I agree with Dan Shaughnessy re this article

[Bierman9]

"I know Boston is a football -baseball town, but we must not forget a big loss by the Briuns. In 1971, the Briuns had the #1 seed, the best offense in the history of the sport (at that time - 399 goals) had 3-2 lead in the series, a 5-1 LEAD at the end of the 2nd period in game 6 against Montreal and gave up 5 GOALS in the 3rd period to loose 7-5. That loss it high in the rankings but doesn't get mentioned."

At the time, this was a huge loss, and I felt like crap after it..... The '70-'71 B's were awesome, though arrogance, over-confidence, and Ken Dryden did them in. FWIW, it was game 2 that was the big-lead-blown killer, not 6:

Quarterfinals
1 04/07 MTL 1 @ BOS 3
2 04/08 MTL 7 @ BOS 5
3 04/10 BOS 1 @ MTL 3
4 04/11 BOS 5 @ MTL 2
5 04/13 MTL 3 @ BOS 7
6 04/15 BOS 3 @ MTL 8
7 04/18 MTL 4 @ BOS 2

 

[Pats726]

Didn't bother to read Shaughnessy, but if the OP had him right then I agree. This Patriots team (the Brady-Belichick era team) earned a lifetime pass from me when they won 3 in 4. They earned an unless you suck for the next 5 years pass from me after 2001 alone.

Doesn't mean I don't want or even expect them to win more. Just means I'm not going to evisverate them like a spoiled child who didn't get every last toy they wanted for Christmas if they don't. And wanting them to win every year is not to be confused with demanding they do, or else...

I think that says it all for me...good words about outlook and expectations.. and
as an aside to that directed more at young fans......ANYONE who remembers the old Patriots, pre Kraft and then some..has a very different perspective., so much different than young fans who are riding this incredible wave of great teams and are totally spoiled...I think older fans appreciate and understand MORE of how great this Patriot era has been....and what it was like in lean years..

 

[Fanfrom1960]

At the time, this was a huge loss, and I felt like crap after it..... The '70-'71 B's were awesome, though arrogance, over-confidence, and Ken Dryden did them in. FWIW, it was game 2 that was the big-lead-blown killer, not 6:

Quarterfinals
1 04/07 MTL 1 @ BOS 3
2 04/08 MTL 7 @ BOS 5
3 04/10 BOS 1 @ MTL 3
4 04/11 BOS 5 @ MTL 2
5 04/13 MTL 3 @ BOS 7
6 04/15 BOS 3 @ MTL 8
7 04/18 MTL 4 @ BOS 2

I would question your order of the reasons the Bruins lost that series. Ken Dryden was #1, and I don't remember the arrogance and over confidence you speak of (but I wasn't living in the Boston area at the time, maybe I just didn't hear about it). But yes, that was another really unexpected Boston sports team loss to throw in here.