey because I've got Stanley Cup fever!! Wait... that's not right. I want to WATCH HOCKEY HOCKEY HOCKEY! GO BRUINS!!

Goodbye!

Day 77: Overtime Again... But This Time a Win For the Bruins (Phew!)

I'm sure I'm not the only one who breathed a huge sigh of relief at about 11:30pm last night when Daniel Paille beat Corey Crawford on the glove side. The Bruins and Blackhawks, for the second straight game, needed extra time to decide the winner. But game two had a much more enjoyable conclusion—not only did I get to bed before 1am, but the B's took game two on the road and head back to Boston with the series tied at one.

The Bruins were lucky they were even in the position to take this game to overtime after they came out sluggish in the first period. The Hawks out-skated, out-checked, out-hustled, outshot and outscored the lead-footed B's. In the first period alone, Chicago outshot Boston by an astounding 19-4, but only scored one goal on a wrist shot by Patrick Sharp about halfway through the period. Actually Patrick Sharp alone outshot the Bruins. It was slightly embarrassing.

So needless to say, the team should be buying Tuukka Rask a new car or something for keeping them in this game, saving 18 of 19 shots, most of which happened in a flurry at the front of the net. If it weren't for the quick reflexes of the young goalie, this game could've gotten real ugly, real early!

Coach Julien must have threatened some lives or families or something during the first intermission because the team came out like someone lit them on fire in the second. Every part of their game improved—they looked more in sync and managed to finally score. With five minutes left in the second period, Chris Kelly knocked a "juicy" rebound in over the right shoulder of Crawford for his first goal of the post season.

After a scoreless third period, the two teams, once again, headed into overtime. I'm not sure there's anything in sports that makes me more anxious than sudden-death overtime. I really should buy a defibrillator to have handy during these games because I feel like I'm going into heart failure. Although, I'm not sure defibrillating is something I can do to myself (I've usually been totally abandoned by the time overtime rolls around!)

Luckily, I didn't have to endure more than 13 minutes and 48 seconds of such torture, thanks to my hero, Daniel Paille, who scored the winning goal. The score was the result of hustle, the Blackhawk's inability to clear the puck from the zone and an amazingly crisp pass from Tyler Seguin. Thank the hockey gods for that one—going back to Boston down 0-2 is not my idea of fun.

Deep breath, Bruins fans. Back to Beantown we go!

Day 75: Friday Free For All - Weekly Roundup

I think Friday is the perfect time for a roundup of what's been happening this week. It's been a busy one in the sports world! The Red Sox are still plugging along, the Bruins have officially started their quest for the Stanley Cup, the Patriots signed Tim Tebow and the US Open is under way. WHAT?

If you read Balls through your email, you may have missed the new addition to the blog. Before I get into all the sports stuff... take a look at my new banner. Pretty sweet, right? That's what 12 weeks of an online Photoshop class will get you. That thing took me hours and hours and lots of referring back to those lessons that gave me fits, but I did it.  I've been patting myself on the back all week!

I'll admit, I haven't been too on top of what's been going on this week with the Red Sox, but they did manage to take two of three from the Rays earlier this week. And they continue to hang onto a slim lead in the AL East—2.5 games over the Orioles. So needless to say, this week's series with the O's is pretty damn important to the standings.

The Patriots have been rather quiet the past few months as they start to preparing for pre season activities. It's not really too surprising considering this Belichick-led team tries not to be too dramatic. But holy crap! They shocked Patriots nation with the announcement that they signed the former Bronco and Jet, Tim Tebow. Way to stay out of the spotlight, Bill.

We don't really need to relive that heartbreaking game one loss the Bruins suffered on Wednesday night —I'm still suffering from sleep deprivation from staying up until 1am to witness the triple overtime doozy. But tomorrow's another day and the B's have a chance to bounce back and even the series up before heading back to Boston.

And lastly, the US Open started this week in rainy PA at the Merion Golf Club. At 6,996 yards, Merion is considered short. But it's not playing short so far this week, mostly due to the wet weather. After the second round, only two players sit under par—including Phil Mickleson, who has never won the US Open, but has finished in second five times. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.

Should be a big weekend! Will the Sox win the series against the O's and hold on to first place? Can the B's rebound and take game two from Chicago? Could this be the year, Phil makes it to the altar? We shall see...

Day 74: Triple OT Loss = A Late Night and Major Grumpiness

I'm so delirious right now, I'm not sure I can really form a coherent thought... but I'll give it a try. What can I say about last night's game except, "holy crap!' What a way to kick off the Stanley Cup finals. This game, the fifth longest in Stanley Cup history, was exhausting and I was just laying on my couch. I can't even imagine what the guys who were actually out on the ice were feeling.

A game that started with the Bruins going up 2-0 on two wicked goals by Milan Lucic, quickly turned into one for the ages. The Blackhawks got one back a few minutes later to close the gap. When Patrice Bergeron clanked a slap shot off the back of the cage for the Bruins' third goal, I found myself wondering... hoping that strong defense would take over and shut the Hawks down.

Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Less than two minutes later, Chicago scored and here we were, a one goal game yet again. But the real gut punch game at 12:14 of the third period when Johnny Oduya (wanna dance) notched the tying goal on a deflection off Andrew Ference's skate. Nothing Tuukka Rask can do about that.

And once again... overtime. *sigh*

I can barely even talk about the overtimes. First overtime period—no score and a crippling injury to Nathan Horton (who is currently listed as day-to-day with a shoulder injury.) Second overtime period—no score. My bedtime has long since passed and at this point, I'm in it for the long hall. WHO CAN GO TO BED DURING SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME?

The chances for both teams were plenty throughout the extra play—the Bruins especially. Their best chance was in 10 minutes into the third overtime when Kaspers Daugavins just needed to flick a forehand shot past Hawks goalie, Corey Crawford, but instead, tried to get cute with a backhand and ended up losing the puck. At one point, the camera caught him sitting on the bench, his head hanging low, disappointed at the missed chance to give his team the win.

One split decision gone wrong and the scoring chance was lost. And just two minutes later, the Blackhawks scored on a twice-deflected shot from just inside the blue line. Another one Rask had no chance at stopping. Other than those two fluke goals, Rask shined, making 59 saves in the 112 minute contest.

I'm not going to lie, I was pretty pissed off when that puck went in the net and I just realized it was 1:00am and I was still awake and the Bruins lost. Total bummer. But the B's have been here before. They were down two games to none in the 2011 Stanley Cup finals, and we all remember what happened that year.