Bruins’ Gregory Campbell is a House

Hockey players are a different breed of people. Not only do you have to be prepared for huge body checks and face down sharp skates and hard sticks, but you also have to be willing to throw your body in the way of sharply-hit frozen rubber pucks. One incident of that ability that jumps to mind is when Michael Ayers of UNH played a full game just one night after having a tendon in his wrist completely severed by a teammate's skate against the University of Maine at Alfond Arena in 2002. Its a moment that we still talk about with a "remember the time..." mystique to it. Ayers earned a lot of respect from the Maine~iaks that night, despite his UNH roots.  He was tough, and we respect toughness.

On June 5,  Gregory Campbell of the Boston Bruins had such a moment.  Twelve minutes into the second period of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Campbell blocked a shot while on the penalty kill. It took him a minute to get up, and you could tell that he was hurting, but he finished his shift.  Both skates on the ice, actively defending his one-man-down zone... all while protecting a freshly broken leg.

Check out the video.  It's incredible.

In a 1-1 game, his dedication and toughness was appreciated by both his teammates and the fans.  And while he will miss the rest of the season, perhaps his sacrifice will provide the Bruins with the incentive they need to once again hoist Lord Stanley's Cup.

To sum it up, as a friend of mine said, "He's a hockey player... wouldn't expect any less".