This is the place where heroes are forged and reputations are built to mythic heights or dropped straight into the puck dumpster.

It’s the place where grown men crumble into blubbering, tear-filled fools and sheer pressure can turn the stomach of even the staunchest, fire-bellied competitor.

Every young hockey player dreams of ripping a top shelf game-winner in overtime or making that full-extension toe save in the waning moments of a one-goal game, but there’s one thing that’s always constant in those hockey visions.

It’s always Game 7.

The vast preponderance of the Bruins roster has only last season’s Game 7 blowout loss to the Montreal Canadiens as a puck flash card for Game 7 experience, but several key veterans sprinkled throughout the B’s roster have had both their ups and downs with the legend-making stage.

“It’s exciting. That’s the best part about hockey is (a game) where whoever loses goes home,” said B’s defenseman Dennis Wideman (0-1 in Game 7’s). “Now the series goes down to one game and we had a feeling before it even started that it was going to come down to Game 7. This is what we played all year for – to get home ice in the playoffs if this was to happen – and now we need to go home and take advantage of it.”

Mark Recchi has played in five Game 7’s during his 19-year hockey career and carries a 3-2 record – including back-to-back Game 7 wins when he helped push the 2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup. On the other hand, B’s blueliner Zdeno Chara is still looking for his first Game 7 triumph after skating for teams that have dropped all four of his Game 7 appearances in the playoffs.

Three of Chara’s four Game 7 defeats came with the underachieving Ottawa Senators during his seasons patrolling their blueline, but now the 6-foot-9 backline behemoth is looking for one of the few things that still escapes him during a decorated career: Game 7 glory.

The Bruins will have their chance to be heroes or goats in the 60 minutes of life and death on the frozen sheet when the puck drops against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night. It’s a scenario that had the B’s players almost glassy-eyed with exuberance while looking forward to the opportunity that only comes so many times in an NHL career.

“If we don’t play well in Game 7 then nothing else matters that we’ve done before,” said Patrice Bergeron (0-1 in his only Game 7 scenario). “I was in it my first year back in 2004 and now I’m back it. (There is) a lot of emotion and a lot of intensity, and I’m really looking forward to it. I can’t wait for (Thursday).”

The Bruins clearly weren’t ready for the intensity, sacrifice and total team focus needed to prevail in Game 7 last season against the Habs, but now have a chance to prove they are that team this spring in yet another hurdle to clear on their way to hockey greatness.

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Tickets

03/3/2012

Boston Red Sox vs Northeastern - JetBlue Park, Lee County , FL
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03/3/2012

Boston Red Sox vs Boston College Eagles - JetBlue Park, Lee County , FL
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03/4/2012

Boston Red Sox vs Minnesota Twins - JetBlue Park, Lee County , FL
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“It’s as good as it gets because it’s win or go home. That’s what makes it exciting and that’s what you thrive on,” said Steve Montador. “That’s what fans wait all year for. You get pretty jacked up about it. Everybody wants to do the right thing, but it’s usually the simpler team and the smarter team that comes out on top.”

Game 7 rookies and grizzled veterans alike agree on the same premise: the team that keeps it simple, doesn’t stray too far from their structured game plan and avoids fading under the oft-times harsh spotlight will be the hockey club moving on after the single greatest one-game setting in all of professional sports.

“This is what we grew up as kids dreaming of. It’s a good challenge for our team. The nerves are there, and I’m sure they’re going to be there on both sides,” said Kobasew (1-2 in Game 7’s). “You’ve got to control your emotions. You can’t come out over-aggressive. You’ve got to be composed. Play with the intensity, but be smart.

“We worked hard all year to get this home ice advantage and get to a Game 7. This is what it’s all about.”

Thirty years from now, when each of the current Spoked B skaters have hung up their Bauers and moved on to goalie camps, a cramped coach’s office or the nearest lush golf course, epic games like Thursday night will offer stories they spin at each of the stops along their future hockey life.

They can be tales of tragedy and what might have been, or stirring reminders of the unbreakable spirit that sports can reveal.

The Black and Gold can be legends – and make history all at the same time – if they simply accomplish what they’ve already done 60 times this season: implement the game and ride their breadth of talent to victory.

Game 7 immortality awaits, and is clearly within the grasp of the Spoked B.