Zdeno Chara already was unequivocally a Bruins legend heading into the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, but the iconic defenseman took his place in Boston lore to a new level that summer.
Chara took a puck to the face in Game 4 of the Bruins' championship bout with the St. Louis Blues. It resulted in a bloody scene on the Enterprise Center ice and forced the larger-than-life blueliner to sit out of the remainder of the contest, which the B's lost 4-2. But Chara, one of the best B's teammates of his generation, decided to be a spectator from the bench rather than in the dressing room or on a trainer's table.
"He wanted to come out on the bench and be with his teammates, that's why he was out there," former Boston head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters after Bruins-Blues Game 4.
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From there, uncertainty clouded over the Bruins with the best-of-seven deadlocked at two games apiece. Chara was as tough as they came as an NHL player, but this wasn't a run-of-the-mill injury. The puck to the face broke the captain's jaw, a massively detrimental ailment for a player in Chara's shoes. Outside of the sheer pain that comes with such a serious injury, his verbal communication wasn't going to be anywhere near what he preferred. A huge blow for someone who often was a quarterback on the ice and was a leading voice for his teammates.
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The average player probably would have sat out Game 5 and perhaps even the remainder of the series. But Chara wasn't an ordinary player. Most of the talk leading up to that game was about how Chara was going to play with a broken jaw, rather than if he was going to take the ice with a lead in the series on the line.
What came next was one of the most memorable moments at TD Garden this century. Not only did Chara suit up for Game 5 against the Blues, but he was among the Bruins starters tasked with giving the club an immediate jolt in a high-pressure contest. And when the six-time NHL All-Star was introduced before puck drop, Boston fans showered him with cheers at a decibel level saved for the most meaningful moments. The ever-focused Chara, sporting a full cage, shook out his legs in preparation for what figured to be a physical tilt while the Garden roof was being blown off.
Chara went on to play nearly 17 minutes that night, third-most among Boston defenders, and clearly inspired his teammates. Despite the Bruins suffering a 2-1 loss that night and still dealing with the effects of a banged-up jaw, Chara was able to show his appreciation to Bruins fans in the days that followed.
"I didn’t expect it," Chara told reporters. "I was overwhelmed by the response of the crowd. Very humbling and so honored. ... It just shows how passionate the Boston fans are. ... We are so thankful they are so behind us and cheering us on."
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A loss in the winner-take-all Game 7 in Boston left Bruins fans with an unfavorable look at the 2019 Final. But Black and Gold supporters never will forget the courage, tenacity and heart Chara showed across the back end of that series, and the gustiness provided a reminder of how much pride the legendary D-man took in wearing a Bruins sweater.
Featured image via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
