Bruins Pride Still Strong in Milford

Nevermind that the Bruins suffered a loss to the Chicago Blackhawks in Game Five of the Stanley Cup Finals Saturday — Bruins pride is still holding strong in Milford.

And the traditions, and superstitions are holding up too. One town resident, Jim Asam, will only watch the games at friends' houses. It's bad luck to watch it at his home, he explained.

Jack Rush, owner of Mazzarelli's Bakery, has a Bruins flag flying outside his home this month. And he put a functional sign on the bakery door that also manages to support his team: "We Are Open. Go Bruins!"

The prize for the most visible sign of fan pride, however, goes to Asam.

Asam mowed his feelings into the lawn of Milford High School. The Bruins symbol is mowed into grass on a hillside. Asam has been working for the town's Parks Department for 12 years.

“What I started doing was mowing the numbers of the graduating class on the hill of the high school, since 2002," he said. "In 2011, I did both '1s' for the 11. I thought I could make it into a 'B'.”  That same year, the Bruins won the Stanley Cup against the Vancouver Canucks.

“I was mowing 13 into the grass [this year], and I was thinking it would look even more like a 'B',” he said. “Hopefully it brings the same luck this year.”

Asam has been a lifelong Bruins fan, starting from as early as he could remember. He enjoyed watching it and participated in youth hockey leagues.

Being a sports fan, Asam said, comes along with certain superstitions. Mowing the grass into the shape of the Bruins symbol has just become another one.

“I painted my garage too. In 2006, I stopped painting my garage, but the Bruins lost in the playoffs. My wife told me I seemed like a fair-weather fan, so it’s been up since 2006.”

Asam is also sensitive about where he watches games. He can’t watch them at home — it’s bad luck. Instead, he watches the games at various friends’ houses.

“If they lose at a friend’s house, I go to a different house,” he said.

It’s not only the people in Asam’s family who show their support of the Bruins, the family’s cats also have something to do with Bruins pride.

“I named my cats Tuukka Rask, Krejci, and we just got Bergeron this year,” he said.

Rush, the owner of Mazzarelli’s Bakery on Central Street, said he put his "Go Bruins" sign on the bakery door to show support for the team.

“We just want to the Bruins to win. I’ve been following them for 50 years,” he said. Rush said he remembered when his father listened to the game on the radio and when his family first got a television during his childhood. Rush said the picture was terrible and fuzzy and he could barely see the players, but he and his father still watched fervently.

One Christmas, Rush said, his father got him a Bruins jersey. “We grew up on a lake, and I got involved in organized hockey. We would skate from eight in the morning to sundown, but I was so excited to have that jersey,” he recalls. “It’s just one of those things that kids get so excited about.”

Rush also remembers seeing Bruins legend Bobby Orr in his rookie year, a highlight for the lifelong Bruins fan.

“Hockey is just a great, fast sport,” he said. His office is decorated with Bruins gear, and so is his house. He has a Bruins flag outside of his house and Bruins memorabilia in his living room.

As far as the Bruins chances for winning, both Asam and Rush think the Bruins still have a good chance, but both recognize the strength and power in the Blackhawks.

“I think we’re going to win the Stanley Cup in two. It’s going to be tough, but we have to prevail,” Rush said.