'The conclusion kind of stunk'
I feel bad for my few remaining Bruins-fans friends. ... I don't think the B's were mere props. But Reader No. 1 makes a good point:

How many series can you lose to the Canadiens like this one, or this one, before Dan Shaughnessy writes a book about a curse?

Hub Blog already has the title: Curse of the Benedicto. ... One of these days New Englanders are going to avenge '75. Until then, Habs fans can celebrate all they want. ...

Update -- A friend and one of the last remaining Bruins fans writes in before penning his 'good-bye cruel world' note to be tacked to the Sevens door:

Dear Mr. Hub Blogger,

While the fair weather fans are are now jumping onto the Cubbie band wagon, ponder this thought.

The three major sports teams in this town did not experience recent post season success until the ownership changed.

The New England Patriots under the Kraft ownership
The Boston Red Sox with the Henry/Warner/Lucchino
The Boston Celtics under the Grousbeck & Partners

Let's see, once the ownership was flushed away a new "can do" attitude seems to take hold where the ownership places win first ahead of make money.

Is there any chance to fire the Owner of the Bruins....probably not.

Cubbie band wagon? He's clearly delusional, normal after going into shock. ... BTW: Winning leads to making more money. They're not mutually exclusive -- something the Bruins ownership has never quite grasped. ...

Update II -- Major correction time. My friend writes back in to swear:

But I'm not a Bruins fans anymore, haven't been since 1996. ... Me and a group of friends were season ticket holders for nine years. Had great seats right next to John Kiley the organist in the old Garden. Watched the team every year get less and less competitive, and then moved into the new building and sat in our new tickets, with the crappy on ice product and collectively decided, nah...no more.

So he's one of those I'm No Longer a Bruins Fan Fan. I know a lot of them. Gets me all confused every year when the Bruins tank. ...

Update III -- Reader Brighton Center: "Wow, those Canadiens fans sure get carried away." ... And Bert writes in:

Let’s hope Deval left the Tobin Bridge off of the list of roads and bridges to be repaired. We won’t be needing it this year.

What? It’s not just a structure used for the self-imposed demise of frustrated sports fans? Oh. Ok. Then go ahead and fix it if you want. But let the diving board fall into a state of disrepair.

And BTW, save the jinx talk. I am defiant on this. I started the daily Magic Number update last year when it was in the 70s. I emailed it to three buddies every time the number went down. Two of the recipients are Sox fans, one a Yankee fan. Two and a half of them thought it would jinx the team.

This year’s countdown started the other day at 145. Updates will be posted at Someday I Will.

For the record: I didn't start the jinx talk. Reader No. 1 did. I'm just going along for the cute-schtick ride. ...  ¶ 6:34 AM