From NEHJ: Cup victory unleashes fans' emotions

By Jesse Connolly

The Bruins’ faithful waited 39 years for their beloved Black and Gold to bring the Stanley Cup back to Boston. Not unlike the Red Sox’ historic curse-busting championship in 2004, the Bruins’ victory spurred an emotional outpouring from faithful fans. Here are excerpts of Bruins fans’ reactions on Facebook: 

Bruins fans anxiously await the rolling rally on the streets of Boston on June 17. (Getty)

“Winning the Cup brought me many emotions: excitement, happiness, love for my team and pure bliss, to name a few. It was an incredible bonding moment with my dad, the man responsible for me being a hockey fan. I could finally call him and say the words I’d waited my whole life to say: ‘We won the Cup.’”
— James Cotton (Attleboro, Mass.)

“I was 12 when Bobby Orr made the shot heard round the world and took the victory swan dive. This year, it was as if god had watched over the team and us fans and said, ‘You are loyal and knowledgeable people. For that I give you victory!’ I now know, again, what tears of joy feel like.”
— Tony Rosa (Washington, D.C.)

“In 1972, I was 14 years old. My Bruins won the Stanley Cup for the second time in three years, which could have easily been a three-peat. I was convinced that Boston was going to hoist the Cup every year for the next 10 years. I have bled Black and Gold, patiently waiting for the past 39 years for that next hoisting of Lord Stanley’s Cup. If the good lord took me tomorrow, I would go a very happy man. Bruins forever!”
— Joey McDougall (Glace Bay, Nova Scotia)

“I’m from Pennsylvania and my family is all Flyers fans, except for me. Obviously I took a great deal of abuse after last season. I became a Bruins fan because of Cam Neely. Through the years, I saw other teams I root for win championships, but never the Bruins, the team I wanted to see win the most. As the clock ran out, I wanted to scream but all I could do was smile and raise my arms in triumph. Seeing Zdeno Chara raise the Cup was like having a dream fulfilled. It was an unreal moment and one that I, cue the cliche, will never forget.”
— Eric Lord (Pottsville, Pa.)

“Being a Bruins fan since my parents had season tickets to the Maine Mariners (when they were the Boston farm team) and going to games in black and gold since I was 6 months old made seeing them hoist the Cup an incredible experience. I’ve seen so many of this team’s players come through Providence and this year I knew we had an amazing group with character and determination. I almost had a heart attack and came dangerously close to breaking my leg falling over my coffee table when Bergy scored the shorty in Game 7 against the Canucks. This team and this postseason run will forever be etched in my memory. It has been the most phenomenal spring. Thank you, boys!”
— Ariel Narbis (Saco, Maine)

“Coming to Boston for the parade was worth the drive down from Maine, the money, the sweat and the sunburn that I’ll definitely be feeling for the next few days. It was an experience of a lifetime that I will always hold close to my heart. It was truly an honor to be able to share that moment with the amazing Bruins players and the even more amazing Bruins fans.”
— Caylee Patenaude (Windham, Maine)

“I am currently a college student, which means I have never had the privilege of seeing the Bruins win it all. This was my first year watching the Bruins away from the living room couch. Luckily, despite my lack of income, I was able to come up with the cash to see four games at TD Garden. Many nights were spent on the phone with my parents discussing lineup changes and who should start on the power play. When the B’s were down 0-2, almost everyone in my household lost faith. I knew there was something special about this team and seeing them raise the cup has been the single greatest moment of my life.”
— Tyler Morrissey (Groton, Conn.)

“I’ve been watching games with my father since I was born. I’d lay on his chest and stare at the TV. I could name every team in the NHL by the time I was 3 years old by looking at their logo. I’ve watched the Bruins disappoint me so many times, but even when hockey went into the doom stage with the lockout, I remained one of the few who never gave up and knew it would be back. I went to 12 playoff games this year, including two in Tampa. I was ecstatic when they won the Eastern Conference and when they won the Cup it was almost as if it was a dream. At the parade, it was so awesome to see Claude Julien waving and saying, ‘Let’s get another one.’ I have so much hope for this team for years to come.”
— Paul Barry (Boston, Mass.)

“As the parade passed through, my voice began to deteriorate and my fingers went numb trying to get my phone to take as many pictures as I could. Then it finally dawned on me: the Cup is in Boston. Not a single person felt different than I right then, and as the last duck boat passed on down the slight hill, people started to work their way from their standing point out into the city. Everyone was hugging, high-fiving, doing anything to celebrate with each other. I knew that I wanted this moment every year from here on out.”
— Anthony Amabile (New Hampton, N.H.)

This article originally appeared in the July 2011 issue of New England Hockey Journal.