Editor’s Note: May 10 marks mark the 50th anniversary of Boston Bruins legend Bobby Orr’s iconic, 1970 Stanley Cup Final-clinching goal against the St. Louis Blues. In the lead up to the anniversary, NESN.com is remembering that team and Orr’s goal, which will include NESN’s airing of the “1970 Stanley Cup Playoff Rewind” on Saturday, May 9, at 8 p.m. ET. On May 10, NHL Network will air “The 1970 Bruins: Big Bad & Bobby” a documentary celebrating that team. Click here for more Bruins coverage.
When Bobby Orr scored his iconic, Stanley Cup-clinching goal, a then-five-year-old Bruce Cassidy was home in greater Ottawa.
And, truthfully, he doesn’t vividly remember if he watched the goal live or not. Truthfully, he doesn’t remember vividly whether he watched the goal live, but that doesn’t preclude him from recalling that renowned moment in Bruins folklore fondly.
Despite where he grew up, Cassidy as a child actually was a fan of the Bruins, who he, of course, now coaches. Prior to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, with the Bruins and St. Louis Blues set to meet once again, Cassidy reflected on his connection to the 1970 Bruins.
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And with the NHL on pause presently while the 50-year anniversary of the 1970 Cup Final nears, Cassidy was asked April 20 on a conference call how he remembers that goal.
“I was gonna turn five, I was ’65 born. So I did not see it — it may have been on television, listen I could have seen it but I don’t recall watching it at that time,” Cassidy said. “As I said before, I kept the newspaper from the Ottawa Journal that was on the front page of the sports section, that famous photo. And I cut it out at the time because I loved the Bruins, stuck it on my wall and I do remember having it on my wall most of my childhood, probably right up until I was a teenager. So that’s was my recollection from then.”
You can’t blame a five-year-old for not quite remembering that moment. Still, it seems clear that goal resonates with him as he guides the current Bruins’ attempts to create the stuff of legends themselves.
A statue of Orr which stands outside TD Garden reminds Bruins fans of the goal to this day, and a raffle for a one-of-a-kind replica of “The Goal” statue currently is taking place until May 8, with the proceeds benefitting the Boston Bruins Foundation’s coronavirus relief efforts (details here).
