Espo And Bourque On Bruins-Lightning, NHL Playoffs
BOSTON (CBS) - A pair of Bruins legends joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Dunkin Donuts Boston Bruins Pregame Show before the Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals Monday night.
Phil Esposito and Ray Bourque joined Damon Amendolara, Dave Gosher and Bob Beers prior to the Bruins 3-1 win over the Lighting in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
The two greats talked about how difficult it is to win in the NHL Playoffs, and even harder to win a Stanley Cup.
"I still remember, I got to two finals," Bourque recalled. "You look back and say how did we do it?"
"You find a way, and you battle," Bourque said, recalling his 1999-2000 Avalanche team that overcame injuries to key players to win it all. "But it is so hard, and that's why its so gratify when you do win as a team."
Read: Thomas "A Little Bit Lucky" On Downie Stick Save
Esposito, the one-time president/owner of the Lighting who now does radio commentary for their broadcasts, cleared the air about comments he made last week about not liking the Bruins anymore.
"If the Lightning weren't playing the Bruins, I'd be cheering for the Bruins in a heartbeat," Espo said.
Esposito is actually surprised his team is in the Eastern Conference Finals after what he called a "Looney Tunes" season lastyear.
He recalled that he never wanted to leave the Bruins, but was traded in 1975-76 to the New York Rangers. Harry Sinden never told Esposito about the deal in person, which he found disrespectful.
"I didn't choose to leave, they traded me," he said. "It was shock to my system and it took me a long time to get over it."
"To be honest with you guys, if someone were to tell me the Tampa Bay Lightning would be here right now (at the beginning of the season), I'd say I want a case of whatever you're drinking," he joked.
Every game of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Bruins and Lightning can be heard on 98.5 The Sports Hub with pregame coverage beginning 60 minutes before each game with the Dunkin Donuts Bruins Pregame show.
