Miller: Nothing Like Heydey of Bruins-Canadiens Rivalry

BOSTON – Jay Miller just couldn’t help it.

As he walked into TD Garden on Saturday night, some 32 years removed from playing in the National Hockey League, his “game face” was activated.

It was Bruins-Canadiens, after all.

“We're putting our game faces on. Our game faces, meaning we're playing the Montreal Canadiens,” said Miller, who was speaking before the Bruins’ latest Era Night – ‘New Blood, New Beginnings,’ which had a focus on the 1987-88 Boston team that beat Montreal in the playoffs for the first time in 18 meetings across 45 years.

“I enjoyed being a local kid, coming from 20 miles west [off] the Mass Pike, right in Natick…driving up the ramp of the old Garden…the fans, you could smell the cigarette breath and the gin and the booze from Eire Pub. It was an exciting time in my life.”

Miller was among the toughest enforcers the game has ever seen and became a featured character in the fierce battles between the B’s and Habs back in the 1980s when the teams were meeting in the postseason nearly every year – after eight regular-season showdowns a season.

“If you know any of the folklore of this, we played eight times when we played,” said Miller. “And it was the most exciting time for all the other players, but myself and [Lyndon Byers]. And we all know why. It was funny…I enjoyed the heck out of it because I knew I busted the Montreal Canadiens fans, because I did pretty good against them. They were always very cordial to us, but I couldn't wait to pound some faces. That fear was my biggest asset, as they say.

“I remember back when we played four home and four away, and you do it back-to-back, and you might have averaged out a fight. Well, you had the next night to get the guy back. That was the cool part. Now you’ve got to wait six months to get a guy back. That was fun for us, for the Montreal Canadiens.”

Miller played just three and a half seasons in Boston and 216 games but ranks 15^th in team history with 858 penalty minutes (with 33 fights), highlighted by a career-high 304 in 1987-88. During that magical postseason run, the Massachusetts native racked up 124 penalty minutes and 10 fights in just 12 games. Many of them, of course, came against the Habs.

“But that rivalry, as you writers know, it was exciting,” said Miller. “I mean, it was just one of those things that you just really got amped up for. Everybody wanted to come and watch the Montreal-Boston games. Why? You knew there was going to be scraps. [Wayne] Gretzky used to tell me and Ray [Bourque] used to tell me, they don't give me a standing [ovation] every time I come on the ice.

“Everybody stands up and they go, ‘Something's going to happen.’ So that was fun. That was fun.”

Among Miller’s chief individual rivals? Rick Tocchet, Craig Berube, Dave Brown, John Kordic, and, of course, fellow Massachusetts native, Chris Nilan, who was Montreal’s top heavyweight.

“I always enjoyed playing the Canadiens because, one, I knew I had a combatant with Chris Nilan and John Kordic,” said Miller. “And I knew that it was kind of even all the way around…so, that's why we said when we came in here, ‘let's have our game faces on.’

“When we have our game faces on, that means when we walk in this building, we better be ready to play. For me, in particular, I better be ready to fight.”

According to HockeyFights.com, Miller fought 164 times in his career, plus 10 more times in the playoffs.

“That's what got you up for in the games,” said Miller, who had 40 goals and 84 points in 446 games for Boston and Los Angeles. “That's what made you want to come to the game. I didn't care what the score was. I just wanted to win and I wanted to make sure my teammates when they looked down [the bench], and if things hit the fan, that I'm going to [defend them].”

Miller said, unlike today’s game, he didn’t have any relationships with players on other teams, particularly those that he fought.

“I'm meeting Dave Brown for the first time in 40 years next week in Philly doing an alumni game with Frank Simonetti [and the Bruins alumni],” said Miller. “Chris [Nilan], we met, we've been fishing together, we've  been  playing  together, we've been golfing since we ended. But I never knew another tough guy ever. I didn't want to see him because I wanted to knock their block off.

“My job was to make sure that I took them down. And, honestly, some people might say that's kind of a strange thing to say, but I never wanted to lose. It wasn't because of me, it was the 18 guys who were next to me, coaches, and fans. Fear was  my  biggest  asset. I did not like – even today in business – I do not like  to  lose. I did everything I can not to.”

