But the challenge they face now is the most daunting yet. That's only fitting, considering the prize for surviving this test is the biggest imaginable, with a shot at the franchise's first Stanley Cup in 39 years at stake.
"I think this team has a lot of character," Bruins forward Gregory Campbell said Sunday after the club's final practice of the season. "We've been through two seven-game series so far and it hasn't been easy to get to where we are now. This round we knew wasn't going to be easy as well. [Monday] night is going to be a big test for our club. But we have some character and we've faced adversity, so our true colors will show."
The Bruins won those Game 7s on Garden ice against Montreal in the opening round and Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference Final. They won't have home ice in Game 7 of the Cup Final against Vancouver, but they will have the home crowd backing them in Game 6 on Monday as they try to stay alive and force that decisive Game 7.
"Obviously it's a great challenge," Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron said. "[It's] something we can do. And [Monday] it's up to us, in front of our fans, to take all that energy and emotion that's going to be in the building and carry that out on the ice."
The Bruins weren't a spectacular home team in the regular season, when they actually collected more points on the road. That continued a trend of home struggles in recent years, but the Bruins have found a way to take advantage of the home ice in the playoffs, going 9-3 at the Garden this postseason. That includes dropping the first two games at home to the Canadiens. Since then, the Bruins have won nine of their last 10 home games, including the last five in a row.
"I remember the year that we did finish first in our conference [in 2008-09], we had a good home record, but other than that, we've had some tough grinds in here," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "This year, I remember right near the end of the year, we were pleased with our road record, but we talked about establishing ourselves as a better home team. That was in the last month and a half or so. We started doing that the regular season and we've carried that into the playoffs. So if there is a time to be good at home, it's certainly [Monday], and we intend to keep that streak going."
Being back at home for Game 6 should give them a needed boost, but it's more about how they play than where they play.
"It's not really about being on the road or being at home, it's about us being physical, being more determined, being hungry around the net and getting pucks to the guys in front," Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg said. "That's the only thing. It has nothing to do with being at home. Maybe the fans give us energy for the first time all season, because before that we never really played that well at home. I don't know what it is, but we just have to find a way."
Finding a way to win Monday serves two crucial purposes. It gives the Bruins a chance to raise the Cup with another win in Vancouver on Wednesday, and it prevents the Canucks from celebrating on Garden ice. That's a sight that would not sit well with Boston fans or players after what has been a particularly antagonistic series.
"You never want to see another team celebrating on [your] home ice, especially after you've played them that many times and developed a certain extent of, I guess, dislike," Seidenberg said. "That's certainly a reason for us to play hard [Monday], but we can't focus on the future. We have to play in the moment and focus on every shift that we go out there."
This will be the biggest game the Bruins have played in nearly four decades, all for the chance to play an even bigger one two nights later. The spotlight will be bright, but the Bruins are keeping things in perspective.
"The first thing I do is don't think about the millions and millions of people that are watching," Bruins goalie Tim Thomas said. "There are only 12 players out on the ice at any given time, max, and the ice surface is the same size. There is only one puck in play at all times, and I think you just focus on the nuances of the game.
"Really, you just pretend, you don't pretend that the fans aren't there, but I guess what I'm trying to say is it shouldn't matter whether you have a packed building or playing in an empty rink," Thomas added. "Your focus is on the game and playing the game. You try to get the same focus that you had as a kid when you were out playing on the pond and you're just enjoying the game. Really, if you approach it like that, it can be really fun."
The Bruins have stressed enjoying the opportunity they've earned all postseason long, and not even facing elimination two wins shy of hoisting the Cup will deter them from that approach, nor put a dent in the confidence they've built while overcoming every other obstacle to get this far.
"I think it's important to enjoy yourself," Campbell said. "This is fun. This is why everybody plays, to have a chance to win. … This chance doesn't come around very often, so you have to appreciate it.
"It's important for us to be confident in ourselves," Campbell added. "We're a good team. We've come this far and we have to really focus on the moment here and not get ahead of ourselves and do the best we can [Monday] night."
If they do that, they'll enjoy the even more daunting task of trying to do even better on Wednesday.
