Photo Credit:    Forbes / Boston Bruins / YouTube

By: Anastasia Zolides | Follow on Twitter @azolides

Resilience. Described by Merriam-Webster as the ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change. History has had its share of resilient feats, and the 2017-2018 Bruins team is one in the making.

It’s safe to say that the Boston Bruins are no strangers of misfortune or change. By the end of the 2016-2017 regular season, the Bruins had relieved head coach Claude Julien after 10 seasons, earned a total of 95 points, and a shot at the playoffs, only to fall to the Ottawa Senators in six games in the first round.

Flash forward a year later, and the B’s are 47-17-11,  and in 2^nd  place in the Atlantic Division, with a chance to top the long-reigning Tampa Bay with a win at home Thursday. They have surpassed last season’s point total by 10 points, clinching the second playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, coming in third overall in the league. But it’s been a long road to the top.

Bruised, but not broken.

As we know, the Black and Gold have been plagued by injuries this season, David Backes is a recent addition with a leg laceration during the last match against the Tampa Bay Lightning. At its worst, the Bruins injury list included Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy, Patrice Bergeron, David Backes, Jake DeBrusk, Torey Krug, Rick Nash and Anders Bjork, who is out for the remainder of the season.

With a growing roster of injured players, head coach Bruce Cassidy has relied on the youth to step up and get the job done without hesitation. Guys like Brandon Carlo, Matt Grzelcyk, Danton Heinen, and Sean Kuraly have all risen to the challenge of filling the noticeable void left by the fallen B’s. The newest acquisition, Ryan Donato, has stepped up in a big way, scoring three goals in his NHL debut against Columbus (click the link to check out what fellow writer Andrew Thompson had to say about that).

The Bruins have been notorious for allowing the other team to score first this season, but that hasn’t necessarily been a death sentence for the B’s, with their win against Dallas being the most recent example. Trailing the Stars 2-0 going into the final 20 minutes of the game, Brad Marchand, Tim Schaller, and David Pastrnak rallied to put the Bruins on top by the final 11 seconds.

“We knew we just needed one goal. If we get the first one, we’re gonna get another one.”#NHLBruins react to their 3-2 comeback win over the Dallas Stars on Friday night: pic.twitter.com/QBTfYtLE5d

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 24, 2018

With the regular season coming to an end, there’s no question that Cassidy and the B’s have exceeded all expectations and reignited our passion and faith in Boston’s team. You’re lying to yourself if you say this team hasn’t been exciting and refreshing to watch, and as they make their way into this year’s playoffs, this team is definitely living up to their “Big, Bad” name.

Through and through, the Bruins have proven that with hard work and dedication, injuries and other misfortunes are inevitable, and it’s about how you handle those trials. “You take the situation in front of you, and I believe that it’s 20 percent of what happens to you and 80 percent how you respond to it,” Backes said, speaking on his recent injury. Not only is that true of any injury, but his statement is a perfect example of how Cassidy has taken his roster of young guns and veterans and created an impressive and resilient team; one that doesn’t quit and definitely keeps fans on the edge of their seats.