Moog Facing Battle

Former Bruins goalie Andy Moog was unable to attend the weekend’s festivities as he undergoes treatment for cancer, though he made sure to express his appreciation for the support he’s received from his Bruins family thus far.

“The Bruins family has been so supportive, I’ve had so much contact with so many people. It’s been awesome,” said the 63-year-old Moog. “I’ll tell you right now, I think the key to a battle of this nature, any sort of tough thing you have to deal with, is all this positivity that I’m receiving. I think that’s the biggest reason why I’m putting on a good battle right now.

“I’m fighting hard and I think it’s probably a credit to my Bruins family for all the positive support I’ve been getting.”

Moog was able to attend the Centennial celebrations in October as he took part in the gold carpet on Opening Night and the Centennial Gala.

“It was a bit of a stunner, to be honest,” said Moog. “To get in one location at one moment the history of the Bruins, the 100 years of the Bruins. It took us back a bit. We were a little shocked to see the depth and the magnitude of the history of this organization.

“After grasping and getting our heads around it, nothing but pride at having that ‘B’ on my jersey for all those years. It’s just such a great organization to be a part of. Couldn’t be prouder.”

Moog, who played in Boston from 1988-93, ranks eighth in Bruins history with 136 wins. He was also named to the ‘Historic 100’ earlier this season, as the team recognized the 100 most legendary players in its history.

“Initially, it was very proud, of course, very excited to be on that list,” said Moog. “Then once we started to see the 100, you realize this is a big deal, this is a really big deal. Very proud now. We just took it all in.”

The netminder also formed a strong partnership with Reggie Lemelin during his time in Boston, which Moog compared to the Bruins’ current goalie duo of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark.

“There’s nothing but healthy, competitive juices that flowed in a relationship like that,” said Moog. “They’re pushing each other, they really are. I think that’s what happened with Reggie and I. We pushed each other. He was really my first legitimate, everyday pro teacher.

“I learned so much from Reggie over those years about composure and maturity and patience. It culminated with the [1991] Jennings Trophy [for least goals allowed] we won. But that was all Reggie. He told me to stay in the moment and stay working.”

Wait, There’s More

• Former Bruins forward Ken Linseman was also named to the club’s ‘Historic 100’ this past fall. “It meant a lot,” said Linseman. “I was here about five and a half years, so the fact that I got in that group is pretty special. You take 100 years, 100 players…that’s pretty cool.”
• Linseman also acknowledged that many see a similarity between himself and Brad Marchand in playing style (gritty goal scorers), stature (under six feet), and nickname (The Rat). “We have similar reactions to what goes on out there,” said Linseman. “He’s become a great, great player. Honored to be mentioned in the same realm at this point. I give him a lot of credit. He makes himself better every year.”
• Other Bruins that were introduced during the ceremony to honor the 1988 team that ended a 45-year playoff-series win drought against Montreal: Al Pedersen, Billy O’Dwyer, Bob Sweeney, Bruce Shoebottom, Cam Neely, Gord Kluzak, John Carter, Lyndon Byers, Michael Thelven, Nevin Markwart, Randy Burridge, Ray Bourque, Reggie Lemelin, and Rick Middleton.
• Markwart on the weekend-long celebration: “The generosity of the Bruins and the Bruins organization, bringing a bunch of us alums back…it’s just amazing. All the memories come back, and you really feel for the fact that you didn’t win a Cup, right? Because when you have a Cup team, you get the privilege of coming back every 10 years, and everybody gets together. And so, unfortunately, we didn’t get to experience that kind of camaraderie. But those ‘80’s teams were as close knit a group of teams that I’ve ever seen in the NHL.”
• Burridge made his Bruins alumni debut over the weekend in a charity game at Warrior Ice Arena – a 5-4 comeback win for the Black & Gold. His appearance had coach Jim Montgomery quite excited following Saturday’s morning skate. “I was cracking the lineup, was the rookie in the lineup. A lot of fun, a lot of chirping,” said Burridge. “Coach was cheering for the ‘Stump Pump’ – he was looking for a couple shorthanded goals. I told him I’m gonna try to crack the lineup, but I got to try the alumni first.”