That was the year the Bruins arrived. They showed fight against Montreal in the 08 playoffs, but 08-09 is when they stepped out from the post-Thornton trade funk to being contenders again.
It was a fun season, Savard's best and healthiest as a Bruin, Kessel taking it to a new level, young payers developing in Krejci and Wheeler, grit in the lineup, they went put and got Recchi for vet leadership.
Season started with that line brawl against Dallas, which sparked the franchise, made them relevant in town again, and they ran with it to the #1 seed in the East. Vanquishing the Habs in a 4 game sweep in their centennial year after they'd been the thorn in our side since 2002 was a pleasure.
Everything was going well, then it just ended in a whimper. That loss to Carolina still hurts. I suppose it was a necessary learning experience for a young team, and that helped them get over the hump in later playoff runs, but it sucked. The team was really banged up and came out flat for the first four games of that series. The fact they got it to a 7th game and overtime in that game took everything they had. The fact that Scott Walker had just gotten let off the hook for suckerpunching Aaron Ward and he's the guy who ended it in OT, it made me sick.
A potential Bruins-Pens ECF would've been great, they played some barnburners that regular season.
In sum it was good memories from the season with a tragic ending, but maybe necessary for taking the leap in the playoffs the next few years.
Never thought it would be Savard's last full NHL season or that Kessel would ask out that offseason though.