Sports Redux: Recovery Day

They really did want it as bad as we did. On Monday, as Boston began to adjust to its new role as a one-sport city, the Bruins made their way to the Garden to pack up and ship out. That's when fans found out that the team wasn't just playing hurt in its effort to bring the Cup back to the Hub, but that Aaron Ward's face was minor compared to some of the injuries going on.

"I was even praying to God sometimes, 'Just get me through the game. I don't want to play good. I'm not asking to play good. Just get me through the game so I can play 100 percent,'" said David Krejci, one of three Bruins who will be undergoing surgery in the off season. Krejci will undergo surgery to repair his hip, Phil Kessel will have his shoulder operated upon and Andrew Ference will undergo groin surgery. Add to that the fact that Chuck Kobasew was playing the Carolina series with two broken ribs, Mark Recchi had battled kidney stones, Marc Savard sprained his knee, Zdeno Chara had a plethora of injuries and Milan Lucic had a bruised toe.

In other words, the Bruins broke themselves for Boston fans this season. That doesn't take the sting of losing away, but it makes us anticipate what a healthy roster can do next season.

The questions that were buzzing throughout the postseason are now being openly asked: does the end of the Celtics' season signify the end of the Big Three as we know it? If so, does the end of the Big Three signify the end of this glorious chapter in Celtics basketball? We have months to obsess about it. In the meantime, let's wish Kevin Garnett a happy birthday.

The friendly and first-place Toronto Blue Jays will help the Red Sox kick off their latest homestand tonight. We're hoping that the Boston team steps up and that our starting pitching woes subside. Sure, we want Kevin Millar to have a happy homecoming, of course, but not that good a time.