Bruce Cassidy and the Vegas Golden Knights are Stanley Cup champions. Though the Bruins had a successful regular season, it was a tough pill to swallow to watch their former bench boss lift Lord Stanley. Here are five times a championship was a gut punch to Boston sports fans everywhere.
2023 - Vegas Golden Knights
Jun 13, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the Florida Panthers in game five of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports
The Bruins fired Bruce Cassidy following the 2022 season in favor of Jim Montgomery. After a record-breaking 135 point regular season, the team fell flat on their faces against the Panthers in round one, while Cassidy had the last laugh in his first season in Vegas.
2020 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 07: Rob Gronkowski #87 and Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrate winning Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium on February 07, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
What can you say about this one that hasn’t already been said? Tom Brady won six Super Bowls with the Patriots, and while opinions varied regarding his exit from Foxboro, some fans were undoubtedly left with a sour taste in their mouths. Oh, and he also brought Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Brown along with him…
2020 Los Angeles Dodgers
Oct 27, 2020; Arlington, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts (50) celebrates after hitting a home run during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays during game six of the 2020 World Series at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Yes, it was a shortened 60-game season… But in his first season after getting traded out west, Mookie Betts was a key cog in helping the Dodgers win the championship, while the Red Sox finished in last place in the AL East.
2006 Indianapolis Colts
Tony Dungy and Peyton Manning after Super Bowl XLI between the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida on February 4, 2007. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
In the height of the Brady-Manning rivalry, this one truly hurt. After falling into a 21-3 hole at halftime in the AFC Championship, the Colts stormed back to defeat the Patriots to earn a trip to the Super Bowl. The Colts handled the Rex Grossman Bears easily, and helped Peyton Manning earn his first title. It was the one that got away for New England.
2001 Colorado Avalanche
390578 04: Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ray Bourque speaks to the press June 13, 2001 at City Hall in Boston MA. Bourque, who played for 20 years with the Boston Bruins, returned to Boston with the Stanley Cup which he finally won last week playing with the Colorado Avalanche. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)
In a time before Boston became “Title Town”, we used to have to ship our stars elsewhere to help them win a championship. Bruins legend Ray Bourque was traded to the Avalanche at the deadline in March of 2000. The Bruins finished last in the Atlantic Division in 2000 and fourth place in 2001, while Bourque went on to achieve his ultimate goal of hoisting the Cup in 2001 and riding off into the sunset.
And who could forget his return to Boston for a rally at City Hall Plaza to celebrate winning the Stanley Cup for a team not named the Bruins?
It was a different era. He's the last Boston athlete, maybe the last anywhere, for whom you could tell this story.
— Sean Sylver (@TheSylverFox) June 13, 2021
20 years ago, fans flocked to City Hall Plaza to see Bruins icon Ray Bourque, who'd just won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche:https://t.co/P8CT4NZ7Bc
