The Boston Bruins aren’t exactly attempting to work a “Miracle on Ice” by coming back from a 2-0 deficit against the Montreal Canadiens. In fact, after watching them win an exciting Game 3, I still think they will win this series.
Even if they aren’t facing the same world-beating odds as that motley band of U.S. college hockey players, the Bruins decided to spend their day off in Lake Placid, New York, according to Joe Haggerty. In case you’re not particularly knowledgeable about the 1980 “Miracle on Ice,” the U.S. Olympic team pulled off one of the biggest upsets in sports history by beating the Soviets 4-3. That win earned them the opportunity to win the gold medal against a pesky Finnish team, all in front of a patriotic crowd in Lake Placid.
While it was a nostalgic experience for older players such as Tim Thomas, it wasn’t a bad getaway for players who weren’t impacted as deeply. After all, you don’t name a place Lake Placid because it is a hectic and distracting locale, unless you have an ironic sense of humor.
Here’s what Thomas and defenseman Andrew Ference said about the experience.“It’s so pretty. You look at around and even in Lake Placid you get a pretty good showing of media,” said Andrew Ference. “I don’t think you really escape anything, but you feel relaxed in a setting like this. You go outside and it’s really casual and relaxed. You just chill out for a couple of days.”
The visit to Lake Placid is more meaningful to some players than others. Tim Thomas is was born in Flint, Michigan and he grew up influenced by the Miracle on Ice that inspired him to become a hockey player – and be like his boyhood hero, Jim Craig.
But while it’s an inspiration setting for Thomas and a hockey Mecca of sorts, the B’s goaltender also said it wasn’t going to be a “Miracle”-style upset if the Bruins rip off three more wins against Montreal.
“This is a great place to visit and very special for me, but my main focus is Thursday and playing the game in Montreal,” said Thomas. “It wouldn’t be a ‘Miracle’ if we win Thursday, so it’s a different page in a different book.”The Bruins and Canadiens’ narrative could shift in two very different directions depending upon how Wednesday’s Game 4 will go. Who knows if a serene day in New York will help Boston out, but stranger things have happened ... especially in Lake Placid.