Last season, Boston Bruins fans were treated to a new television show that followed some of the Bruins during their off-ice lives. This show, Behind the B, also allowed the viewer a glimpse at what happens on the ice that people who only watched Bruins games didn’t get to see. While this show was not necessarily the true, raw look at the Bruins on and off ice that it purported to be (it completely glossed over the Shawn Thornton/Brooks Orpik incident, for example), it was good at allowing the fans to learn a bit more about the personalities of the Bruins players as well as a majority of the organization. Now that the second season of Behind the B has been announced, I thought it might be fun to take a look at some of the best moments from season one.
Play like Carl
While some players were away playing in the Olympics, the Bruins still held practices with the players that were available. Due to Patrice Bergeron’s addition to Team Canada, Carl Soderberg found himself practicing with his temporary linemate Brad Marchand and this led to one of the most endearing moments from the season.
The line “Play like Carl” has become so popular that the group over at Stanley Cup of Chowder created a t-shirt featuring it.
Shawn Thornton
This season of Behind the B is sure to be a little less funny due to Shawn Thornton leaving Boston and signing a contract with the Florida Panthers during free agency. On the show, fans got a small look at Thornton in action and it’s safe to say that his quick wit will be missed on season 2.
The above video definitely shows off some of the best moments from Thornton on the show and includes a couple of clips not seen on Behind the B.
Tuukka and Maddie
9-year-old Maddie Santosuosso’s wish came true last season when she got to meet her favorite Bruin, Tuukka Rask. Maddie, diagnosed with stage 4 sarcoma, not only got to meet Rask but was able to have his help with picking out new goalie equipment and got to join the rest of the Bruins on the ice at practice. Viewers of Behind the B got to watch this special moment for both this little girl and the Bruins players as cameras were rolling.
After the shopping trip and the practice, Tuukka commissioned a custom painted goalie mask for Maddie from Ron Slater, the gentleman that paints his own masks. For more information on Maddie Santosuosso, including where donations to help the family out with medical bills can be sent, please see her facebook page.
The Behind the B Intro
Typically, one of the best moments from a television show is not the opening credits but Behind the B’s intro is absolutely stunning. From the string music to how the images are altered in gritty grey scale with flashes of golden yellow, this is a beautifully done piece of art. It’s visually pleasing, attention grabbing and gets the viewer excited for what’s to come.
This introduction was awarded an Emmy from the Boston/New England chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences on September 6th proving that it’s one of the best show introductions out there.
Kevan Miller’s Parents
In episode 5 of Behind the B, a bit of the focus was on rookie Kevan Miller as he played in his first NHL game, but Miller himself wasn’t the star of this segment. His parents, Kirk and Cathy Miller, made this moment stand out on the show. Their reaction to watching their son step foot on the ice in an NHL game for the first time was so heartwarming and couldn’t help but make viewers smile.
While the above moments stood out the most, there are many more great segments that were included in the show that I wasn’t able to include here. Season 2 is set to start on Monday, September 15 on NESN and will likely be available on the Bruins website after it airs as it was last season.
