They've played in games with the highest stakes possible in the past year. They needed three Game 7s in the playoffs last spring, including a decisive seventh game in the Stanley Cup Final in Vancouver, to bring home the franchise's first championship in 39 years.
And they've grown used to playing before a packed house at TD Garden. The 17,565-seat arena has now been filled for 98 consecutive regular-season and playoff games. That streak began in a clash against Original Six rival Detroit back on Dec. 5, 2009.
So it shouldn't come as a complete surprise that even these Bruins, who have experienced just about everything imaginable in the last couple years, took note of the electricity in the building when the Red Wings made their lone visit to Boston this season the annual Black Friday matinee.
"For whatever reason, I think it had a little bit of a playoff atmosphere," Bruins forward Shawn Thornton said. "Before the game, Soupy [Gregory Campbell] said on the bench actually it kind of felt that way. Obviously they're a good team, they have been for a lot of years, and we're coming off a pretty good season, so it was a pretty fun game to play in on both sides. Everyone seemed to be up for it."
The Red Wings have long been a measuring stick for other teams in the league with their consistent success in the past two decades, but now beating the Bruins means a little more as well with Boston sitting as the reigning champs.
"Against the defending Stanley Cup champs, you want to kind of measure yourselves against them," veteran Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom said. "They've been on a hot roll here, I think they have 10-0 [record] in the last 10 games, and playing real well, so this was a big test for our team."
The Red Wings did end Boston's 10-game winning streak with a 3-2 shootout victory, but the Bruins still got a point out of the contest with a third-period rally to force overtime and eventually a shootout.
While some matinees can start off a little sleepy, this one was energetic from the start. And even with the extra five minutes and shootout, players on both sides were left wanting more.
"I felt like it was a little bit more [than a regular game]," Bruins forward Daniel Paille said. "Both sides wanted to prove something. I thought it was an exciting game on both ends.
"It was a good playoff atmosphere," Paille added. "It's too bad that we don't get to see them again, because they're a good team to play."
They could meet again, but only in the Cup Final. That's not inconceivable with how these two teams are playing this year, but for now, players and fans alike will have to settle for these all-too-rare regular-season clashes. And Friday's showdown before another sellout and a national TV audience lived up to expectations.
"I think we appreciate how well energized this crowd was," Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard said. "It was like a playoff atmosphere out there and I know I appreciated that. When the fans are into the game like that it makes it that much more fun to play."
Bruins coach Claude Julien agreed, even though his club came out on the short end of the decision in the shootout.
"It was really good," Julien said. "I thought our crowd got into it, especially in the third when they started chanting and cheering us on. You could feel it. It really felt like a playoff game at times with the way our crowd was into it, and rightfully so. I think it was an exciting game for anybody to watch."
