BOSTON — After every victory, the Boston Bruins award a U.S. Army Ranger jacket to their player of the game. He receives it from the last man to earn it. The jacket fits whoever wears it in the dressing room for two reasons: One, it honors the military motto “Rangers lead the way.” Two, it is camouflage.

The Bruins defensemen didn't give the Blackhawks forwards much room to move. (AP)On this team, the leaders blend in.

Who got the jacket Monday night after the Bruins dominated the Chicago Blackhawks in a 2-0 victory, taking a 2-1 lead in the Stanley Cup Final?

Goaltender Tuukka Rask, who made 28 saves and recorded his third shutout of the playoffs? Captain Zdeno Chara, who collided with teammate Milan Lucic in warmups, took stitches to close a cut in his head before the puck dropped and played his usual shutdown defense? Center Patrice Bergeron, who scored on the power play, won 24 of 28 faceoffs and played his usual shutdown defense? Daniel Paille, the grinder who scored for the second straight game?

None of the above. Chris Kelly, the veteran whose

CHICAGO — The puck pinged off the crossbar. The sound rang around the rink. You couldn’t hear what Jaromir Jagr howled, but you could see him look to the heavens, open his mouth wide and let it out long and loud.

It was Boston's turn to celebrate in overtime – and Chicago's turn to grimace – in Game 2 of the Cup final. (Reuters)“I said, ‘God. Where are you?’ ” Jagr said.

Was it going to happen again? Were the Boston Bruins going to strike iron but not gold like they did in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, coming so close to winning so many times in so many overtimes, only to lose?

Jagr keeps religious icons in his locker. He is a former NHL MVP, a former league scoring champion, a two-time Cup champion. But all his saints, all his skill, all his experience and all his accomplishments haven’t bought him a goal in these playoffs, and they didn’t help him 1:28 into OT on Saturday night. This is hockey.

But then, so is this. The Chicago Blackhawks threw the puck around the boards. It got away from Brandon Bollig, and the Bruins were there. Adam McQuaid kept it in the zone, Tyler Seguin sent it across and

CHICAGO — This is an odd time for Jonathan Toews. He won the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward Friday and was a finalist for the Mark Messier Leadership Award, and he is three wins from winning the Stanley Cup for the second time as the captain of the Chicago Blackhawks. Coach Joel Quenneville called him “the ultimate player as far as in all three zones.” His legend is growing, and he is only 25 years old.

Chicago has powered through Jonathan Toews' goal slump to play for the Stanley Cup. (USA Today)Yet lately he has talked about not showing “any sort of weakness” or wallowing in “self-pity.” He is a complete player, one of the best in the game, but he has not been complete in these playoffs. He hasn’t won faceoffs as often as usual. Fifty-three percent. He hasn’t excelled in one of those three zones – the offensive zone. One goal. Eight assists. He knows if he scores, the Blackhawks have a better chance to win, and if he doesn’t, he better provide defense and leadership. He better set an example.

“If you’re not scoring, if you’re not doing something, if

CHICAGO — Torey Krug heard a text message arrive Thursday morning, so he whipped out his iPhone – only to have the damn thing fly out of his hand. He had a chance to catch it. He had another chance. We’ve all been there, haven’t we? Fumbling with our phone, helplessly watching it slip through our fingers and fall to the ground in super slow-mo. Stuff happens, even to professional athletes who are supposed to have amazing coordination.

Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug answers to the media after Game 1. (Reuters)“Maybe my hands just haven’t been working the last 24 hours,” Krug cracked.

At least Krug could laugh about it.

Yeah, he’s a 22-year-old rookie defenseman with only 13 games of NHL experience, and yeah, he committed a turnover his own goaltender called “terrible,” and yeah, that was a turning point Wednesday night as the Boston Bruins blew a 3-1 third-period lead and lost Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-3, in triple overtime. The Bruins fumbled that game like Krug fumbled that phone – letting it out of their hands, failing to

CHICAGO — Please forgive Andrew Shaw. He was tired, and it was late – just past midnight in Chicago, just past 1 a.m. in Boston. The FCC won’t be happy with NBC, but in his delirium, the 21-year-old kid spoke the truth. Bleeping right it was unbelievable.

