17 April 2023 , 16:08
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The Stanley Cup Play-Offs begin on Monday night, and the Boston Bruins will be looking to pick up where they left off after a record-breaking NHL season.
The Bruins enjoyed the most dominant regular season in NHL history, setting new records for points scored (135) and total games won (65), but the real work starts now. The Bruins haven't won the Stanley Cup since the 2010/11 season, but they're overwhelming favourites to end their drought and complete what would be the perfect season.
However, time and time again we've been reminded across all American sports that a dominant regular season doesn't lead to success as record holders in the NFL, NBA and NHL have all failed to go the distance that same season. Tom Brady and Stephen Curry are well aware of that, but the Bruins are determined to defy history this season.
With 65 regular season wins, the Bruins smashed the previous NHL record of 62 which was shared by the Detroit Red Wings (1995/96) and Tampa Bay Lightning (2018/19). But both the Red Wings and the Lightning failed to lift the Stanley Cup during those seasons, as their dream campaigns ended with heart break.
But it's not the only major American league that this trend has occurred, as Brady also failed to deliver Super Bowl success when his New England Patriots side went 16-0 in 2007. The Patriots remain the only team to go unbeaten during the NFL regular season, but fell at the final hurdle against the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII.
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The Patriots would have easily been known as the undisputed best NFL of all-time, but ended up being another example of the regular season curse. More recently, the Golden State Warriors completed a record 73-win regular NBA season in 2015/16, but collapsed at the vital moment.
Steph Curry and the Warriors blew a 3-1 finals lead after their record NBA season (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)Curry cruised to the NBA MVP title that season, and the Warriors stormed their way to the finals with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers standing in the way. It looked like the Warriors had done it too, as they went 3-1 up during the series and it seemed to be a matter of when they'd win, not if.
But they collapsed and the Cavaliers won the next three games to clinch the NBA title, somehow ruining the Warriors' party. Those seasons may never be forgotten by the Patriots and the Warriors, but they're also not remembered for the right reasons.
The Bruins will be determined to not be amongst those historic teams, and instead be remembered for the team that went all the way. If they do so they'll be in the conversation as one of the greatest sports teams ever, but they're one of 16 NHL teams that are all competing for the Stanley Cup.