1977 Semi-Final Game 5

Lore & Background

The Bruins are one of the "Original Six" NHL teams, along with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. They have won six Stanley Cup championships, tied for fourth-most of any team with the Blackhawks (trailing the Canadiens, Maple Leafs, and Red Wings, with 24, 13, and 11, respectively), and tied for second-most for an NHL team based in the United States. The Bruins have also won the Presidents' Trophy four times, with their most recent win in 2022–23 amassing 135 points—the most in one season in NHL history.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the Montreal Forum was thick with cigarette smoke and anticipation. Ice shavings kicked up by skates sparkled under the harsh arena lights as the crowd roared for the home side. A Bruins forward circled the blue line, eyes locked on the net, knowing one mistake could end their season.

Reader's Guide

The first facility to host the Bruins was the Boston Arena (later known as Matthews Arena), the world's oldest (built 1909–10) indoor ice hockey facility at the time of its closure in December 2025 and subsequent demolition in 2026. Following the Bruins' departure from the Boston Arena, the team played its home games at the Boston Garden for 67 seasons, beginning in 1928 and concluding in 1995, when they moved to TD Garden.

Did You Know?

• The Bruins won the first ever NHL game played in the United States on December 1, 1924, hosting the Montreal Maroons at Boston Arena.
• The Bruins' original uniform colors of brown and yellow came from owner Charles Adams' grocery chain, First National Stores.
• In 1929–30, the Bruins posted the best-ever regular season winning percentage in the NHL (.875), a record which still stands.
• The first-ever black NHL player, Willie O'Ree, stepped onto the ice for the Bruins on January 18, 1958.