Andrew Shaw was so happy he accidentally swore on national TV after scoring the Game 1 OT winner. (AP)The Blackhawks and the Bruins needed almost two games’ worth of hockey to decide Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final – 120 hits, 117 shots, 114 faceoffs in more than 112 minutes – and in the end the difference was a double deflection in triple overtime.

Michal Rozsival fired from the point. The puck deflected off the stick of David Bolland in the slot, ricocheted off the leg of Shaw in front and squeaked into the net 12:08 into the sixth period, and the Blackhawks won, 4-3. The fifth-longest game in Stanley Cup final history was over. And to think: This series is just beginning.

Shaw spoke to NBC’s Pierre McGuire on the ice under a spotlight in a darkened arena, “Chelsea Dagger” playing in the background, the fans still buzzing.

“We knew

CHICAGO — In 2010, when Chicago won the Stanley Cup, Corey Crawford was not a Blackhawk. He was a Black Ace. He was a minor-leaguer who spent the playoffs practicing with the spare parts. Looking back, he said he wasn’t around “the team” too much but knew “the guys” and was happy for “them.” In other words, he wasn’t part of the team, wasn’t one of the guys, wasn’t one of them. Where was he when the ’Hawks clinched?

Corey Crawford watched from the stands when Chicago won the Stanley Cup in 2010. (USA Today)“I was in the stands,” he said.

In 2011, when Boston won the Stanley Cup, Tuukka Rask was indeed a Bruin. He was in uniform, too. He just didn’t play a second as Tim Thomas won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs’ most valuable player. Looking back, he had already established himself on the team and in the NHL at that point, so he said he felt part of the group and “fully enjoyed” the victory. Yet …

“It’s tough to sit on the bench, for sure,” he said.

Now here we are in 2013. The Blackhawks have returned to the Stanley Cup final with the same core, the Bruins have

“I thought it was over,” said Dennis Seidenberg. He was far from alone. It was Game 7 of the first round, and the Boston Bruins faced a 4-1 deficit in the third period against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Fans were abandoning their seats at the Garden. On the bench, Milan Lucic was imagining the end of the group that won the Stanley Cup in 2011 – firings, trades, changes. In the dressing room, nursing an injury, watching on TV, Seidenberg’s mind drifted to the same dark place.

Boston has been rolling since completing improbable comeback against Toronto in Game 7 of Round 1. (Reuters)“I was worried about what was going to happen to this team – and everybody,” Seidenberg said. “It was all bad feelings and bad thoughts.”

Remember this as the Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks battle in the Cup final. Both are recent champions, and both are rolling. But both have been through near-death experiences in these NHL playoffs, and both have been born again because of them. It’s not just that they survived; it’s how they thrived afterward. It’s why they are here. It’s why no one should change the channel

BOSTON — The final shot, fittingly, came off the stick of Jarome Iginla. The future Hall of Famer chose to waive his no-trade clause for the Pittsburgh Penguins before the deadline, even though the Calgary Flames had worked out a deal with the Boston Bruins, because he wanted to play with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and their all-star cast. He figured they would give him his best chance at the Stanley Cup.

Tuukka Rask surrendered only two goals in four games against Pittsburgh in the East final. (USA Today)Iginla picked the wrong team. He wasn’t the only one. The Penguins were the favorites entering the Eastern Conference final – the NHL’s top scoring team in the regular season and the playoffs, featuring those two former MVPs and scoring champions. They had beaten the Bruins six straight times. They had won six straight in Boston. But it didn’t matter. Not even close.

When that final flurry ended and that final shot was stopped by goaltender Tuukka Rask, it was just one more futile attempt – and one more indignity for Iginla, who had watched an Adam McQuaid shot glance off his stick