Share
Sports

Chara all action, little talk in Stanley Cup pursuit

Share

BOSTON (AP) — Zdeno Chara didn’t say much to his teammates when he showed up, as usual, one game after a puck bloodied his face and knocked him out of the Stanley Cup Final.

And it wasn’t just because it was difficult for him to talk.

“He doesn’t need to say anything, really,” forward Charlie Coyle said on Tuesday, a day before Game 7 of the NHL championship. “It’s already known.”

Nine days after Chara left Game 5 with blood dripping from his face, and three days after Boston won in St. Louis to force the series to the limit, the Bruins and Blues will bring the confetti down on another hockey season Wednesday night. Chara will be there for the 14th Game 7 of his career — an NHL record.

“It’s always fun to play Game 7s,” said Chara, who as captain would have the honor of being the first to skate with the Stanley Cup. “Very intense. You’ve just got to realize you’ve got to lay everything on line and play your best game.”

Trending:
Prince Harry Named in Major Sex Trafficking Lawsuit Against Rapper

A six-time All-Star and the winner of the 2009 Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman, the 42-year-old Chara was still among the team’s leaders in ice time this season, his 21st in the league. So he left a huge, 6-foot-9 hole in the team’s lineup when he left Game 4 with blood dripping from his mouth after Brayden Schenn’s shot deflected off Chara’s stick and into his jaw.

Chara returned to the bench, but did not play; coach Bruce Cassidy said he wanted to be there with his teammates. Chara was back for Game 5 in Boston, but alternate captain Patrice Bergeron did most of the talking to fire up the team before the game.

“We shared our responsibility,” Chara said after practice on Tuesday. “It’s a great group of leaders we have, and it’s not that I’m going to be sitting at a desk and trying to figure out some speech. We all realize that it’s more about our actions than words.”

And Chara’s presence said it all. Cassidy said Chara is in a lot of pain, and he also has to adjust to playing with the full-face shield that limits his vision. (Although there have been reports that Chara broke his jaw, Cassidy has described it only as a “facial injury.”)

The Boston fans gave the captain a lengthy ovation that he said caught him by surprise.

“I was overwhelmed by the response of the crowd,” he said on Tuesday in his most extensive comments since the injury. “It’s very humbling, and I’m so honored to get that kind of a pregame crowd being involved and cheering us on. It just shows how passionate the Boston fans are. Very much appreciate it.”

___

More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
,
Share
The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter
The Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Over the past 170 years, they have been first to inform the world of many of history's most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul.

Today, they operate in 263 locations in more than 100 countries relaying breaking news, covering war and conflict and producing enterprise reports that tell the world's stories.
Location
New York City




Conversation