The Boston Bruins’ 2022-23 regular season was one to remember. Their Stanley Cup Playoffs run, however, was not.
The Bruins set the single-season wins record under then-coach Jim Montgomery in his first season with 65. They also amassed a record 135 points, David Pastrnak scored 60 goals and Linus Ullmark played his way to his first ever Vezina Trophy.
They had all the makings to make it to — and win — the Stanley Cup Final. But they fell in the first round to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 after squandering a 3-1 series lead.
“We (expletive) that up,” former Bruins forward Hall said during his and Nick Foligno’s appearance on the “What Chaos!” show. “Now you’re removed from it, and you’re like, ‘Man, we should have won a Cup.’” It’s too bad.”
Foligno and Hall were traded after the historic season to the Chicago Blackhawks. The two teams played each other on Dec. 4 and Foligno said there was a small reunion of Blackhawks and Bruins who were part of that team.
“So it was like a huge reunion and we all walked away like, ‘God, we had something (expletive) special there,’” Foligno said. “It’s just disappointing that you don’t get it done.”
The duo said they never felt as if the series was slipping away. In Game 5, the Panthers won a weird bounce in overtime. Boston outshot Florida, 47-25.
“Like Linus misplays a puck. He’s a really good puck handler,” Foligno said. I don’t know, man.”
The Bruins held a one-goal lead in Game 7 and had a minute left to advance to the second round. But Brandon Montour tied the game on a rebound that was initially blocked by Patrice Bergeron.
“Those are the bounces in hockey. But it’s just like, (expletive). This is crazy,” Foligno said. “I don’t think any of us ever thought — maybe that’s the fault. Like we just thought we’re gonna get it done.”
Losing in the first round of the playoffs was just the tip of the iceberg for Boston. Bergeron and David Krejci retired, leaving only Brad Marchand left from the 2011 Stanley Cup-winning team. Hall and Foligno were traded to Chicago and other players left in free agency including Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov, Garnett Hathaway — who were all acquired by the Bruins at the trade deadline — Connor Clifton and Mike Reilly.
Now that the Bruins are well over a year removed from that playoff run, it still stick with Foligno and Hall because how good they were all season long.
“The first round is the hardest round,” Foligno said. “It’s just because any team feels like they can win, like it’s just — you do. You psych yourself up. I’ve been on the other side where I’ve beat Tampa (in 2019) and you (have) no business beating them either, right?
“But our team was really good, and you’re like, ‘Alright, we’re gonna do this.’ And so, yeah, I think that’s the hardest part, and we just didn’t get it done.”
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