Bruins stay strong for Boston and each day

When forward Gregory Campbell returned to the Boston Bruins dressing room earlier this week hobbled by his famous broken leg, teammate ShawnThornton welcomed him back by razzing him about his white pants.

"You don't want to give him a break just because he is on crutches," Thornton said. "We are still boys in here. You don't get a free pass."

It was the Bruins' way of showing affection for a player who kept defending on a penalty kill after suffering a broken fibula when he blocked a shot in the Eastern Conference Final. Campbell became an internet sensation as thousands watched video of him struggling to rise to his feet and placing himself between the shooter and the net. He stood on the leg for more than 40 seconds.

"They always give me jabs about the way I'm dressed," Campbell said. "Doesn't matter if I'm playing or not. It was a tough week, not because of surgery, but just because I didn't feel part of the team. You naturally feel a little bit excluded and helpless. So to walk in yesterday and see the guys, that was a great relief for me to know they still recognize me."

The Bruins believe chemistry has played a role in their postseason success, particularly lately when they have won seven consecutive home games.

"We take pride in being a blue collar team," coach Claude Julien said. "We don't care about calling certain guys superstars on this team. We all want to be on the same level."

The roster boasts 17 players who were with the Bruins when they won the Stanley Cup in 2011.

"We are all family in here," said Bruins forward Brad Marchand.

This is a team that very much identifies with Boston. "It's a small, big city," said Thornton who was wearing a Red Sox cap when he met with the news media Tuesday.

Some, like Thornton, live year-round in the city. "Once you get to know people, they'll do anything for you," he said. "So that helps. Sam Adams, too. Harpoon. Good beers."

Boston players don't like to talk about the Boston Marathon bombings, and the impact that it had on the team because it seems wrong to them to discuss sports in connection with the tragedy.

They almost cringe when they are asked if their success helps Bostoniansrecover. "It's a tough question — I'm not going to lie," Thornton said.

He says he only hopes the Bruins' success helps. "We come to the rink everyday, and we love this city," Thornton said. "If it helps, then amazing. We're a pretty tight, good group of guys. If that's helping, we're extremely happy to be giving a little bit."

This is a sentimental group, although you wouldn't know that by the way they roughed up Campbell in his return to the dressing room.

"It's good to see him," Thornton said. "I'm glad he's been working on his tan while we were in Chicago."

Campbell has become the symbol of the Bruins' postseason success because he tried to play on one leg. He had no quit in him, which is how the defensive-minded Bruins like to play. They keep their legs moving and don't give up any ice easily.

"I'm not going to put myself in front of anybody else and say I'm the picture of the Bruins," Campbell said. "This Original Six organization goes back a long way. It represents the city, a blue-collar hard-working city with honest people. When I got traded to Boston, I thought it was tailor-made to my game, the way this team represents the heart and soul of what a hockey player should be made of."

Campbelldoesn't see his play as special, and that offers a glimpse of why the Bruins are chasing their second title in three years.

"There's 18 other guys in that room that would do the same thing," Campbell said. "That's what makes us successful, and makes us a hard team to play against."

Source: usatoday

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