This Week In Bruins History: Bruins Lift Lord Stanley For The First Time

Eighty-Two years before the Bruins won their last Stanley Cup, during the 1928-29 season when the NHL was in its early stages of existence, they won their first Stanley Cup Championship. The team was full of hall of famers being one of the baddest and toughest teams the NHL has ever produced. They may have had the greatest duo on defense with Eddie Shore and Lionel Hitchman that has ever graced the blue line. It was almost impossible for any opponent to score a goal when Shore and Hitchman were on the ice never mind with legend Tiny Thompson in between the pipes. It also became the first time in the short history of the NHL where two American teams faced off in the finals with the Bruins taking on the New York Rangers.

The 1929 Stanley Cup Finals was decided in a best of three series. Both games were played in historic arenas. Game one took place at the Boston Garden on March 28, 1929 where Tiny Thompson recorded his first playoff shutout of his career after having a microscopic goals against average in the regular season of 1.15 goals a game. Dit Clapper and Dutch Gainor would score the only two goals in the game where the both found the back of the Rangers net during the second period. Game two would be played at Madison Square Garden on March 29, 1929. Harry Oliver would score the first goal while Bill Carson would score the game winner with less than two minutes left in the game. The Bruins swept the short series winning game one 2-0 and game two 2-1.

According to Harry Oliver the Bruins gave each player $500 in $20 gold pieces as a bonus on top of the about $1,000 they made for playing during the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Bruins had a tough and competitive team for years to come. They made it to the finals the next season in 1930, however they would be swept by the hated Montreal Canadiens. While they had a good team during the 30's they would make it back to the Finals until 1939 where they would win the second championship.