April 4, 1973 - Rangers bomb Plante in Boston during Game One of playoffs.

OMG, I remember watching this travesty unfold on TV, which started with NYR's Brad Park blasting one in from 60+ feet out, which opened the flood gates. Funny thing, Plante was picked up from the Leafs one month earlier and played really well ... including two wins in late March over the Rangers. Then the playoffs start and he can't see the puck.

April 5, 1973 - Phil Esposito sent to Mass. General Hospital.

Another game on TV I'd like to forget ... the travesty turned into a total disaster when Espo tried to beat the NY defense and ended up on his back pulling his right knee up to his chest with both arms. BTW, they played Plante again and he stunk again.

The Bruins were gone after Game Five and boy, did I hear it from the Rangers fans in school the next day.

February 7, 1974 - Bruins acquire sniper from Vancouver.

He was a late bloomer as an NHL goal scorer, but he sure made up for lost time, bagging 20+ goals in each of his last nine seasons. He was also tough and occasionally vicious. I think it was Dave Schultz who said in his book that Schmautz speared him in the neck. The Hammer's book is a good read if you can find it.

May 19, 1974 - I officially became a Flyers Hater.

Oh man, losing the Cup finals in Game Six ... how can this be? I know Bernie Parent played CRAZY great against them, but this should not have happened. Phil Esposito said that the Espo/Orr Bruins were too undisciplined and party-hardy to win more than two Cups. He's right, they should have won two more in '71 and '74.

April 11, 1975 - Bruins throw everything and the kitchen sink at Tony Esposito ... and lose!

Remember when the NHL had a best-of-three opening round playoff series for 1975 thru 1979? What a brutal, white-knuckle event ... they out-shot Chicago 56-18 in Game Three and LOST 6-4! Gilbert was a good pick up for Boston, but he'd like to forget this night.

November 7, 1975 - THE TRADE

THE TRADE (NYR sends Park, Ratelle and Joe Zanussi to BOS for Esposito and Vadnais) knocked the globe off its axis!!! Then the debate started ... which team did better in the deal?

Park was a key need for the Bruins. As Bobby Orr fell apart physically, Park was able to step in as the teams new #1 D-man and played superbly. Topped Boston with 20 points in 15 playoffs during 1978 ... there's a also a great pic of him in Sports Illustrated smashing into Jacques Lemaire during the '78 Cup Finals, which turned the Hab center upside-down.

January 27, 1976 - Cheesy returns to Boston.

I assume Don Cherry wanted more goalie options going into the playoffs and he got it with Cheevers. But, he was getting up there in age and Grapes tried not to wear him out during the regular season, so Gilbert still played a lot and they even brought in Ron Grahame for the '77-'78 season.

May 26, 1976 - Bruins steal Slick Rick from the Rangers.

One of the dumbest trades in Rangers history ... they got Ken Hodge in exchange, who was nine years older and had only one decent season left in him. Meanwhile, the Bruins retired Middleton's #16 in 2018.

May 1, 1977 - Marcotte scores twice and Bruins sweep Flyers out of playoffs. Yipee!

This guy was a helluva player on both ends of the ice. Guy Lafleur called him the best checker he faced during the 1977-78 season, and Don still found time to score 20 goals that year (which he also did six other seasons).

The NHL created the Frank Selke award (named after former Montreal exec) honoring the best defensive forward beginning with the 1977-78 season ... well, surprise, surprise, they gave the first four to Montreal's Bob Gainey. Yes, he was quite good, but c'mon man, he NEVER had to check any of his HOF teammates!

May 21, 1978 - Stan Jonathan wasted Pierre Bouchard.

I remember watching this massacre on TV -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLai4SByaCg

I also enjoyed watching him work over Moose Dupont on a Flyers broadcast earlier in the season. Oh, and besides fighting, he scored 20 goals in a season twice.